To say that the trip starts off poorly is a bit of an understatement. After having gone in the wrong direction for a few days, eventually someone notices that they shouldn’t be seeing desert. The crew right their respective vehicles and head east, paying more careful attention to navigating. The trip is uneventful for the most part though there are a few brief encounters with bandits and some mega fauna that mistake the travellers for food.
A couple days from MercTown the group, stops to eat and stretch their legs a bit in a clearing in the woods. As they get into their rides and prepare to take off, they notice that something is…off.
[Make a notice check at a -6. @Ahab can make a roll without penalty
Additionally, for a Benny, describe some of the sights you've seen along the way, or even narrate an encounter you may have had on the trip so far. Alternately you can just do an interlude.]
On the road to MercTown
On the road to MercTown
GM Bennies 9/9
Wild Card Bennies ?
Wild Card Bennies ?
Re: On the road to MercTown
How to pass the time, it took so long to reach any inhabited city. Ocean travel was ever so much more enjoyable, yet here there were seas of grass, and riders. So many riders of beasts, horses, monsters, and hovercycles. The Inde they had encountered seemed to favor a combination, yet they had looked strange when we asked about the Mississippi River, almost as if they were unfamiliar with it. Obvious d-bees with grins stretching too far for a man, and sharp teeth. They were not evil, but there had nearly been a tragic misunderstanding when we attempted to trade some of our food for skins and scales they were offering. "Big Joe's not food...Big Joe's not food..." the memory of those insistent objections brought a smile to Ahab's lips. Nor was Mahala food, the Simvan had learned to their disappointment. Ahab wondered if he should be insulted that he had not been given fair consideration for being food. Perhaps I bee to ugly...
The good part of all this journeying was that the group was beginning to be more cohesive in their strategies. From his perch, Ahab had watched them form up into circles, lines, and a even a hastily drawn defilade when threatened by the large bugs.
As Ahab clicked his pipe in his teeth, he was overcome with a sudden . He pounded the butt end of his harpoon against the hull three times, using our non-verbal signal for danger to alert those inside the Mountaineer. Hunkering down, his inner Spirit snapping into a nearly involuntarily, as it often did when the uneasiness came upon him. Glancing about warily, Ahab wondered if this was brought on by...Evil??
The good part of all this journeying was that the group was beginning to be more cohesive in their strategies. From his perch, Ahab had watched them form up into circles, lines, and a even a hastily drawn defilade when threatened by the large bugs.
As Ahab clicked his pipe in his teeth, he was overcome with a sudden . He pounded the butt end of his harpoon against the hull three times, using our non-verbal signal for danger to alert those inside the Mountaineer. Hunkering down, his inner Spirit snapping into a nearly involuntarily, as it often did when the uneasiness came upon him. Glancing about warily, Ahab wondered if this was brought on by...Evil??
Re: On the road to MercTown
A giddy Ahab comes over the comms, "It's Yuge! Do ya not see it lads!? 'Tis but... ehr... a hundred... feet, yes! Feet a'fore the bow! Supernatural it bee."
Re: On the road to MercTown
INTERLUDE:
The journey continued onward... And onward.... And onward, as the group confidently went in the completely wrong direction unbeknowst to any of them. A small silver lining had been that at least they hadn't significantly worn out their vehicles at the double pace they were moving. This however also meant that they were going to be that much more tired upon reaching their destination. While Mahala had never been to MercTown before, she imagied that it would at least have some sort of comfortable lodgings available. For as comfortable as the mountaineer or the tents in their survival packs were, it was so substitute for a real bed under a real roof in the relative safety of civilization.
At one point in the journey, the sounds of distant battle erupted in what could only be described as a large scale conflict. The whistling sound of what could only be several artillery barages or fireballs could be heard, along with the rapid fire sounds of lasers and ballistics that followed soon after. The sound carried for miles, but was audibly present as if they were right next to it as the terrain allowed for it to bounce and echo towards their location.
Mahala had decided that it was best to avoid getting involved in what seemed like an extremely dangerous situation, and had directed the group to reroute through a small canyon in order to avoid contact with the unknown warring factions that for the time being seemed to be unaware of their presence.
However, their ill fortunes persisted as the recent rains along with the thundering sounds of heavy booming of weaponry seemed to be just enough a catalyst to cause a massive mudslide to fall down from the canyon walls immediately ahead of them. While they had been fortunate enough to avoid getting burried, they had to spead several hours trudging through the muck as several of them had to get out of the vehicle to shovel away debris and tow the massive transport to the other side as mud flew in all directions from the treaded spinning wheels that groaned from overuse. Thankfully the ATV capabilities of the mountaineer allowed it to eventually make its way through.
