Chapter 3: Trouble in the sewers

[Stoic]

OOC Comments

Everyone please post your load out and give me a notice roll. I'll try to have the lost up by Friday, but it won't appear before I have the rolls/load out info

The easiest access point big enough for the reptilians in the group is halfway between the town and the wharf that Lance had done his investigating. There is an automated sewer treatment plant nearby (roughly 50 yards away) but you don't see anyone patrolling, nor do you see cameras of any type. There is an old gate with a lock built into it and there is rust on the keyhole. The tunnel is 15 feet in diameter. From what your map tells you, this size seems to be consistent, with various routes and off shots being somewhat smaller once you get into the main sewer system. Looking into the tunnel you can see that the conditions are dim (does not apply to your initial roll, but for those without a way to compensate for this, it will be an issue after this) Additionally, to help mitigate some of the rolls we've had so far, everyone gets a free bonus benny..

[Tim Gates]

Notice (1; Crit Fail)

Notice: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

Gear

• Gear
• Enchanted Arcane Inscribed Baoding Balls
• DS-2 TW Exploratory Armor (Patron Item)
• Bandito Arms Branaghan Armored Overcoat (Rifts Patron Item)
• NG-33 Laser Pistol

As they enter the sewers, Tim is so worried about stepping in human excrement that he thinks he hears the sound of a hungry ogre somewhere in the distance. He is so distracted by this that he keeps watching behind him.

I knew there were gonna be ogres down here. Tim whispers, Why did it have to be ogres...

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Notice 1 (Crit Fail)

Notice: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice]

Rika dons her enhanced Triax Explorer and seals the helmet. She puts her harness on over her armor, and slides both her wand and neural mace into it. She rigs up secure strapping for her Tool Kit and Repair Kit too, just in case. Rika also slides some useful odds and ends from her survival kit into her harness as well and joins the team.

"I will join you in the sewer. I do not like this plan, but I am ready," she says.

Gear (Enc: 26/28)

Neural Mace
Cherrywood Wand
Triax T-43b Explorer
Talisman of Omoikane
CAF Elite Corps Load-Bearing Chest Rig

• (Neural Mace, Cherrywood Wand, Short Range Radio, First Aid Kit, Fire Starter, 4x Signal Flares, Inertial Compass, Flashlight, Canteen)

Repair Kit
Toolkit

[Lance]

Notice 5/7

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]
Extra +2 for Scent/Vision-based info

Loadout:
All Gear on Sheet other than NG-S2 and Steed. Items listed below are from the NG-S2, but are currently on attachment points on the Knight's Tabard:

• • Attachment: Short-range radio
  • Attachment: Canteen
  • Attachment: Flashlight/PocketKnife combo tool
  • Attachment: Long E-Clip
  • Attachment: Saw Wire
  • Attachment: Biometric compass/mirror
  • Attachment: Signal Flare
  • Attachment: Fire Starter

A second Long E-Clip is on his belt.

+1 Benny: 4/3

Lance steps forward, tabard flapping in the night breeze, his eponymous weapon at the ready, and his 'personal siege engine' slung across his back, loaded with a standard rocket. He decided to leave the spare rockets back at base; too bulky to worry about, and if they needed that many high explosives, it might be best to withdraw, anyway.

As soon as they are in the tunnels, he takes a deep sniff, seeking to catch the trail of any recent travelers.

[Danny]

Crit fail party!

Dimension the dice, go dice roll[dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice] ef benny from rp [dice]2[/dice]

Danny’s big frame is not well suited for the warehouse and even less suited to getting his gear loaded. So he does what anyone would do; he says, ” I am going to head out side for a quick smoke.” Only its weird because he doesn’t take any cigars but does take all his gear out in an old dilapidated wheelbarrow.

Outside in the bomb ridden city Danny feels more at ease the wide walkways between non descript warehouses is better for his 9 ft tall frame. A few kids down the way are gettin hacked in two by a man with a clown face. ” Time to be a hero.” Danny wades in with his own hacksaw more commonly known as a vibro sword. Danny is on the bad man in two shakes. ” Hey clown hack, say hello to pornhub!” Slitty slash slash blood goes spraying everywhere. Lets see if the gamble paid off.[dice]3[/dice] wild[dice]4[/dice] Danny opens one eye seeing the clown gasping for air and the three kids still breathing fine. ” Not bad pornhub, not bad... Kids you ever help a Grackle get his load ready?”
The three kids breathlessly shake their heads no. Danny strings the dying clown hack up letting him bleed out in a more proper fashion. ” Ughh, well as luck would have it I need some help. Wadda say?” The three kids watch clown hack struggle against the restraints stringing him up over a lamp post. Then they look at Danny and nod yes to helping him. Clown Hack stopps bleeding and starts waiting for someone gentle like to cut him down. Danny even stuck something chocolate into the clowns mouth, ” Suck on this and stop whimpering.” It was a gamble to be sure, letting the clown twist in the wind like that, would he survive? Gamble:[dice]8[/dice] wild [dice]9[/dice]
Looks like the clowns luck ran out.

” Ok Joey, right? Now give that knee plate a good push, right on nice! Misery hand me that shoulder paulron... Good good just about there. Agnst slip that sheathe right over my tail and lock it into place... Haha I know she has a mind of her own but at least she ain’t got a time wizard trapped inside it. Good good.”

” Ok, lets get the weapons loaded up. I’ll heft the grackslepack here. Agnst your tallest, when I swing it onto my back lock the harness point. Ughh, there lock it! Nicce job. Ok Joey hand the flute to my tail, I like to keep my hand free. Misery, be a lad and toss me my survival pack. Good good. Lets see we’ll take my vibro porn hub. Yeah its a bit stained nothing the sewers won’t wash off. We’ll take the wilks 447 and oh, Joey down the street I think I saw a state of the art weapons smith... Pick me up a hexagonal magizine and 4 rounds for a gracklepack... Trust me they will know what you need.” A bit of a gamble to give a kid 2500 cred, but worth it all the way.
Gambling [dice]5[/dice] wild [dice]6[/dice] ace [dice]7[/dice]

The kid came back, looks like that old Snipe movie was right. Always bet on black.

GM Permitting

kid got danny at least an extra hexagonal magazine plus 4 rounds for the grackle pack

[Tim Gates]

Greater Boost Trait (3 PPE): (8)

Spellcasting: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

Spending a benny to reroll with Extra Effort and Elan (using the original Wild Die result)

Extra Effort: [dice]2[/dice]

(Became shaken due to Spellcasting roll (1) )

Unhaken Roll (7)

Spirit Roll (Unshake): [dice]3[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]4[/dice]

"Let me help you with that." Tim says to Johnny as he motions towards the locked gate.

Tim motions with his hands towards Johhny as if he were about to throw some force lighting, but nothing visible happens. "With the sound of my balls clicking, I have boosted your lockpicking!" Tim says with an eerie smile, then shrugs his shoulders. "Eh, I couldn't think of a good rhyme."

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax notice and loadout

Notice (with Low Light Vision racial trait)
[dice]0[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]1[/dice]

Ulithrax is wearing Adventure Survival Armor, carrying an NG-33 in a holster. His TW Gauntlet is on and active. He is walking with the Staff of Defense in hand, and the Wand of Domination on quick-deploy hook in his cloak / Branaghan overcoat. Gorignak is carrying his entire NG-S2 pack.

Arvalis notice and loadout

Notice (with optics package and audio package; add +2 if looking for traps)
[dice]2[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]3[/dice]

Arvalis is wearing Huntsman armor, Wilks 237 pistol in a holster on his right, vibrosword in sheath on his left, and carrying a JA-11 energy rifle.

Gorignak notice

Notice
[dice]4[/dice]

Ulithrax keeps close to Gorignak as they approach the sewer. The NG-33 on Ulithrax's hip looks brand new, as if he's never touched it except to put it in the holster. The staff in his hand, however, is a different story. The glistening, alien blue wood of the Staff of Defense almost reflects your vision in a thousand directions. The Wand hanging from a clasp in his cloak is noteworthy in the opposite way. Twisted deep red and black wood looks like it has been woven together, then charred. It is a much more grotesque complement to the elegant beauty of the staff. Gorignak stands as nonchalantly as a massive walking chunk of earth can stand, waiting for a command or other stimulus to spur him to action.

Arvalis is a much more contemporary sort. Modern weapons strapped here and there, not even a hint of the arcane is found on his person. The JA-11 in his hands is switched to the ion setting, as he is clearly not intending to do any sniping in the sewers. The Wilk's 237 in his holster is secured via passive retention. A sheath holds his vibrosword, and his cybernetic eyes are scanning the surroundings. He chimes in. "Hey, I think I can get that door open. Maybe we should see if it's trap..." He is too late, though, as Johnny pops the lock and Lance barges through. Arvalis shrugs. "...ped. That works too." He takes up a position in front of Ulithrax, but covered as best he can by Gorignak, a living wall in its own right.

Ulithrax mutters something to Arvalis. Arvalis relays the message. "We'll go in after Danny."

[Johnny Jones]

Notice 1 (Crit Fail)

[dice]0[/dice]
[dice]3[/dice]

Lockpicking 7

[dice]1[/dice]
[dice]2[/dice]

Gear

ED-5 “Plastic-Man” Light Security Armor (FEP)
Vibro-Knife
Armor Piercing Grenade (1)
NG-S2 Survival Pack
Field Computer

Getting out of the SUV and grabbing his pack, Johnny notices an intriguing parking lot like light post. Staring at the light post, Johnny starts whistling.

"Let me help you with that." Tim says to Johnny as he motions towards the locked gate.
Tim motions with his hands towards Johnny as if he were about to throw some force lighting, but nothing visible happens. "With the sound of my balls clicking, I have boosted your lockpicking!" Tim says with an eerie smile, then shrugs his shoulders. "Eh, I couldn't think of a good rhyme."

"Huh, What? Oh the locked gate, I got this" Johnny says as Tim's balls breaks his concentration on the light post. Walking up to the gate, Johnny swiftly and expertly picks the lock. Pushing the gate open, Johnny turns with a smirk and says "It's open, who's going in first?"

