Chapter 2: Have Gun, Will Travel

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri heads into the lab, looking for the tubes of polymorphic nanites in a pocket.
con - physical save

Then he goes to the Floater Ruck to see if it has power.
con - physical save

[Marullus]

Anything for Shadrach and Emile?

[greyarea]

Emile marvels at the new sensation.

physical Save (14) [1d20]=15

He goes to Hansel and helps him walk, saying, I'm sorry, my friend. The fiend had me in his thrall. We must get you healed.

[Marullus]

Ambiance: Blue Eyes Blind

"Everyone, we have to get out of here. Someone help me with Hansel," declares Taavi.

"A nuke exploded in his hand and he walked away... How ...." mutters Hansel, still groggy.

"I can try to heal him. Then i need to grab what i can from the lab." Báleygr says, his bland human appearance (and mechanic coveralls) reasserting themselves in place of the disconcerting scaled flesh. He moves to Hansel and whispers in some gutteral, arcane tongue, gesturing over Hansel's body. The wounds close, sealing themselves under their own power. (+6hp, add 1 System Strain)

Emile goes to help Taavi with Hansel, helping him walk. "I'm sorry, my friend. The fiend had me in his thrall. We must get you healed."

The trio make it up the ladder and to the back yard. The murder-tractor still idles, rumbling, its headlights creating a pool of light that you settle into. Sawdust from the destroyed rose arbors blows on the breeze, the rain having abated to little more than the splatter of the occasional fat droplet. The floodlights are dead, the power to the house gone. The house itself creaks and groans - the explosion blew a jagged hole in the roof above, chunks of debris scattered in the darkness around you. It doesn't look stable.

Nora looks up blankly, her deep blue eyes lost.
Shadrach gets Nora to her feet, gently but firmly moving both her and Oliver off the floor and out the ladder to the backyard. By the time they hit the brisk night air, Nora is herself again. She snaps open the case she has slung over her shoulder and checks over everyone's wounds, bandaging anything that needs attention and injecting pain killers. (Emile, Báleygr, and Shadrach already have full hit points. Hansel and Taavi each roll [1d6+1] additional hit points.)

"...where's grandpa?" asks Oliver, uneasy.


...

Meanwhile, below the house in the laboratory, Báleygr works as swiftly as he can to recover some of the valuable tech now mixed among the rubble. He feels the radiation in his flesh, a sickening rot that he cannot overcome with his incantations. He feels like he is liquifying - his flesh becoming gooey. Shifting then twisted metal of a laboratory table, he recovers four tubes of sleek carbon material - he knows polymorphic nanites when he sees them, salivating at the prospect. His eyes go blurry, no longer able to focus.

"Your system is reaching critical damage, Báleygr, take me and lets go," comments the blue-glowing cube as it entreats the mechanic to remember to take him with. Four sleek, high-tech antigrav drones beep and begin to whir, freeing themselves of the rubble and follow them up the stairs under the AI's control.

He then spots the Floater Ruck, spilling out of the cardboard casing in which it was packed, powering it up to help him back out and up the ladder as his body revolts against him. His eyes dim, escaping just before he goes blind.

OOC:

Hansel regains 6hp magically (and 1 system strain), then 1hp from the initial treatment on time-delay. At 10 minutes, he has 7 / 15 hit points. With treatment by Nora, he regains another [1d6+1].

Báleygr attempts and fails all three saves, lowering his CON score by three more due to radiation damage. With the -3 from the last roll, that lowers his permanent CON from 11 to 5 and also triggers the nanite mutations. His Stigmata is already fish-man. He gets a new benefit and flaw.

Flaw [1d12]=10 Benefit [1d12]=4
Subtables [1d6]=1[1d6]=2[1d8]=5[1d8]=3[1d10]=10[1d10]=3

Your Sight is very weak. You cannot succeed at ranged combat rolls more than ten meters away.

Your reinforced body allows for a Slime Buffer. You have a slimy or oily exudate layer that has a powerful antiseptic and neutralizing effect on toxic agents. You are immune to acids, diseases, and contact toxins. In a fight, you ignore
your first round of damage from a heat source, whether a bonfire,
laser, plasma gun, or flamethrower.

Note: Balygyr's eyes are permanently damaged by the radiation mutation (probably covered in the layer of fish mucus). But he also has the TL5 drone controller with visual neural interface - he can still see normally through drones when in use.

Báleygr retrieves the polymprphic nanites and the floater ruck. The AI retrieves Two Stalker Drones (TL4, Enc 2 each) and Two Sleeper Drones (TL4, Enc 2 each).

[redwarrior]

Hansel, feeling much better after the ministrations of his companions, replies to Emile Not to worry, as long as it isn't a new habit. Looking at Nora, Miss, I think there is a bit more we deed to know about Petr.


Healing kit [1d6+1]=6+1=7
I think I was at -2, Taavi stabilized, Báleygr healed for 6, followed by 7 from this kit, so would now be at 11/15. I think I have 1 system strain from Báleygr's heal.