Mahala let out a long frustrated sigh as she crossed her arms and looked over their newly freed transports. They had once again been delayed in their movements, but at least they had narrowly avoided getting caught up in whatever it was that had been going on nearby.
PRESENT DAY:
Once they had correctly reoriented themselves, Mahala had spent the rest of the time being somewhat cautious of their passage in order to add yet another significant slowdown to their journey. Going so far as to not let down her guard even as they arrived nearer to MercTown.
Unfortunately as she had been so focused on the terrain, she completely failed to pick up on what Ahab had drawn her attention to. Looking upwards as she shielded her eyes with her hand, yet still failing to see the mentioned incoming hostile.
It also didn't help that she did not have a good grasp on what a bow was in this context, with her vocabulary being significantly devoid of nauticle terminology...
"If you believe it hostile, then I give you leave to mark it in any way you have available!" Mahala shouted up to Ahab as everyone scrambled to prepare for the worst. There were times for caution, but indecisiveness also was a good way to get everyone killed.
The journey continued onward... And onward.... And onward, as the group confidently went in the completely wrong direction unbeknowst to any of them. A small silver lining had been that at least they hadn't significantly worn out their vehicles at the double pace they were moving. This however also meant that they were going to be that much more tired upon reaching their destination. While Mahala had never been to MercTown before, she imagied that it would at least have some sort of comfortable lodgings available. For as comfortable as the mountaineer or the tents in their survival packs were, it was so substitute for a real bed under a real roof in the relative safety of civilization.
At one point in the journey, the sounds of distant battle erupted in what could only be described as a large scale conflict. The whistling sound of what could only be several artillery barages or fireballs could be heard, along with the rapid fire sounds of lasers and ballistics that followed soon after. The sound carried for miles, but was audibly present as if they were right next to it as the terrain allowed for it to bounce and echo towards their location.
Mahala had decided that it was best to avoid getting involved in what seemed like an extremely dangerous situation, and had directed the group to reroute through a small canyon in order to avoid contact with the unknown warring factions that for the time being seemed to be unaware of their presence.
However, their ill fortunes persisted as the recent rains along with the thundering sounds of heavy booming of weaponry seemed to be just enough a catalyst to cause a massive mudslide to fall down from the canyon walls immediately ahead of them. While they had been fortunate enough to avoid getting burried, they had to spead several hours trudging through the muck as several of them had to get out of the vehicle to shovel away debris and tow the massive transport to the other side as mud flew in all directions from the treaded spinning wheels that groaned from overuse. Thankfully the ATV capabilities of the mountaineer allowed it to eventually make its way through.
Mahala let out a long frustrated sigh as she crossed her arms and looked over their newly freed transports. They had once again been delayed in their movements, but at least they had narrowly avoided getting caught up in whatever it was that had been going on nearby.
PRESENT DAY:
Once they had correctly reoriented themselves, Mahala had spent the rest of the time being somewhat cautious of their passage in order to add yet another significant slowdown to their journey. Going so far as to not let down her guard even as they arrived nearer to MercTown.
Unfortunately as she had been so focused on the terrain, she completely failed to pick up on what Ahab had drawn her attention to. Looking upwards as she shielded her eyes with her hand, yet still failing to see the mentioned incoming hostile.
It also didn't help that she did not have a good grasp on what a bow was in this context, with her vocabulary being significantly devoid of nauticle terminology...
"If you believe it hostile, then I give you leave to mark it in any way you have available!" Mahala shouted up to Ahab as everyone scrambled to prepare for the worst. There were times for caution, but indecisiveness also was a good way to get everyone killed.
Re: On the road to MercTown
Turbo couldn't help but think of what happened several days ago:
Those things were horrifying. The mouths on them would be enough to give a guy nightmares. Thank goodness for the dope to take the edge off.
Having finally shaken the beasts that he lured away from the team, Turbo wheeled up to the highest point of ground he could find. He takes a good look around to find the best path back to where his teammates have hopefully gotten the Mountaineer out of the mud.
"Well, what do we have here?" he asks aloud to the wind. Someone else is out here in the wild, all by themselves. And they're sitting on a motorcycle too? I didn't expect to find a rally. The figure gives an exaggerated wave to make sure that Turbo sees him. Turbo waves in reply. The lone figure continues gesturing. He points to a huge rock off in the distance, probably two miles from either man. The strange rider plants himself solidly on his bike and revs the engine. The sound of the bike carries a clear message to Turbo.