[Lance]

Tracking 9

Tracking [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Tracking [dice]1[/dice]

Lance was walking forward even before Johnny finished talking--what sort of Knight would allow his comrades to proceed before him into danger? "Pray, allow me the honor; I shall taketh the fore. My keen senses can cutteth through even this miasma." And, unless one of the Grackles bodily interjects themselves, he matches deed to word, striding boldly through the gate to the tunnels below the city.

[Sig]

Notice 1 Crit fail

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Technical Difficulties 5; Serious problem; -2 trait with optics system

TD [dice]2[/dice]

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hands): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

***

Sig leaned against a lamp post that Johnny seemed to find so interesting. He checked his gear again. The servos in his Triarus heavy armor whirred quietly. A large combat hammer hung at his waist. On his back was a pulse plasma ejector and a rocket launcher on either side of his pack. His hip sported an ion pistol with a grenade launcher, and several grenades of various kinds were ready on his combat harness.

As he waited for the others to get the gate open -- “Let me know if you need me to bust it down, brah.” -- Sig was fitting a new belt at his waist. It had a buckle with a bunch of weird dials and buttons, a gift from his sister back in Gloom. “Happy birthday to me!” Sig chuckled deeply inside of his armor. “Can’t wait to try this out.” He eyed the sewer entrance. “Yeah, I’ll fit.”

Once the gate was open, Sig straightened up. He had all the dials set right. He just needed to activate it when he was ready.

Lance seemed to want to go first, so Sig politely let him do so. “I’ll cover the rear then.”

Then Sig cursed. “Damn it!” Something in the new belt tech was interfering with the optics system in his armor, causing it to fritz and be fuzzy. “I’m having some technical problems with my visuals,” Sig warned the others.

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

[Tim Gates]

Then Sig cursed. “Damn it!” Something in the new belt tech was interfering with the optics system in his armor, causing it to fritz and be fuzzy. “I’m having some technical problems with my visuals,” Sig warned the others.

Tim looks at Sig's belt gizmo, and then his armor. "I wouldn't worry about it Siggy, if there was any danger one of us would have noticed something."

[Doc Olliday]

Notice 5

• Notice [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Coming from a completely different direction is a human looking male with black hair. His duster flows and flutters near and around his legs as he approaches the sewer entrance. Various items can be seen attached to his armor, his utility belt, and the inside of his duster. His two pistols are strapped to his legs.

Waving, he moves upto the nearest SET member and in a very quiet voice he extends his hand, "Doc Olliday. On Call Medical Services Provider."

"Word on the streets is your team needs medical services."

[Danny]

Notice 5

• Notice [dice]40995:0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]40995:1[/dice]

Coming from a completely different direction is a human looking male with black hair. His duster flows and flutters near and around his legs as he approaches the sewer entrance. Various items can be seen attached to his armor, his utility belt, and the inside of his duster. His two pistols are strapped to his legs.

Waving, he moves upto the nearest SET member and in a very quiet voice he extends his hand, "Doc Olliday. On Call Medical Services Provider."

"Word on the streets is your team needs medical services."

Danny a big Grackletooth about 9 feet tall wearing a special made red armor aquired from the Tolkeen war nods to the new commer “Doc”. He hefts his 12 foot long single shot railgun rifle in one hand while playing a flute with his tail. His other hand moves his eye patch to the other eye for effect, ”Yeah you got that right Doc, did Toke send you or maybe Helga? My name is Danny.” If you say Toke we know you are here to take Rika to the bastard, but a deal is a deal. I know it is not right to trade one person for information, but this is a crapsack world full of murder clowns and streets named desire. On the other hand you say Helga we know you are on the level... Well I guess you are in for a treat and ring side shit show of the sewers.

[Doc Olliday]

Doc smiles a charming smile and pulls a slip a paper from one of the inside pockets of his duster. "Helga has paid my retainer fee. We shall see where this goes from here."

Slipping the folded paper back into his pocket, Doc steps back a bit and scans the the large Grackletooth. Putting his fingers out he measures Danny in hand spans. General analysis done. "How can I assist you?"

Without a pause, "What are you all doing at the sewers? Crappy place for a hideout."

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Rika looks annoyed behind her helmet - not that the others could see. It becomes apparent when she says, "I must have a word with Helga. It is not propper for new "allies" to keep showing up unannounced. And this is not our "hideout", obviously. Our group is funded by the Tomorrow Legion and we have quite adequate facilities at our disposal."

Rika bows slightly and says, "I am Tsuchiya Rika. Exorcist, master enchanter and scholar of all things arcane. If introductions are done," Rika points towards the sewers, "could we get this mission underway so we can get out of this terrible place?"

[Ulithrax]

Gorignak briefly turns to stand between the new arrival and his master. Once he identifies himself as sent by Helga, Ulithrax gestures, and the pile of earth returns to his vigil at the sewer grate door. Ulithrax comments to Arvalis, in Elvish. "Healer, you say? I daresay he has no experience in the superior anatomy of my people. Let us hope he wields some form of magic beyond his own knowledge." Arvalis shrugs, and asks Doc. "Ever dealt with a lizard man professionally? Like, fixing them? Not that we're gonna need it, but never hurts to know what we're dealing with." He reaches out and shakes the hand of the cyber-doc. "Arvalis. That's Ulithrax, my friend. The big one is Gorignak, Ulithrax's butler. He won't need your help."

Arvalis addresses Rika. "You're right. It's not 'proper' for people to keep showing up, but my mother always said 'many hands make light work'. My dad didn't say much to me, but he probably would've said something similar, except it would've sounded more like 'if you could wield magic, things would be easier. Now get out of my sight.' Close enough, anyway."

[Danny]

Doc smiles a charming smile and pulls a slip a paper from one of the inside pockets of his duster. "Helga has paid my retainer fee. We shall see where this goes from here."

Slipping the folded paper back into his pocket, Doc steps back a bit and scans the the large Grackletooth. Putting his fingers out he measures Danny in hand spans. General analysis done. "How can I assist you?"

Without a pause, "What are you all doing at the sewers? Crappy place for a hideout."

Danny pauses before heading in and lifts his eye patch squinting hard with both at the Doc. Did he really ask why we are going into the sewers? ” Doc its a long story but here is the abbriviated version... A fusion block went off in the North Part of town yesterday. We did a bit of ole leg work and found several leads... ” Danny scowls a bit and looks at Rika, ”Now I hatched a plan that involved using our master enchanter as bait to gain access to this big shots computer and facility in the hope to track down who has been buying fusion blocks. Mr. Toke the CEO of fusion block corp seems to know more. It would take a large crew with people doing multiple things. A Tarin, Giest, two Coake’s, one Llyboc, the bigest proseck you have ever seen, two black market hackers, and one crazy just dumb enough to think it could work...” Danny peers into the sewers turning on his armors optics, ”But... We are doing this instead, I think it was either Lance, Sig, or Bill who had a lead down here.”

Danny smiles down at the Doc, ” Oh... I had my Felick Nerve removed during the War of Tolkeen, and if you hear humming its not me. Bill’s balls vibrate.”

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Rika tells Ulithrax in Elvish, "Doctors have much more in common with veterinarians now than ever. It is standard for healers today to have knowledge of many different species, not only humans. The actual techniques are often the same. Cutting and stitching might require different methods depending on the thickness of the skin, but it is still the same technique. A heart, or hearts, still beat and will kill the individual if stopped. Chemicals and unique organ types are where things get more complicated between species. If he is not familiar, it should be a simple enough task to adjust to your unique needs. I could even help him research the proper information."

Impatient with the groups banter, Rika rolls her eyes behind her helmet. She motions towards the gate and pointedly remarks, "Lance had the right idea. It is past time to get to work."

Rika follows Lance into the sewers.

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax smiles at Rika. "I thank you for that. I suppose my physiology is not so different from the lesser races. If you have a template that works for one creature, slight modifications of the same basic framework are truly effective. Elves are such an example of variations on a theme. I could regale you with...another time. You are right. We must be on with our business. Any information we hope to find is unlikely to become more evident with the passage of time." He directs Gorignak forward after Rika.
Arvalis simply shrugs and follows as well.

[Tim Gates]

Doc smiles a charming smile and pulls a slip a paper from one of the inside pockets of his duster. "Helga has paid my retainer fee. We shall see where this goes from here."

Slipping the folded paper back into his pocket, Doc steps back a bit and scans the the large Grackletooth. Putting his fingers out he measures Danny in hand spans. General analysis done. "How can I assist you?"

Without a pause, "What are you all doing at the sewers? Crappy place for a hideout."

Tim, surprised that someone would just show up here at the exact same moment, looks at Doc suspiciously.

"So how did you know we would be at these sewers again?" Tim asks.

[Doc Olliday]

"Truth be told, Helga gave me two addresses. I stopped by the warehouse but figured B&E was inappropriate so I came to the second location. Glad I caught up to you."

Ulithrax smiles at Rika. "I thank you for that. I suppose my physiology is not so different from the lesser races. If you have a template that works for one creature, slight modifications of the same basic framework are truly effective. Elves are such an example of variations on a theme. I could regale you with...another time. You are right. We must be on with our business. Any information we hope to find is unlikely to become more evident with the passage of time." He directs Gorignak forward after Rika.
Arvalis simply shrugs and follows as well.

"Grackletooth and Lizardfolk. Human and Elf."

"Plenty of prototypes. Lots of similarities."

Doc reaches up to the nape of his neck and pushes with his right hand. He pauses in his step and stride, "So you got ask yourself,'Do I feel lucky?' Well do ya?" Doc can be seen fingering the pistol on his left side with his left hand. After a minute or two, Doc resumes his walk as if nothing has happened.

"Let us be off. There are mysteries afoot."

[Lance]

Lance leans forward to give Doc a quick sniff. "Welcome to our humble Company, Physician. Hopefully, you shall be boredeth beyond tears, yes?" The heavily-cybered Dog-Boy gives a bark-laugh at his own joke. "That said, better to haveth you, and no need for your services, than the other way 'round. Call me Lance." He gives a firm handshake, and then heads into the sewers.