"Oh, you want a race, buddy?"
Turbo tightens his gloves and helmet and lets his engine give his reply to the stranger.
Soon both men are racing down the hill. To his surprise, Turbo is not taking the lead. This guy is faster than most. I guess I can't take it easy on him. Bearing down on the throttle, Turbo pushes the Tarantula to speeds that would barely be safe on a paved track, let alone a dusty bit of grassland. He maneuvers this way, then that; zig then zag.
The stranger has not only kept pace, but he might even be pulling ahead a bit. Seeing a straight and level bit of ground, Turbo takes the opportunity to accelerate even faster, but somehow the stranger is still ahead when he goes behind the rock which serves as the finish line and Turbo loses sight of him.
When he gets to the rock just a moment later, the stranger is not to be found. There is no trace of anyone. No bike, no dust in the air, no tracks. Just Turbo and the wind on this empty patch of ground.
"I'm not going to tell the guys about this. I'm never telling anyone."
The sound of Ahab's heavily accented voice jars Turbo out of his trance of remembrance.
" what, Ahab?"
Those things were horrifying. The mouths on them would be enough to give a guy nightmares. Thank goodness for the dope to take the edge off.
Having finally shaken the beasts that he lured away from the team, Turbo wheeled up to the highest point of ground he could find. He takes a good look around to find the best path back to where his teammates have hopefully gotten the Mountaineer out of the mud.
"Well, what do we have here?" he asks aloud to the wind. Someone else is out here in the wild, all by themselves. And they're sitting on a motorcycle too? I didn't expect to find a rally. The figure gives an exaggerated wave to make sure that Turbo sees him. Turbo waves in reply. The lone figure continues gesturing. He points to a huge rock off in the distance, probably two miles from either man. The strange rider plants himself solidly on his bike and revs the engine. The sound of the bike carries a clear message to Turbo.
"Oh, you want a race, buddy?"
Turbo tightens his gloves and helmet and lets his engine give his reply to the stranger.
Soon both men are racing down the hill. To his surprise, Turbo is not taking the lead. This guy is faster than most. I guess I can't take it easy on him. Bearing down on the throttle, Turbo pushes the Tarantula to speeds that would barely be safe on a paved track, let alone a dusty bit of grassland. He maneuvers this way, then that; zig then zag.
The stranger has not only kept pace, but he might even be pulling ahead a bit. Seeing a straight and level bit of ground, Turbo takes the opportunity to accelerate even faster, but somehow the stranger is still ahead when he goes behind the rock which serves as the finish line and Turbo loses sight of him.
When he gets to the rock just a moment later, the stranger is not to be found. There is no trace of anyone. No bike, no dust in the air, no tracks. Just Turbo and the wind on this empty patch of ground.
"I'm not going to tell the guys about this. I'm never telling anyone."
The sound of Ahab's heavily accented voice jars Turbo out of his trance of remembrance.
" what, Ahab?"
Last edited by Turbo on Wed Oct 09, 2024 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bennies: 4/3 Wounds: 0/3 Fatigue: 0/3 Conviction: 0 Burn: 8
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Morley Dotes
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2024 1:56 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
Interlude
Morley didn't mind taking the 'scenic route'. It allowed him to wander away from the group and let Talon out. The symbiotes feeding habits tended to put off most folk. Unfortunately, it was getting towards dusk and they had not come across anything for Talon to feed on. Morley knew they would need to get back to the ATV as being out after dark would be extremely dangerous out here in the wilds. As these thoughts went through his head, Dotes all of a sudden had an urge to take a nap. Shaking his head to clear it, he was beginning to think that it may have been some sort of spell when a small dark child-like creature stepped out of the rocks and scrub brush along the trail. It was obviously fae when it smiled at him and started to speak...
But it never got the chance. Talon lashed out and bit off its head in less time it takes to blink. The headless corpse fell over and the symbiote quickly crunched and swallowed the skull and dove in to finish off the internal organs.
"Hah, Dotes! I was beginning to give up on you! Then you find this tasty fae creature to feast on! My favorite, too!"
Luckily there was a small stream nearby to wash up before returning to the camp.
Present Day
Morley was riding on the outside of the ATV when the group pulled into Merc Town. He had too. Whatever Talon had eaten, hadn't agreed with him. Instead of subjecting the rest of the group to it, Dotes chose to be out in the open air. Even out here, the stench was enough to make him retch even though he was used to the symbiote's biology. Morely did not even acknowledge Ahab or anything around him, really, as he was too busy gasping and gagging.
"Toughen up Dotes! It's just a bit of gas. Perhaps I should have warned you Night Elves do not always sit well with me, but they are oh so delicious!"
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Bart Willoughby
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2024 10:07 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
"I distinctly recall gesturing quite firmly in the other direction, sir." Bart does his best to defend his poor navigation, but eventually relents. "It is a poor workman who blames his tools when he simply erred. Please accept my profuse regret at having directed us all erroneously. Upon my honor, I will make recompense in some way before the journey is through."
As the team returns to less arid lands, they find themselves in a strange forest that seems to have been deposited from another world. The choice to sleep there for the night nearly proves their undoing. As Bart's watch begins, he notices the forest floor begins to move. Legions of an alien bug begin to invade their camp. "Alarm! We are beset! On your guard, faithful friends!" With quick action and no small application of Bart's fireburst rifle, the team manages to break camp and flee the alien forest, leaving the 9-legged ant-beetle hybrid behind chattering in anger and fiery pain.
"Mayhap we should more strictly peruse our surroundings before taking respite in the future."
PRESENT DAY
With the errors of poor navigation and alien bugs behind them, Bart finds himself once again peeking his head out of the mountaineer, doing his best to guide the crew in the right direction. he manages to spy something ahead just as @Ahab does. "Pray tell, what do mine eyes behold?!"
As the team returns to less arid lands, they find themselves in a strange forest that seems to have been deposited from another world. The choice to sleep there for the night nearly proves their undoing. As Bart's watch begins, he notices the forest floor begins to move. Legions of an alien bug begin to invade their camp. "Alarm! We are beset! On your guard, faithful friends!" With quick action and no small application of Bart's fireburst rifle, the team manages to break camp and flee the alien forest, leaving the 9-legged ant-beetle hybrid behind chattering in anger and fiery pain.
"Mayhap we should more strictly peruse our surroundings before taking respite in the future."
PRESENT DAY
With the errors of poor navigation and alien bugs behind them, Bart finds himself once again peeking his head out of the mountaineer, doing his best to guide the crew in the right direction. he manages to spy something ahead just as @Ahab does. "Pray tell, what do mine eyes behold?!"
OOC Comments
Bartholomew J. Willoughby
Re: On the road to MercTown
Notice Roll 7, success!
When the team realizes they have been going the wrong way for hours, Big Joe seems unbothered. not wanting anyone to feel bad for the poor navigating he says. "its no big deal, think of all the cool stuff we saw going the other way." As he thinks about it he adds. "Those weird minature dinosours where cool. I ain't never seen one of them before." Though as he thought about it, it was rude of them to eat his hand. He really would not have minded normally, but once he found out they were intelligent and could speak it seems pretty rude. Maybe he should not feel bad about blowing them up with a grenade.
Joe's eyes widen as they catch a glimse of something in the distance. "Oh crap. This is not good..." He says as he begins to doubt the ability of this vehicle or the robot he is riding on to escape.
Big Joe...
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John Carter
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2022 7:27 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
While accidentally going astray geographically was a setback for their mission, John at least saw a silver lining in the error. Their inadvertent detour gave him to gather additional intel about the various beings and factions that were on the Earth. That battle that forced them to divert their course through a canyon provided some interesting information thanks to his Battlefield Evaluation and Tactics Helmet’s capabilities enabling him to decrypt the comm chatter of all the parties involved.
The FDF’s analysts definitely would find the recordings he uploaded to them interesting.
PRESENT DAY
When Ahab’s warning sounds over the comms John is already aware of the danger thanks to BETH. The advanced sensors and analytical computer in his helmet had detected the threat and outlined it for him to see.
“I don’t know if it’s supernatural or not but it’s definitely trouble!” he replies.
John Carter
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John Carter
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2022 7:27 pm
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Bart Willoughby
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2024 10:07 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
Rolls
@John Carter has a Joker. Everyone take a Benny. John is on hold, and since he did get the joker I would like him to go first if he wants to.Group 1
@Bart Willoughby Queen of Spades
@Big Joe 8 of Spades
You can go in any order you would like.
Splugorth Slaver 7 of Spades
@Ahab 4 of Hearts (Ahab's Calculation is in play). Please wait until the Splugorth goes and then you can go.
You all witness the creature taking a careful look at the robot. It appears to be mulling something over, as much as such creatures can.