[Stoic]

Lance heads into the sewers. They aren't pitch black, but rather there are soft lights every 50 ft or providing a dimly lit path. The walls are brick with the occasional bit of piping on the ceiling or along the walls. There is a couple of inches of filthy brown water on the ground, and you see the strangest sorts of objects float by you on their way out of the tunnel you came in from. A pizza box, a couple of dozen tiny rubber bands, countless bits of various pieces of waste, a multi colored 12 ft long hankerchief. Needless to say, everyone is relieved to have donned their environmental armor. Lance, who is not wearing environmental armor can barely contain the urge to roll around and sniff everything. A strange clicking sound is heard and you notice that every so often a small black object that is about the size of a hockey pocket moves up and down the circumference of the pipe. It seems to be robotic in nature and looks to be cleaning grime as it moves along. One seems to flick a tiny beam of light at the water, which makes the more scientifically inclined members of the group think that it's testing it somehow. Lance, having contained his more primitive impulses turns to the map and leads the group in the direction of the manhole where the radio transmitter was found. Occasionally he stops, tail sticking straight up as he sniffs the air. He gleefully points out several large bits of scat, commenting on how huge the rats must be down here. Eventually, the group finds themselves at the center of the map. Despite the crude circumstances, it's difficult to not marvel at the architectural accomplishment the waste system is.

As you pause for a moment to admire it, Danny gets the old familiar creeping sensation down the back of his neck. Lance smells them long before he sees them... Rats, big ones.

mutant rat.jpg (18.14 KiB) Viewed 33207 times

There are five that you can see, they come from the left side of the map. One of them looks at the party, his beady red eyes reflecting what light there is down here.

"Greetings" he says in a voice that is equal parts heavy smoker and nails on chalkboard "You must be first timers." He glances at the party and chuckles the n a disturbingly high pitch.
"I wouldn't be firing those guns off what with all the methane and such down here" he grins and you note that each visible rat only appears to be carrying melee weapons

"If you pay the toll, you're free to pass. If not though..." he pats a vibrosword at his hip.

OOC Comments

First, everyone gives me a notice roll. Lance can add a +2 bonus due to his sense of smell.
If you choose to attack, Danny (who's Danger Sense fired off )and Lance (who smelt it long before it was dealt) act as if on hold. We will then roll initiative and see what order everyone else acts in. If you choose another route, please describe what you are doing, and include any appropriate rolls (persuasion, intimidate, streetwise) as well. Any questions, please feel free to PM me or ask in the hangouts.

[Lance]

OOC Comments

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]

Lance pauses at the Rat-Men's appearance. He's confident he could battle the beasts--including those off in the side tunnels, believing themselves sneaky--but his companions might be struck in the fray. So he defers to the others, waiting for some signal for their preferred response.

[Doc Olliday]

Notice 14

• Notice [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]1[/dice]
• Aced Wild [dice]6[/dice]
• Super Aced Wild [dice]8[/dice]

K/Common 15

• K/Common [dice]2[/dice]
• Aced K/Common [dice]7[/dice]
• Wild [dice]3[/dice]

Doc was walking in the back of the group when things slowed down and he noticed that everyone had stopped. Looking around he recognized some features in the worked tunnels that triggered a memory for not more than six months ago.

Work had been slow in Kingsdale and Doc thought the consierge service might crap out on him. When a call had come through via his holo disk receiver.

The figure on the line was by first analysis a hybrid. Something of the CS persuassion. Human features mixed with a strain of rodent, maybe weasel or ferret. At least it spoke a language Doc could understand.

"Wees needs your servicess. Find us at the Lower Bypass Junction."

With that Doc's digital accounts suddenly showed a deposit for retainer for 5000 credits. 5 individuals being retained. Should be a busy day.

Doc had arrived at a manhole cover that descended into the sewers to a place although not marked he felt certain was the Lower Bypass Junction.

No sooner had he set foot in to the darkness of the sewer water than he heard scurrying and felt himself suddenly surrounded by maybe six or more ratmen. Hisses and pokes and one spoke, "Pay the toll or you don't go."

As Doc was about to mention the retainer for services another voice spoke up, "The Doctor is here to attend to our packmates. Escort him to the warrens."

Doc was directed to a location he could vaguely make out the details of and found himself standing before the figure from the holo vid.

"I am Mange Fur. Are you the On Call Doctor?"

Doc nodded and was introduced to several injured ratmen. Most had sustained cuts and bruises. Some had been poisoned. Doc later found out that many had died. Tending to the injured took the rest of the day and into the evening. Doc left instructions with Mange Fur that they needed rest for several days and to have clean bandages replaced and medicines taken. The charge for the supplies and medicines would be another 5000 credits.

The bill was settled. Mange Fur escorted Doc back out personally. Before Doc went back up the ladder he just said, "Whatever business you are involved with that gets people killed, should be avoided or reconsidered."

Doc pushed his way past the rest of the group towards the front where Lance was in conversation with a Ratmen. Doc's mind sifted through the facts and then settled on the fact that the one speaking was very much like the one called Mange Fur.

Persuassion 7

[*] I Know a Guy

• Persuassion [dice]4[/dice]
• Wild [dice]5[/dice]
• Aced Wild [dice]9[/dice]

Putting a hand on Lance's shoulder to set him at ease a bit, Doc stepped forward so that he could be seen.

"Mange Fur. Are your people into extortion?"

Not waiting for an answer, "No wonder you lost so many the time you called for my services."

"Look, this isn't the best time for you to be working this area. My assocaites are rather well armed and this will end a lot worse. I can not help you or your packmates if you get injured now. It is just the way my contracts work."

Thinking on it a bit, Doc does come to a suitable conclusion, "Why aren't your people in the information exchange business? You and your packmates would great for collecting and selling information. Digitally done, you don't need to show your faces or anything and less people are likely to interfere with you."

"If the prices are right, you could do a lot for beefing up your security and protection networks through the sewers."

"You need help setting things up. I know you do." Doc produces a cred stick and extends it to Mange Fur. "These are a few contacts who can get the legal aspects setup and appropriate accounts. My personal number is there as well, if you need my assistance in the process."

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Notice 11; Detect Arcana 6, -2 PPE; K/Engineering 4; Survival 4

Detect Arcana: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice]

Notice: [dice]2[/dice] Ace: [dice]8[/dice]
Wild: [dice]3[/dice]

Knowledge (Engineering): [dice]4[/dice]
Wild: [dice]5[/dice]

Survival: [dice]6[/dice]
Wild: [dice]7[/dice]

Seeing the rat-like creatures appear and accost her and the team startles Rika, but she maintains her cool. Dark, sewers, bipedal rodent with humanoid features..obviously ratmen. Not particularly trustworthy and...something else. Ah! Carriers of disease. Unfortunate.

Rika reaches up and mutes her loudspeakers as Doc converses with the pack of ratmen. Unsure of the acuity of ratman hearing, she whispers into her comms for added security, "Excellent, Doc. They are criminals, but ratmen are nearly universally shunned and so this is the only way of life they know. Let us try to resolve this peacefully."

With her face hidden behind her helmet, Rika believes she can safely activate her Kami Sight without provoking the ratmen. After she funnels some of her Ki into her tattoo, she sees each ratman light up with telltale traces of psionic ability. Rika simultaneously discovers a previously unnoticed pack of ratmen hiding in the chamber to the right as their psionic auras become visible.

Rika warns the team over the comms, "All is not as it seems. Be cautious of the ratmen; each one of them has some form of minor psionic ability, including the five hidden in the chamber to our right. The one speaking to Doc Olliday is more psionically powerful than his allies."

She takes a second to consider whether or not the ratman's comment about methane is a bluff of not. Deciding it probably is a bluff, she whispers, "In regards to the methane, it is highly unlikely that a sewer system this advanced and well maintained would allow for sufficient enough methane buildup to cause any harm. I am not able to verify this completely, however, as I do not currently possess the necessary equipment to test our surroundings. Lance, are you able to verify my suspicions? If not and it comes to a fight, it would be safest to avoid any source of ignition such as firearms, explosives, fire, lasers, electricity, ion weapons, sparks or plasma."

After a brief delay, as if shes deciding whether or not to continue speaking, Rika adds, "As a minor precaution, anyone not in fully sealed armor should avoid direct contact with the ratmen."

[Stoic]

The head ratman turns his beady little eyes towards Doc, squinting. He spits. "Doc, is that you?" he shakes his head, irritated. "Mange Fur is my brother, I'm Frank. Let me guess, we all look alike to you or something? Nonetheless, you did Mange and his crew a solid, and for that they owe you. I'll pick up the favor and they'll owe me instead.' "You and your crew can pass, go ahead."

OOC Comments

Feel free to proceed, ask them questions, or whatever you want. Another tracking roll will get you to the point where you wanted to be.

[Lance]

Streetwise 13

Streetwise [dice]0[/dice] Ace [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Streetwise [dice]1[/dice]

Common Knowledge [dice]3[/dice]
Wild CK [dice]4[/dice]
.

As Rika gives him a radio update on the situation, the dog-boy nods when she mentions the skulkers in the shadows. Good--I am not the only one paying attention, here. And when she forbids the use of fire-based weapons, he just briefly dips the arm bearing the lance, to indicate his understanding.

Then the newcomer, the Physician takes over, and Lance begins to understand why such a man was sent on this mission. As things seem to have wound down, he adopts a less wary stance. Still, one possibility occurs to him. "If this is a significant source of your income, Frank, that would suggesteth that these tunnels get a fair amount of traffic. Have you, perhaps, been charging others using these byways in recent weeks? Information on such matters could be of value to us--and thus, to you."

[Stoic]

Frank grins at the dog boy's words, nodding even as Lance finishes his question. "Oh yeah, we take tolls all the time, lots of them. Other crews too." He grins wickedly. "Of course, discretion is paramount..." "Since you're friends with the good doctor though, we might be able to be less discrete than we normally are if you make it worth our while. Favors only go so far, ya know."