GM Bennies 9/9
Wild Card Bennies ?
Wild Card Bennies ?
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Maki_Maverick
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2024 2:20 am
Re: On the road to MercTown
Maki had been a pleasant enough companion on the road, perhaps because she was a distant one, riding in her mecha, 30 feet off the ground and well-insulated from the rest of the group during the day. This was the furthest she'd travelled from home, not that she'd admit it! Perhaps that had distracted her during the initial, erroneous leg of the grip. She busied herself with maintaining her Titan and the Mountaineer during breaks.
She had also somehow produced a number of sketches about their mystery mecha target, its outlines covered in questioning notes, which she tried to engage the others in speculating on around the campfire.
Maki was in the middle of more imaginings of what could make such a robot, or what she could make of it when a beeping in her cockpit interrupted her reverie, a sensor hit. The sensor turret on the Titan's left shoulder rotated, lenses zooming in... just barely, but there! She got a fuller perspective on it and said simply "Trouble!" over the coms. "Big trouble!"
She had also somehow produced a number of sketches about their mystery mecha target, its outlines covered in questioning notes, which she tried to engage the others in speculating on around the campfire.
Maki was in the middle of more imaginings of what could make such a robot, or what she could make of it when a beeping in her cockpit interrupted her reverie, a sensor hit. The sensor turret on the Titan's left shoulder rotated, lenses zooming in... just barely, but there! She got a fuller perspective on it and said simply "Trouble!" over the coms. "Big trouble!"
Electronics 8 Awareness, Queen of Diamonds Init
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John Carter
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2022 7:27 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
When John sees the creature he immediately knows what it is. He’s never seen a Splugorth Slaver of course but the comprehensive orientation briefing the Tomorrow Legion gave all new recruits detailed all probable threats they might encounter in the field. And from what he had learned, the Splugoth and all of their servitors were some nasty customers. In John’s opinion, the best way to handle them would be overwhelming force. But since that isn’t available to them, maybe the appearance of overwhelming force would suffice.
”We got company and its ugly,” John informs everyone over the radio. ”I’m creating something to distract it, maybe even get it to surrender if we’re lucky. If we’re not, hopefully it will least give someone the chance to get the drop on that thing.”
John hadn’t disclosed he’s psionic to any of his teammates but he hadn’t tried to hide it from those who could sense such things either. He figured he didn’t need to reveal what he could do power-wise unless the circumstances warranted it. Which they certainly do now. Drawing upon the energy within him, John uses Illusion to conjure a squad of formidable looking figures wielding intimidating looking weapons aimed straight at the Slaver, fading into visibility as if they had just deactivated the stealth mode of their armor.
The squad is arrayed in a semi-circle behind the slaver, at a distance where they would have good shots at their target without being within its reach. Of course, since they came into existence behind the Slaver,it probably didn’t spot them immediately. John had them appear as if they had deactivated stealth armor for the benefit of any comrades of the creature he had failed to spot, as a plausible way for them to come out of nowhere. For the slaver itself, he had one of his illusionary troopers call out to him..
“Put down any weapons you have and then lie flat in the ground.” the man says sternly. “Any attempt to resist will go badly for you. Do what you’re told and you’ll get to live.”
John Carter
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Bart Willoughby
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2024 10:07 pm
Re: On the road to MercTown
Bart stares at the creature in front of them and , trying to wrap his mind around what he's seeing.
Bartholomew J. Willoughby
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Maki_Maverick
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2024 2:20 am
Re: On the road to MercTown
"It's a whole barge, with those warrior women!" Maki calls over the coms. "Full battle mode!" Flipping a series of switches sends power charging through the railgun while hatches open over the shoulder and leg missile launchers. The eyes of her mecha flash red.
"Firing!" A cylindrical anti-vehicular missile heads upward from a shoulder silo and back down towards the barge from above... or so she intended, but multiple alarms goes off with a failure to launch... at least!
But the die is cast and regardless, Skullcrusher brings up its right arm and unleashes the arm-mounted Vulcan railgun, sending hundreds of supersonic rounds downrange at the alien horror.
"Firing!" A cylindrical anti-vehicular missile heads upward from a shoulder silo and back down towards the barge from above... or so she intended, but multiple alarms goes off with a failure to launch... at least!
But the die is cast and regardless, Skullcrusher brings up its right arm and unleashes the arm-mounted Vulcan railgun, sending hundreds of supersonic rounds downrange at the alien horror.
OOC Comments