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax regards the ratmen warily. Arvalis avoids explaining anything until Doc begins making his move, then does his best shorthand translation of the proceedings. In Elvish, he relays: "They're charging a toll. Doc is talking them out of it."
Ulithrax raises a reptilian eyebrow at Arvalis. He responds, also in Elven. "I remember when the ratmen were formed. They were made for comic effect. That they would presume to charge me passage as if they could stop one of my power, let alone a group of this composition? Foolish hubris and a poor judgment of their odds. To overwhelm this group, they'd need at least ten times this number. And that's if I decide not to participate in the conflict."
Arvalis simply nods, electing not to relay that comment to anyone at all. Within himself, he grits his teeth, hoping the creatures in front of them don't understand the old tongues. I guess there's no way to tell him to shut up without having Gorignak sit on me, but damn. Can't these observations wait until AFTER the ratmen let us through?

[Doc Olliday]

Doc smiles at Frank and holds a hand up to stop the others from moving, "I will cover the bill, Lance."

Quick as lightning across the sky on a warm summer's eve, Doc has produced a cred stick, "I only said Mange Fur because it was the only name I knew. We respect your privacy and your information. 1000 credits on that stick for all the information, Frank."

Doc extends his hand with the cred stick, "While you think on it, any of your crew get hurt in the recent surface blast?"

[Stoic]

One of the ratmen chuckles as Ulitrhax speaks. "Look at the big dummy Frank, he can't even speak American!" Frank waves his hands dismissively at his crew member and gets real attentive when the good doctor starts waving around the cred stick. "No, that's not our turf, Dean runs that section." He stares at the cred stick for a moment, and shrugs. "That's it?"

[Ulithrax]

Arvalis' eyes go wide. Good thing Uli can't speak American. He'd probably level these sewers to spite them. Ulithrax leans in for the translation. Arvalis stumbles a second, then tells him: "He's never seen a lizard mage of your glorious colorations before. He would be dumbfounded except that would do you a disservice not to at least attempt a description." If he ever picks up American, I'm probably dead.
Ulithrax simply smiles.

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Rika is relieved that Doc has been able to resolve the conflict with words. Their lives are unfortunate from her perspective, but they deserve the same right to live as she does.

Rika unmutes her loudspeakers and asks the leader, "Frank, I do not believe these advanced sewers would allow for methane to build up significantly enough to explode. Is there legitimate danger in using firearms or other sources of ignition in these sewers? The people we seek are dangerous, and it would be best if we could fight to our strenghts if it comes to that."

After speaking to Frank, Rika turns and faces Ulithrax. In elvish, she says, "These creatures could very well have been offended by your comments. It is unlikely that they can understand you, but I did specifically warn everyone that they were psionics, and it is possible that one might be able to understand you. Please be more diplomatic when we're in the middle of negotiatons!"

To Arvalis she says, still in Elvish, "And if you did not relay at least the highlights of my communications to your master, do so in the future. It is imperative that we are all acting with the same knowledge when possible. Is that not your duty?"

Rika mutes her loudspeakers once more. Now that the danger is over, she warns the team through the comms, "Ratmen are known to carry disease. If he agrees to do so, I recommend those not in fully sealed armor to have Doc Olliday examine you for pathogens once we return to the warehouse."

OOC Comments

Rika didn't specifically mention the disease thing before because she didn't want anyone to get nervous around the ratmen :p

[Stoic]

Frank winks at Rika when she makes the Methane comment. "I don't suppose it's out of the realm of possibility...but I'm sure guns would be fine."

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax scoffs. "What are the feelings of ratmen to one such as me, or to you? They are base creatures not worthy of our time. If they fully realized their station in life, they would scramble to flee, or better yet, to join us in order to learn from superior beings. Nonetheless, in deference to organizational harmony, I shall refrain from speaking truthfully of such creatures when they are in earshot." A wry grin spreads across his face. "Still, if they are psychic, what prevents them from scrying my thoughts, other than their meager power and my formidable mind? Can one truly suppress their own thoughts?"

Arvalis simply shrugs. He responds, in elven. "I've been in enough dicey dealings to know when to shut up and let the Doc operate, so to speak, and when to play translator. Running my mouth a ton while Olliday's doing business and trying to keep everyone's heads attached is a bad move. Besides, there's a lot going on. I can't translate every single solitary syllable. I'm not a machine. I mean, partly, but not all the way. You want to take over as interpreter? Go for it. See if you can keep up, Sparky." The look of irritation on his face is obvious.

Ulithrax laughs. "Met you your match, Arvalis? Worry not. I do like her fire, but you suit me better. She is right, mostly. Diplomacy was the better tack here. Your discretion was well-advised, though, my friend. Despite not choosing to speak this base language, I can still read these creatures like a scroll. A wrong word could have set us to violence. Combat was needless, and they may be of use to our cause down the road." The lizard mage rests his hand on Arvalis' shoulder, reassuring him. He lowers his voice. "Still, knowledge of arcane or psionic abilities confirmed by her, or the walker, are good information to relay." Arvalis grumbles, then nods.

[Danny]

Danny chuckles at the flurid exchange of Elvish, ” Yeah you might never know who can understand Elvish.”

Ratmen huh? Well at least it ain’t more clowns looking for a way to end their sorry existence. Well now don’t that beat all... Doc shows up right when we are about to enter the sewers, then Doc just happens to know the ratlings we first encounter. Yeah Helga’s seal of approval or no seal that just don’t seem right. Looks like we are heading for double cross junction at the corner of set up and gullible... Danny gesture’s to Tim’s balls giving him the universal sign for trouble cometh.

OOC Comments

Kn science, methane and the gracklepack [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]
Fear check: -2 +2 from flute [dice]2[/dice] wild [dice]3[/dice]

” Methane? Did you fracking say Methane? Back in the war, I led a small unit into the sewers of Tolkeen...” Danny’s voice trailed off as the horrors of that day rapidly went through his mind, ” It just crept up on us silient but deadly, Sally Shursbench lost her hand when her laser pistol erupted in a fountain of fire... Then Dettrick... Oh great Grackle, we left him behind after his TW water pistol froze his head solid like a brick of ice... I can still hear his muffled screams... Methane is real, it kills... You’ll never see it coming before it is too late. You can try to understand it, but it will just kill you before you get a chance.” Danny breathes rapidly and finally catches control but is still anxious of being down here, ” Ratling you’re in charge down here, but can you tell us if anyone else has been down in these sewers, especially in the North part of town, near the corner of Destiny and Broadway?”

GM

insert the actual cross street of where the car bomb went off

[Stoic]

The head ratman pulls a crumpled pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, pulls one out, puts it in his mouth and lights it. He turns his beady red gaze to Danny. "Like I said big man, that's Dean's section. If you want, we can take you to Dean for that for that thousan creds the Doc is offerin us. But anything beyond that, is between you and Dean." He takes a long drag, then blows bluish smoke out. "Whaddaya say?"

[Danny]

The head ratman pulls a crumpled pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, pulls one out, puts it in his mouth and lights it. He turns his beady red gaze to Danny. "Like I said big man, that's Dean's section. If you want, we can take you to Dean for that for that thousan creds the Doc is offerin us. But anything beyond that, is between you and Dean." He takes a long drag, then blows bluish smoke out. "Whaddaya say?"

Gambling 13

Gambling, [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice] ace [dice]2[/dice] ace [dice]3[/dice]

It’s a risk... But the big ones pay off best. This whole thing might be a set up and Doc is the mastermind... Or maybe he is on the level, either way I got to see how it plays out. Danny smiles at the seemingly uncertainty of what Dean might offer. ” You’re on Ratling!”

[Sig]

Sig managed to get his HUD stabilized and the interference from his belt eliminated just as a stranger walked up and introduced himself as Doc Olliday.

“Hullo, Doc Olliday. I’m Wyatt Burp.” The big piece of armor that had a grackletooth inside chuckled. “Nah, brah. Name’s Sig.” He slapped the doctor on the back, nearly upending him into the muck. “Helga sent ya? Good on ‘er, looking out for us. Helluva female.”

With pleasantries exchanged, the party headed into the sewers.

And, of course, they ran into rat men demanding a toll.

Notice 3

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

“A toll? Really?” Sig asked. He flicked over to a private channel to the party. “Is there really a methane danger? Anyone have a scanner? Not that I mind smashing a few rats with my hammer.” It was his preferred weapon anyway.

Rika seemed to think the methane might be legit. “Damn. There goes my hammer, too.” He couldn’t use the Big Bore rounds if they had to avoid ignition. Looked like it was fisticuffs. He’d been wanting to try out his new toy. He considered, though, he should get some stun grenades.

It didn’t seem violence was needed, however. This Doc Olliday seemed to know them.

“Much obliged, Frank,” Sig said with a wave of his tail to the ratman as they passed.

Just in case, as they walked Sig started removing the Big Bore rounds from his hammer. “We really need to get some sort of scanner.”

But it seemed precautions were unnecessary and the methane was a bluff, especially when Frank lights a cigarette. Sig sighed and started replacing the Big Bores in his hammer.

“Let us go see this Dean,” Sig said. He kept his hammer in his hand. “By the way, there aren’t any clowns in these sewers, are there?” The big, armored grackle shuddered.

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Johnny Jones]

Standing next to the sewer gate, Johnny waits for Tim to enter. Putting on his helmet, sealing his FEP Armor, Johnny follows Tim in. Well this is gonna suck, at least I don't have to smell it. Johnny thinks to himself as Lance leads the team through the sewers.

Seeing Doc push his way to the front, Johnny watches the show and waits for when he is needed. "Damn, those are some big effin rats." Johnny says on the radio chuckling.

[Tim Gates]

Tim follows everyone along the sewer path until they stop at the intersection. He stays in the back once the ratmen appear and keeps his eyes peeled, looking around, in case more decide to show up.

"At least there isn't a giant log of shit floating towards us or anything. Just some ratmen." Tim says over the radio.

[Doc Olliday]

Doc nods to comments from the rest of the team. "Thanks Frank. You will ake us to Dean won't you?"

Doc steps past Frank, slipping Frank the cred stick in the process. "Shall we?"

[Stoic]

Frank hears Sigs question and gives another rat a quick glance. "Clowns? What do you mean?" Before Sig can respond Doc pipes up and Frank gladly takes the cred stick, relaxing as he seems to wiggle out from answering the clown question. He slides it into a pocket of the filthy pair of jeans he's wearing and starts walking. "Try and keep up, huh?"

As you walk forward you see a half dozen ratmen who were in the hallway to the right slinking away. Danny quickly notices that Frank is diverting from the map Pete the Daschund provided, but understands why. Pete the Daschund is not a giant lizard man, nor is he a massive Mastiff. Pete can fit places where the members of the 24th and their associates can not. Frank eventually arrives at a door that is unlocked by turning a wheel in the center of it. A loud metallic creak is heard as the wheel turns. It seems to have not been used in a while. Frank nods at one of the ratmen. The ratman scurries through it, and reappears a few minutes later. He nods to Frank and Frank motions for the rest of the group to follow. He leads you through another series of twists and turns, many of which are stuffed with pipes that cause most of the group to hunch down and duck walk underneath them. Finally, you get to a place where everyone can strand up again. Danny consults the map and sees that the group is quite close to their intended location now. Frank goes to another sealed door and turns the lock, opening it up. As soon as it opens up the stench of death wafts out, overwhelming those outside of environmental armor. Frank's beady red eyes flicker with alarm, and he and his group pull sidearms. The prickling sensation returns to Danny and he is immediately on edge. Lance's noise easily picks up the stench of sickness, vomit, and worse.

OOC Comments

The group is standing outside of an open door. Those without full environmental armor can easily smell death. The door opens into a tunnel that heads both left and right. Danny's map indicates that you will need to go left about fifty feet then make a right to get to the man hole that sig discovered the radio transmitter from earlier. You can also get their by going right, it'll just take about 200 yards of travel instead as you have to travel in an indirect manner. If requested, the rats will go ahead and scout it out. They will accompany you whether you want them to or not as they are concerned about their brethren. What is everybody doing? Anyone who goes through the door can give me a notice roll. I will wait a few days (Thursday, possibly Friday) to do the next post so everyone has a chance to describe what they are doing. If everyone does so before this time limit, I will post earlier.

[Lance]

OOC Comments

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]

Lance scowls and murmurs to the group. "I smelleth death and decay. There has been murder here." Then he shakes his head at the ratmen's offer to scout. "Brave of you, and loyal to your kin--admirable on both counts. But I cannot asketh that you take a risk on our behalf. Naturally, you shall accompany us, but pray, alloweth me to take the fore."

With that, Lance steps through the door. "Lady Rika, would thou prefeth the right or left passage?"

[Doc Olliday]

Notice 6

• Notice [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Doc moves over to Frank and his crew essentailly opening up the access for the others to get in and do whatever leg work os necessary before moving onto the transmitter.

"When did you speak with Dean and his crew last?"

Unphased

Doc's experience with healing, medicine, and science has given him a certain bit of reselience to the realms of death and disease.

Before Lance and the others move on or anywhere, "Lance, can you separate smells for me?"

"Determine which direction the decay is coming from. Search the odors and smells for burnt skin or fur. Then see if you can smell any explosive residue. Detonite. Fusion Block."

Looking to the rest of the team, "It would be best if we secured this section of sewer." pointing to the space beyond the last sealed door. "Check for planted explosives and other booby traps."

Skill Set Held

Will make a roll after the others have done there initial deductions and evaluations.

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax notice 5, Detect Arcana 13

Notice (low light vision)
[dice]0[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]1[/dice]

Detect Arcana (free action, no PPE)
[dice]2[/dice]

WD DA
[dice]7[/dice]

Arvalis notice 7

Notice (optics package / audio package applies)
[dice]4[/dice] (add 2 for traps)

WD Notice
[dice]5[/dice]

Gorignak notice 4

Notice
[dice]6[/dice]

Gorignak steps through the door as best he is able, looking both ways for trouble. Arvalis is next, followed by Ulithrax. Ulithrax sniffs, then looks down both passages, his eyes probing both the darkness and the arcane. Arvalis relays Lance's query to Rika. Ulithrax shakes his head. "It is unwise to leave our backs exposed to an unexplored path. I recommend we divide to explore both ways."
Arvalis grits his teeth, uncomfortable with the prospect of dividing forces, but relays what was said. "He thinks we should split up. I don't like the idea, but he's not wrong, either. If someone just killed some ratmen and went that way, we're gonna miss 'em if we go this way." He listens to Ulithrax again, then comments. "Ulithrax says us three, add Sig and Lance, we go left. Danny, Rika, Johnny, Tim go right. Even split of Frank and his crew between both sides."
"And we should hurry." Ulithrax adds. Arvalis translates the same.

[Stoic]

Frank replies to Doc without looking at him, his voice a raspy whisper. "This is Dean's turf. We don't interact too much, but last any of my guys talked to any of his guys was maybe a week or so."

OOC Comments

Just to clarify the positioning. If you go left about 8 squares then up 5 squares, you will be at the manhole Sig found earlier. If you go to the right you can also reach the manhole, but you need to go around quite a bit totalling 33 squares or 200 yards of movement as its a big of a maze.

[Doc Olliday]

"Potentially a week's worth of decomp." Doc whistles.

"How long ago was the initial surface explosion?"

"There maybe potential cave-ins and ratmen dead or dieing in there. I understand the need to move quickly but care and caution are also warranted."

Turning back to Frank, "Frank, do you Ratmen have a call or greeting just between yourselves? If so you may want to do that as quickly as possible so we can locate the injured and identify potential problems."

[Danny]

Well... Doc has lead us to a shit hole, and Ajax is barking orders like he owns the place. Everyone else is freaking out like dead decomposing ratlings are something unusual... Tolkien year 2 now that was a ton of ratlings those sorcs sacrificed for their blood magic. Literal droves of mutant rats were grown, found, captured, bribed, and cohersed into sacrifical lambs. The burn piles just kept increasing faster than we could plasma their drained bodies. Fried BBQ’d rat hair was not pleasant. Never will I forget the sight of Peggy Rutailin Two... A sweet rat with an eye for the grackle. She begged me to get her out and I... I came up short.”

Notice 7, tracking 8

Notice [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice] EF with Elan [dice]4[/dice]
Tracking [dice]2[/dice] Wild [dice]3[/dice] ace [dice]5[/dice]

Danny goes in.

[Sig]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

Sig didn’t complain too much as they moved through the sewers, safe in his sealed armor. All the ducking and straightening was going to be hell on his back later, however. When they reached the door and opened it and the ratmen became anxious, Sig gripped his hammer tighter. Sig was about to volunteer to take the lead, but Lance did so first.

“I will watch our back,” Sig promised. “Let’s go left. It’s shorter.”

Sig looked around as he stepped inside the room.

Notice #

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Tim Gates]

Notice (10)

Notice Roll: [dice]0[/dice]
Ace Roll: [dice]2[/dice]
Ace Roll 2: [dice]3[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

"Left or right?" Tim asks, "Which way are we supposed to go? And why are you guys pinching your noses and dry heaving?"

[Lance]

To Tim, Lance simply replies, "Death. It smells like death." Then he nods at Sig's suggestion. T'would be foolish to be caught in different groups down here. If the attackers have fled, we shall locateth them and avengeth the fallen soon enough--but more ably if we are together when we meeteth with them."

[Stoic]

As soon as you move through the door you see them. Five ratmen, about 20 feet further down the tunnel, lay dead, flies buzzing around them. The stench doesn't end there, it comes from the right as well. A quick duck down the right tunnel shows half a dozen more. All in various states of death except for one. This one isn't as dead as the rest. The Doc cautiously approaches as he has no idea what the method of death might be at this point and sure enough sees the lungs slowly inflating and deflating. The rat looks up and his eyes are completely read, he speaks in a trembling voice. "The whiskey... it was in the whiskey..." He coughs up a big wad of bloody phlegm and collapses. Ulithrax catches a glint of light off of an empty liquor bottle in the tunnel. Frank is visibly shaken. "My god, Dean... he was a third cousin to me... Frank makes the sign of the cross. "Who the hell would do such a thing?" Without a word the rest of Frank's men split into two groups, every rat drawing a sword and stealthily making their way down each separate tunnel path.

OOC Comments

What would you like to do now?

[Lance]

Tracking 7

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]
+2 for Scent/Vision

Tracking [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Tracking [dice]3[/dice]

Lance goes over to the empty hooch bottle and carefully takes a few sniffs--first from the bottle's base, attempting identify a non-ratty scent on it--Presumably, these unfortunates were slippedeth the whiskey by some cowardly craven. Hopefully, I can recognize the scent if e'er I encountereth it again.--and then, more cautiously, near the neck, to see if he can scent what was in the whiskey, precisely.

[Stoic]

The outside of the bottle smells slightly greasy, as if touched by someone with well used work gloves. Lance also smells a distinct human odor that he should be able to recognize again. The inside of the bottle makes him instantly pull his head back as it is a very bitter smell, like a severely hopped beer.

[Lance]

Lance nods. "The poisoner was a human. Greasy, probably unpleasant--I would definitely recognizeth the scent again if we encounter it. As for the poison--astoundingly bitter. Have you ever had an ale that had turned? Like that, only a hundred times worse." He looks to the others. "Now where to?"

[Doc Olliday]

"Nice work...," Doc pauses, "Lance is it?"

"Don't touch the bodies. When we are done here we will fire up the entire sector here and clean out the dead."

Frank looks to the Doc with a mix of outrage and disgust. "I am sorry, Frank. The bodies are to far along to move them. Best to burn them where they lie."

"Frank. You and your boys need to save your rage and focus. Stay alert."

Doc produces a thin metal rod and picks up the empty hooch bottle. A couple of small spray bottles come out of his medical kit which Doc applies one at a time, awaiting the smell and color changes that would come of certain chemicals or compounds present.

Cursory Analysis

• K/Science [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]1[/dice]

"I say we split the group and let those going the long route have twenty minute headstart. Frank and his crew will act as guides and scouts."

[Sig]

“Looks like Frank’s crew is already headin’ off, brah,” Sig said, watching the ratmen disappear along the tunnels. He looked over the dead rats, shaking his head. “I’m sorry for your loss, brah,” he told Frank. “We’ll find who did this, an’ I’ll make sure they’re decidedly flatter.” He slapped the head of his combat hammer against his hand. “I’ll take whichever path has the most room. Doc, you think you can lift any prints or DNA off that bottle? Maybe Helga can get the local LEOs to run them for us. Might give us a lead on who gave the poor brahs the whiskey.”

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax's eyes narrow at the sight..and stench...of the bodies. He watches the ratmen split. "See? Even the rats know to search out all paths. Let us divide as I suggested. Come. Bring the large one and the canine. The rest can take the other path."
Arvalis nods in acknowledgement, and relays most of what was said to the group. "They've got the right idea. We'll take this path -" as he points down the continuation of the left path "- along with Sig and Lance. The rest of the crew can head that way. We'll meet in the middle and flush out who or whatever did this."
Ulithrax mutters something else to Arvalis. He translates. "Frank? My friend here wants you to know he's all in on finding who did this and making 'em pay. He's got your back. I'm with ya too."
Ulithrax begins urging Gorignak down the left hall, with Arvalis trailing. He looks back to the crew. "Lance, Sig, you with us?"

[Lance]

Lance nods to Doc Olliday, first. "Thank you, good Physician. It is a knack, but one I hope will be useful in our task here." Then he turns to the lizard man's cohort. "Of course. Please, alloweth me to take the lead." And he steps into the path continuing onward, to see if their quarry's trail can be found.

[Danny]

Notice [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]
Tracking [dice]2[/dice] wild [dice]3[/dice]

Danny uses his armored tail to stuff some “clean” cloth into the top of the wisky bottle then his tail grabs it and takes it with as he goes searching down the right hall. ”Seems unlikly that even after all this time the unseen poisoner would be arround... However...” Danny doubles back looking for the tale tail sign of a wifi camera or other servalience device. ”It might make sense that they dropped a bug or two, just to watch their handiwork play out... Why the ratmen... Why now...” He shifts his frame a bit bringing the wiskey bottle close to his face plate so he can look at it intently with all his armor’s optics. Danny mutters under his breath, ”Why the ratmen? Why the ratmen? If you are the fusion bomber, why take out these ratmen? Are we close to where the fusion bomb went off? Would you need them out of the way in order to make your way undetectable? Seems like there could be other ways to get to the northside with a fairamount of stealth.” Danny stopped muttering and smiled wide, ”Sorry, my Brood mother used to say me and mysteries were like a fly and honey.”

Danny carefully walks arround the bodies looking at the walls, celieing, bodies themselves for any other signs of foul play while mulling questions over under his breath.
”Curious... Curious... A prelude to something larger? A turf war gone wrong that we just happen to stumble upon? The Fusion bomber’s handiwork?”. I need more information... Guess that is why I am part of a team. Time to go to work.
Danny addresses the team not heading with Ulthirax very suddenly.

”Bill Gates, can you help me? I need to bring up a map of the city and then use my mini computer to overlay that and the image of the sewer map. I need to see where we are. Didn’t we get another location... Something topside? Can you put that onto my map?”

”Doc... You sure led into something here. Best guess... Airbone toxin, touch, ingested... How long from contact to death? How much poison would you need to kill this many ratmen? What kind of facility would you need to make the poison?”

” Uhh honestly I have not been paying too much attention to the political landscape in Kingsdale. What is the current political landscape and which groups would benifit from seeing it destabilized? Think about a campaign of terror in a highly charged political climate? Presuming the bomb, and this poisoning are all related... What would you do next if your goal was to re-route the direction Kingsdale was headed? ”

”Johnny? You connected to the wifi? We need to know what kind of events the city is holding in the next week. Start with the time table Doc gave and work forward... Something swanky, something high profile that will make a splash. Work with Jacob to see if any of the groups he mentions are doing something big.”

”Rika, we need a way to see what is arround us in 50 ft intervals for 1000 ft. You still do those mumbo jumbo eyes of Kiami right? Look for a pair of gloves... As well as anything else interesting. Take a peak one level above us just in case. Anyone got eyes on the stopper? For the wiskey bottle... Something tells me if you put this kind of poison the stopper might be special. Everyone keep your eyes peeled for it just in case.”

Danny looks at the team he just rattled off orders too... This new team seems more capable than my old team. I hope I can keep them alive. ”Its information we need right now... Look we could just go off into the dark down the right tunnel... But lets take a breath inside your hopefully enviormentally sealed armor, and use our skills and brains... Its like my mom used to say every mystery has an answer you just got to ask enough questions until you find it.”

[Stoic]

Doc's sophisticated equipment easily picks out the poison: Ricin. Doc knows that even a tiny amount would be enough to kill scores of ratmen.
The ever vigilant Danny looks around and notices a few of those things that clean the sewers out. One isn't moving at all and something about it looks suspicious, though he can't quite figure out why.

[Doc Olliday]

"Ricin."

"Non Contagious. The stoppers would be helpful."

"Could be a test. Ricin can be used air-borbne, contact, or ingested."

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Notice 6, K/Engineering 6, -1 Bennie

Notice: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice]
Extra Effort: [dice]2[/dice]

Knowledge (Engineering): [dice]3[/dice]
Wild: [dice]4[/dice]

Once the door is opened and the dead ratmen are discovered, Rika falls deep into thought. When the dying ratman clues them into the whiskey bottle, it only sends her deeper into her thinking space. She paces around as the team decide on options and swap information. Her ears catch it all, but only the relevant bits break through her thinking space.

Then something catches her eye. Something she see's Danny look right at. He doesn't say anything, but it's enough to snap her back to reality. She begins walking closer to the failed equipment.

"Yes, I agree... We should explore each path. Caution is warranted, but splitting the team is a sound idea...Also, it is fortunate that Ricin is the culprit. It is deadly, but only if ingested or inhaled. Unless there is a secondary delivery device nearby we should be safe enough..." Rika absentmindedly responds to the teams' chatter.

She closes in on the cleaning equipment in question and examines it intently. Then shes says, "Yes, Danny, of course I still possess all of my magical abilities and will use them if requested, but enough about that. This sewer has been in good working condition everywhere we've stepped foot. And now some if it is not? Something is not quite right here..."

Detect Arcana 9, -0 PPE

Enchanting: [dice]5[/dice]
Wild: [dice]6[/dice]

Rika pushes her Ki into her facial tattoo as she leans in closer to examine the device...

[Stoic]

As Rika leans closer Danny's Danger Sense flares up again.

OOC Comments

A Danger Sense roll please Jon

[Danny]

Ok, lets get all the pieces of the puzzle on the table. No sense leaving half in the box. Danny grimaces looking at the rat bodies. I hate doing this kind of planning right here in the middle of all their bodies. Back in the war I planned out sveral operations in worse conditions, but we always gave the fallen a bit of respect and honor—- The inoperable cleaning droid caught his eye. Weird, that the cleaning droid is not functioning... If this was a game of chess why leave the bodies at all? Wouldn't you just destroy the evidence...
” Looks like there is...” His voice trails off as Rika approaches the inoperable cleaning machine.

Danger sense 11

Notice danger sense [dice]0[/dice] ace [dice]2[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]

[Stoic]

Rika doesn't detect any magical energy coming from the cleaning drone. As she leans in closer though she sees a tiny pinhole camera in the center of it. Danny gets the strong sense that grabbing or touching the drone will result in disaster.

[Danny]

Rika doesn't detect any magical energy coming from the cleaning drone. As she leans in closer though she sees a tiny pinhole camera in the center of it. Danny gets the strong sense that grabbing or touching the drone will result in disaster.

Speaking of Disaster, The Pot of Gold offensive

The war took a turn for the worse one midday in autumn. Geist was a mad genuis there was no doubt about that. She convinced the small folk, fae kin, kobolds, fairies, gremlins, , leprechauns, and the like to undermine the Coalitions western line. ”Daniel” she told me, ”its simple take the 4,000 fae folk down the revine and ford the river then you will be in the CS back yard. We can’t let you take your normal team. I would almost ground you on this covert assignment... But I need the best so you are going in with the fae folk. Distrupt their war machine captain at any price.”

It wasn’t that simple... When we reached there western stronghold it was empty... Well almost empty. 100,000 of thousands of these little robots were the only thing there. The little folk never had a chance, the droids could detect movement even peircimg invisibility. Once detected they scurried like a rocket sled on rails latching on and detonating a self contained micro fusion grenade. The droids were only programed to detect anything smaller than 4ft... Nothing as big as me. Sometimes I wish they had taken me out so I could forget the horrors I saw that day. But I learned something that day... When I crawled by way out of the firey carnage I saw her... I saw her drawing on the energy of those fae she sacrificed... Murdered! I saw the end...

PTSD Spirit -2, [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]
Danny looses his cool when Rika goes toward the malfunctioning cleaning droid! ” Damit! Rika! Don’t move... They are all arround! Back away Rika! Back away! Don’t touch it!”

[Sig]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

Sig was heading off with Ulithrax and Lance when Danny started freaking out again. “You all right, brah?” he asked his fellow grackletooth with concern.

Of more concern was the ricin. “Everyone keep sealed up,” he warned. “What does Frank want done with the bodies? We might want to burn them.”

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Danny]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

Sig was heading off with Ulithrax and Lance when Danny started freaking out again. “You all right, brah?” he asked his fellow grackletooth with concern.

Of more concern was the ricin. “Everyone keep sealed up,” he warned. “What does Frank want done with the bodies? We might want to burn them.”

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

Danny looks at his brother with grave concern and moves his eye patch to the other side. With shaky finger he points to the malfunctioning cleaning droid. ”Sorry brother Sig, when I saw the cleaning droid... I saw a bunch of small good men and women die all over. It over whelmed me for a second and my preternatural sense for danger is punching me in my face everytime Rika gets close to the cleaning droid over there. The shadows of the Tolkien war are hard for me to shake sometimes. I am alright now, but we need to examine that droid with care... Something about it will end in catastrophe if we touch it.”

[Sig]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

“Fair enough, brah,” Sig said to Danny. “What about it is makin’ your grackle-sense tingle?” The big, armored grackle moved closer to examine the cleaning droid, motioning the others to stay well back. Without touching it, he leaned in close to see what might be wrong with it.

Notice 14

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Ace [dice]4[/dice]
Ace [dice]5[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Repair 3

Notice [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48/48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20/20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Doc Olliday]

Doc places a hand on the back of Sig, "Easy big guy. Treat it delicatley."

Repair and Reverse McGyver

• Repair [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Doc finds a sliver of metal that he scrapes along the stone wall to give the metal an edge to slide behind the stuck drone. Carefully jimmying the drone from the wall, Doc pops the drone from the wall, careful not to touch any thing attached to or inside the drone.

[Stoic]

Frank says that they will take care of the dead.

Sig leans in and not only notices the pinhole camera that Rika did but also sees a tiny bit of gray material attached to the back of the cleaning drone.

Doc Olliday is able to rig up a busted antenna and toe nail clippers he finds in the immediate area and thinks he can pry the drone off of the gray material without disturbing it.

Lance's nose takes him down the right path, which is quite a bit longer than the path to the left. The greasy man appeared to have walked in the water to mask his scent, but that means nothing to a dog boy...er noble knight. As Lance (and anyone travelling with him) go further, they reach a door on the right side of the tunnel. It has a glass window on the top of the door and peeking in you can see quite a few flimsy mattresses spread about on the floor, along with various scraps of junk spread around in neat little piles.

[Lance]

OOC Comments

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]
Ace [dice]4[/dice]
+2 more for scent/vision

Tracking [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Tracking [dice]3[/dice]

Lance chuckles at the futility of trying to evade his senses. (He doesn't really notice that his tail wags instinctively as he locks onto the trail.) At the door, he double-checks to see if the scent goes in there, or even goes in and comes back out....

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax

Notice
[dice]0[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]1[/dice]

Detect Arcana (free action)
[dice]2[/dice]

WD DA
[dice]3[/dice]

Gorignak Notice
[dice]4[/dice]

Arvalis

Notice (checking for traps at +2)
[dice]5[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]6[/dice]

Ace WD Notice with prior
[dice]7[/dice]

Ulithrax and his entourage continue following Lance down the hall. As the dog-knight reaches the door, Arvalis springs forward. "Hey, hang on! Lemme check this out first." Looks over the area of the door and threshold, checking for anything their quarry might've left waiting for them.

Ulithrax's eyes look past the physical, examining what arcane signs might reveal themselves.

Gorignak simply looks around for something to smash.

[Lance]

Lance nods to Avarlis. "The scent-trail continueth down the corridor. But we should likely taketh a cursory examination of the room, in case there be any survivors inside."

[Stoic]

One of the rats travelling with Lance and Ulithrax nudges the door open and steps in. If you follow him, you see half a dozen thin mattresses laid out on the floor with a small pile of personal effects next to each mattress. There is another door at the end of the room, and there are what appear to be small stubs of black candles almost entirely burned down arranged by it. The ratman lets out a low whistle, crossing himself. "Heh, Dean was a good Catholic boy I thought, didn't know he was into..." He gestures toward the candles "That." The ratman tries the handle of the door and it turns, so he pushes it open being very careful to step over the burnt candle nubs. The next room is rather expansive, as it opens onto a catwalk over a massive 50 x 50 pool of still murky water. A few spots of blood are near the edge of the catwalk as well as a scattering of what appear to be entrails and feathers. The ratman crosses himself again and holds his breath as he stars into the dingy still gray water.


Doc examines the Cleaning Droid carefully and uses his ad hoc creation to gingerly pry the drone off of the waxy gray lump. As soon as it's off a small springloaded contraption pops off, and Danny gracefully catches in his hand. There is little doubt that without Doc's mechanical genius and Danny's razor-sharp instincts this would've blown up taking out anyone standing nearby. The Ratman on the ground coughs miserably as the ricin does it's dirty business.

[Lance]

OOC Comments

Notice [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]
+2 more for Scent/vision

Lance blinks at the candles and then the pool as he follows the ratman. "Sorcery? What could he have been attempting to do?" He looks to the elf and lizard-mage to see if they understand what was being done here. Then he looks into the water, attempting to plumb its depths.

[Sig]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

“Good job, brah,” Sig told Doc and Danny. “Let’s dispose of that properly and move on down. Should we go the other way?” He indicated the path Lance hadn’t taken.

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48/48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20/20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Danny]

Danny looks down at his hand at whatever he grasped, and then to Sig, ” The right path? Hmm... Perhaps brother, give me a moment the pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together. While among these dead ratmen, not an ideal place, we can do their memory proud by leaping to the last page of the mystery rather than following the bread crumbs.”
What is in my Hand?
Kn Science [dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]

Danny looks at the others in the team, ” Rika, Johnny, Thomas... What have your own investigations revealed?”

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax

Knowledge: arcana
[dice]0[/dice]

WD KA
[dice]1[/dice]

Benny EE
[dice]2[/dice]

Ace
[dice]3[/dice]

Ulithrax squints at the presence of the black candles. He picks one up, studies it, then turns to Arvalis. "These candles would be used to appease a particular group of, or an individual so-called 'saint.' Along with the sacrificial remnants." He gestures towards the evidence of animal sacrifice. He then turns the stub over in his hand, and snorts. "I believe I know where this was purchased. Locally."
Arvalis nods. "Ulithrax has a lead on where they got these candles. So much for Dean being a good Catholic. Looks like they're doing voodoo or santeria. Makes sense from the leftovers. Hey, we get any word from the other crew about what they found?"
Gorignak seems otherwise uninterested in anything.

[Tim Gates]

Doc examines the Cleaning Droid carefully and uses his ad hoc creation to gingerly pry the drone off of the waxy gray lump. As soon as it's off a small springloaded contraption pops off, and Danny gracefully catches in his hand. There is little doubt that without Doc's mechanical genius and Danny's razor-sharp instincts this would've blown up taking out anyone standing nearby. The Ratman on the ground coughs miserably as the ricin does it's dirty business.

"Was that a bomb?" Tim says as he sees the contraption nearly go off, and takes steps back. "That sounds pretty dangerous. Maybe we should go the other way. What do you think Johnny, which way do you want to go?" He asks.

"Someone once told me that if you stay 30 feet behind the point man you will be safe, but I'm not sure that will work down here."

[Stoic]

With his keen canine senses, Lance picks it up. A thin stream of bubbles surfaces in the middle of the giant dingy pool before them. Something is under there, and it needs to come up for air. Soon.

[Stoic]

Water sheds as a huge gray crocodile emerges from the surface. It's easily 25 feet long and a shade of dark gray with spikes protruding from it's skin. It swims toward the three intruders on the catwalk.

OOC Comments

If you want to run, go ahead and run and you can escape for free. If you want to engange it, we'll do initiatives

After disarming the bomb Doc quickly determines that the ratman on the ground is sure to be dead and is only suffering at this point. The rest of Frank's group of rats has made their way into the tunnels.

OOC Comments

We've been in the tunnels too long, so here's what we're going to do. Everyone give me a roll for an appropriate trait (no, not gambling Jon) at a -2. Once we hit five successes, I will spill my guts as to all of the clues that you gumshoes can sleuth out in the sewer and then we can get back to the comforts of the warehouse. If Ulithrax and Lance abandon crocodile dundee, they may roll for this as well. Any especially awesome description of how you use your appropriate (NOT GAMBLING!!!) skill will provide an additional benny. If Ulitrhax and Lance get into a fight with the croc, you can join the melee in three turns.

[Lance]

Tracking 8

Tracking [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Tracking [dice]1[/dice]
.

Lance, seeing the bubbles, moves the others in the room away from the edge of the Catwalk, taking up a position with his drill to the fore. When the crocodile breaks surface, he snorts. "Not a proper dragon at all. I suggest we withdraw and close the door behind us."

Once they've left the chamber, he begins following the trail from before, attempting to see if he can find where it leads.

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax

Investigate
[dice]0[/dice]

WD Investigate
[dice]1[/dice]

Arvalis

Investigate
[dice]2[/dice]

Ace with prior (deduct 2 for scene penalty) = 7
[dice]4[/dice]

WD Investigate
[dice]3[/dice]

Ulithrax stares down the massive crocodile. With a dismissive snort, he turns about-face and walks back to the main sewer hall, through the ratmen's bunk room. Arvalis is much more cautious. He keeps his rifle trained on the beast. Gorignak stands, still as stone, until both Ulithrax and Arvalis clear out of the area. He then turns and walks briskly to get in front of Ulithrax. Arvalis looks back to Lance. "I guess we're leaving, then? Maybe that's what they've been sacrificing animals to. Hope big ugly starves to death without the rats feeding it."

[Tim Gates]

Investigation (1)

Investigation: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

As everyone is standing around doing nothing and just picking their butts, Tim starts to look around and notices the gravity of the situation. He in a sewer... Surrounded by filth!

Tim is so busy trying to avoid stepping in feces, or touching the slime covered wall, that he doesn't really notice much else. He just keeps making sounds of disgust as he notices clumps of what can only be excrement floating by.

[Tsuchiya Rika]

Notice 5, Investigation 14, -1 Benny

Notice: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice] (Oops, oh well it didnt do anything anyhow)

Investigation: [dice]2[/dice] (-2 Scene, +2 Investigator)
Wild: [dice]3[/dice] Ace: [dice]4[/dice]
EE: [dice]5[/dice]

Rika ignore's Tim's antics as she ponders everything they've discovered up to now. They killed the ratmen. Yet the ratmen must have trusted them enough to accept and drink alcohol. They set traps for us, when the rat men would have slowed down. So they must have known we were coming. Or were they just careful because they knew that someone would be coming?

Rika gets a closer look at the contraption Danny caught as well as the grey material from the drone to determine if it is the same handiwork as the trashcan and car bombs.

[Doc Olliday]

Doc gladly hands over his part of the contraption to Rika.

"Someone was looking to incinerate the evidence."

K/Common 5

• K/Common 0
• Wild 1
  Benny for Reroll
• K/Common 2
• Wild 3

As strange as it is to admit, with his Concierge services, Doc has been in the sewers often. For a moment he paused trying to remember if it had been these tunnels he had been in months ago. Looking around he notices the fungal growth and the way the water eddies in a counter clockwise motion and then he remembers being here for a client.

The client was not a ratman and was nearly dead when he arrived. The ratman had him surrounded and Doc had to talk his way out of near death situation with "Dean" and his crew.

[Danny]

Danny looks at his hand rubbing the peice of the bomb he caught. ” CS made Rika, plenty of these little Traps and innocous bombs back in the war. Lost some good people, I would hate to loose more. Watch your step.” Danny looks at the others gathered trying to process all the information.
Danny pulls out his favorite murder mystery... Daring tales of the Sewer Sprawl. He mutters flipping through the pages, ”This seems so familiar... Its like some one is just lifting plots right from Ron Hubard’s Sewer Sprawl series.”

Investigation 7, 1 success

Investigation 0 wild 1Ace 2

Danny points in his book excitedly, ” Yeah look here, Little D, and his plucky side kick Mikey find them selves surrounded by dead Rats, all killed by a nearby bottle of poison. The villian, Agent 86 kept watch on the two heroes via a small robot of his own design, and very capable of bringing down the house if tampered with. Down one of the cooridors a three toed crockadile lay in wait ready to snap upon the two heroes...” Danny stops looking down the hallway Lance and The A squad went.

Over the comms Danny warns too late, ” Hey Lance, watch out for a crocodile.”
With his warning issued he flips to the end of the chapter to see how it all ends.

[Johnny Jones]

Notice 7, Psionics 20, Investigation 5, -2 Power Points

Notice0
Wild Notice1
Psionics 2 Ace6
Wild Psionics 3
Investigation 4
Wild Investigation 5

"Was that a bomb?" Tim says as he sees the contraption nearly go off, and takes steps back. "That sounds pretty dangerous. Maybe we should go the other way. What do you think Johnny, which way do you want to go?" He asks.

"That was definitely a bomb, not how I would of handled it but I guess it worked." Johnny says to Tim, stepping back with him.

"Anyways, I think the left path leads to the hatch we are looking for. You know, the whole reason we are down here. I don't know why we are standing here with our thumbs up our butts. I say we go check out that hatch, but first I want to try and link with that Cleaning Droid." Johnny activates his Telemechanics to investigate the Droid and gain control of it.

[Sig]

Kingsdale/Sewers
Afternoon
Round 0

Sig and the others traipsed through the rest of the sewers to the manhole cover at the location the bomb had been planted. He wandered around the perimeter and then examined the manhole itself to get a sense of how it was done.

“I think someone was getting rid of witnesses, brah. The droid bomb was just...insurance in case anyone came around askin’ questions. Anyone like us.”

K. Engineering 10

-2 difficulty
K. Engineering 0
Ace 2
Wild 1

***

Character Tracker

Sig Character Sheet
Parry:10 (-1 cover); Toughness: Melee: 20 (8)/Ranged: 22 (10)
Assassin: +2 damage vs unaware
Battle Hardened: +2 Soak
Brave: +2 vs. Fear
I Know a Guy
Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor vs. magic, +4 to resist magic
Improved Nerves of Steel: Ignore 2 Wound modifiers
Prehensile Tail: Extra non-movement action, no MAP
Titan Belt: +2 Size, +4 Toughness, +2 die types Strength
Hammer: 8 x 2 reloads (8)
Plasma Ejector: 48/48 x 2 reloads (48)
Ion Pistol: 20/20 x 2 reloads (20)
IRMS: 4/4
First Aid Kit: 3/3
Rations: 14
Bennies: 6/4
Adventure Card:

• Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
• Second Wind: Play on your hero to automatically remove all wounds sustained in this combat (but not crippling injuries). If Shaken, he is un-Shaken now as well.

Loadout

• Main Weapon (hand): Thunderer Combat Hammer
  • 2 reloads
• Long arm (back): Pulse Plasma Ejector
  • 2 reloads
• Sidearm (hip): Ion Pistol/integral grenade launcher
  • 2 reloads
  • Armor Piercing grenade
• Rocket Launcher (back): Loaded standard
  • Standard rocket x 2
  • Anti-vehicle rocket x 2
• Chest rig
  • Plasma grenade x 3
  • High explosive grenade x 3
  • Armor Piercing grenade x 3
  • Frag grenade x 2
  • Big Bore reload
• Triarius Heavy Armor
• Titan Belt
• Trauma kit
• Survival Pack
• Kingsdale security badge
• Kingsdale wi-fi access chip (in armor)

Shopping list

Hand scanner
Stun grenades
Smoke grenades
EMP grenades

[Doc Olliday]

Doc shaes his head, Such a waste.

"Heard once of an individual able to speak with parting spirits. Rumor has it that the spirit of a murdered being lingers, that is why bringing them back to land of the living is so much easier."

Pointing to the poisoned rat-men, "This was certainly murder."

"Any other evidence or clues?"

[Tim Gates]

"Anyways, I think the left path leads to the hatch we are looking for. You know, the whole reason we are down here. I don't know why we are standing here with our thumbs up our butts. I say we go check out that hatch, but first I want to try and link with that Cleaning Droid." Johnny activates his Telemechanics to investigate the Droid and gain control of it.

"Yeah, let's head out. Maybe take that drone with us if it's safe. We can examine it more when we get back to the warehouse too." Tim says to Johnny. He steps back into the passage that leads back towards the hatch and takes a look while waiting for everyone else.

He also whips his balls out and starts twisting them around in his hand.

[Stoic]

Lance is able to track the scenet to where Sig initially found the radio transmitter. He's absolutely certain that the greasy man planted it, and even more sure that he would reconize the scent if he encountered it again.

Ulitrhax isn't particularly useful with the current investigation, but Arvalis uses their typical guise of having a translation buffer to give credit to his master for his own insights. Ulitrhax is certain he knows the shop where the black candles were purchased, it was a very distinct type of tallow used, a shop called The Gray Serpent, a place often suspected of being associated with less than above board magical practices. Ulithrax also thinks they were practicing some form of Santeria, or Vodoun, placating the giant crocodile with the occasional sacrifice.

Tim spends the entire time dodging and pointing out particularly large bits of waste he sees floating by. He is clearly disturbed about being in close proximity to it, and makes sure that no one else accidentally rubs up against any excrement.

Rika notices a similarity between the drone's wiring and the explosive device found in the trash can. She isn't a hundred percent that it was the exact same person, but the same method was used for sure.

Doc's familiarity with the Ratman brings to mind the fact that they are very social creatures. He thinks that they would accept the poisoned bottle as a gift and probably share it with all of their brethren. Anyone even passingly familiar with the ratmen would know how much they liked to share.

Danny thumbs through his book and recalls another passage that for some reason he thinks might be relevant. There is a part about the ratmen encountering a powerful wizard, who took advantage of their friendship in order to create a powerful blast.

Johnny gets a distinct impression of the person who created the bomb. He even sees glimbpses of them encountering the ratmen and the malicious intent deeply hidden within as they went about their evil business. The droid is unfortunately inactive, but Johnny gets a distinct impression of a man with some sort of arcane power manipulating it's inner works as they set the bomb up. He also can tell that it was transmitting video to some place, but was disabled when Doc disactivated it.

Sig confirms what Rika, Johnny and Sig already figured out. That someone repurposed a simple cleaning droid in the hopes to take out anyone trying to investigate the deaths of the rat's. He recognizes the material used, PETN which is usually combined with another explosive for mining, or in some variants of Coalition Fusion blocks.


The group, satisfied that they have found everything they can, finally exits. They head back to the warehouse, Tim rushing ahead and taking a very long shower, and after everyone cleans up they go to bed. In the morning there is another message from Helga, asking the group to check in with her at their earliest convenience.

OOC Comments

You can pursue any investigative path that you would like to at this point. Sgt, if you want Doc to bow out now, you are more than welcome to have that be the case. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask in this thread in OOC tags, or via hangouts. If the group hasn't decided what they want to due by Wednesday, Helga will arrive and we will go from there.

[Johnny Jones]

"Yeah, let's head out. Maybe take that drone with us if it's safe. We can examine it more when we get back to the warehouse too." Tim says to Johnny. He steps back into the passage that leads back towards the hatch and takes a look while waiting for everyone else.

"Good idea, I can work on it more at the warehouse and maybe get it running and trace that camera feed." Johnny grabs the droid and loads it into his pack. "The droid is inactive, bit I did get an impression of an arcane user working on it and setting up the bomb. I think that's pretty much all we're gonna get for now, we probably should head back to the warehouse and plan our next move."

[Ulithrax]

Ulithrax listens to the translation of the other group's findings regarding the droid. He nods, then suggests departing. "The sewers have surrendered their secrets. Let us depart. The smell is terrible here."
Arvalis concurs. "This place reeks. Let's get out of here. Ulithrax says the candles were bought from the Gray Serpent. We can go shake them down for info on what was going on down here, or check another lead."
Gorignak simply stomps through the filth, leading his master out of the sewers, heedless of anything that might get stuck to his feet.

[Danny]

Danny nods agreeing with Tim and Johnny. ”Sounds like a good idea to me... We need some place to lay out all the peices and see what fits where. Finding out where that thing was transmitting too is a start. Come to think of it... We might be made at this point if that droid was meant to explode and kill folks who came to investigate... Lets take the long way back if you know what I mean.” Thraxilis has a point... Where do those candles fit in here?

Danny takes a long way back through the streets of KD. Once at the warehouse he listens to eeryone and even keeps his flute nearby so he can get the shifters take. He rolls in a white baord and starts putting information as people give it. ”Ok so lets see what we got? Any connections I am missing here? Any question we need to ask?”

OOC Comments

Not sure if everyone will be sharing what they learned. But if they do I think we will have a few questions that we can run down.

[Lance]

Lance looks over the board, and nods to Sig. "This is impressive work, Danny. I admit, this sort of thing is not my forte, but I believe a note reading 'Techno-wizardry?' would fit here." He taps the board beneath "What type?"

He tilts his head at the lower portion of the diagram, then, below the "Black Candles" entry. "This part is strange--part of me thinks we should investigate the Grey Serpent on its own right, but I am not sure it has anything to do with the investigation at hand."