[jemmus]

Thank you, Ms. Nora, Taavi says. He feels a little better after receiving the treatment, but not much better. Yes, where is Mr.Whight? Where was he last seen? Does anyone have a portable light source? He doesn't like the looks of the creaking house. But again there's no choice. He prepares to run to the back door, enter, and try to find the man.

[1d6+1]=1+1=2
HP: 5 / 13

[Marullus]

Hansel:

Healing kit [1d6+1]=6+1=7
I think I was at -2, Taavi stabilized, Báleygr healed for 6, followed by 7 from this kit, so would now be at 11/15. I think I have 1 system strain from Báleygr's heal.

You stop at 0, don't go into the negative. Then when stabilized, you go up to 1. Then you got healed for 6 and 7. Total of 14 / 15 and 1 System Strain.

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri lying in the floater ruck tries to lift his head to look around through blurry eyes. OLIVER!?! Are you OK?"

[Enoch]

Shadrach calls back to Báleygr. "Oliver's with us, an' he seems all right for the moment. Get up here- it ain't safe down there anymore, an' the rest of this house doesn't look overly stable, either." He turns to Nora. "You okay?"

[cybersavant]

...
Meanwhile, below the house in the laboratory, Báleygr works as swiftly as he can to recover some of the valuable tech now mixed among the rubble. He feels the radiation in his flesh, a sickening rot that he cannot overcome with his incantations. He feels like he is liquifying - his flesh becoming gooey. Shifting then twisted metal of a laboratory table, he recovers four tubes of sleek carbon material - he knows polymorphic nanites when he sees them, salivating at the prospect. His eyes go blurry, no longer able to focus.

He then spots the Floater Ruck, spilling out of the cardboard casing in which it was packed, powering it up to help him back out and up the ladder as his body revolts against him. His eyes dim, escaping just before he goes blind.

[Marullus]

Ambiance: Too Old to Die Young

"...where's grandpa?" asks Oliver, uneasy.

"Yes, where is Mr. Whighte? Where was he last seen? Does anyone have a portable light source?" He doesn't like the looks of the creaking house. But again there's no choice. He prepares to run to the back door, enter, and try to find the man.

Shadrach turns to Nora. "You okay?"

"...my father," whispers Nora hoarsely. She rises and follows Taavi towards the house, Shadrach then also following behind.

Flashlights in hand, the trio approaches the back door of the house, now stuck open, the doorframe warped from true. The hallway inside is filled with debris and rubble, plaster and lathe lying in chunks where it has fallen from the walls and ceiling. The kitchen ahead of you is a smoking hole, shattered concrete and linoleum leading down, some clothes and a nightstand fallen from the bedroom above.

Old Richard lies there on the floor, a bent piece of rebar through his chest. His eyes stare, lifeless, at the wall. An old religious text lies mangled next to him on the floor, a single page clutched in his stiffened fingers. It is thin, translucent paper with tiny print, the bold print near the top reading, Deuteronomy 8.

Nora's legs give out and she collapses next to him. She tries to check for a pulse, rouse a response, but it is clear to the nurse within her, as well as those watching, that he is beyond this world now. Nora chokes on a sob.

The building groans above you, the corner of a brass bedframe sliding off the floor above and into the hole, swinging wildly as it catches one corner and dangles into the kitchen where the table used to be.

...and that's the end of the action. You can narrate a dénouement of what you do for closure. If anyone wants to go down for more stuff, it's still one CON test per five minutes/attempt. The house is a total loss - you can decide if you do anything with or to it, but it is not inhabitable. When you've done all you wish to do, we'll move on with you driving away...

[jemmus]

Taavi looks at the grim and tragic sight of the old man and his daughter. He's not sentimental about such things, but he guesses Nora and Oliver would like to see the body buried and not just left under a pile of rubble when the house collapses. Nora, quickly, he says quietly, get back outside. I'll bring him. He's not strong enough to lift the body, so the drags it by the arms as quickly as he can, expecting any second for the house to implode over his head.

Assuming he makes it out alive.

Taavi bows his head as the tractor pushes soil and fills the grave. He takes the borrowed laser pistol from his waistband and hands it to Nora. I'm sorry we couldn't do more against Petr. I still have no idea how we could have killed him. It. He'll be back for Oliver, no doubt, and next time I won't be around to... dissuade him. Do you want to come with us? We can't promise that you won't be in danger at our destination. But maybe less certainty of danger than if you stay here.

[greyarea]

Emile helps Taavi once he realizes what is occurring.

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri slowly gets up of the floating ruck and stands on wobbly legs. "Hello? Where's everyone?" He squints, and stumbles forward toward where he thinks the house is and stops at the edge of the hole. He stands there looking down. "Did we get him? What's going on? Miss Nora?"

[Marullus]

Taavi and Emile retrieve Old Richard's body, the house creaking around them but doing them no harm for the moment.

Even with his magical transformation, the radiation sickness visibly ravages Báleygr. He struggles with weakness and infirmity until he vomits near the ladder. Even after, his eyes are damaged and he struggles to compensate with the effect on his vision.

Hansel resumes driving the tractor, digging a grave with the backhoe where Nora indicates. "He'd want to be here, next to mother," she says, holding in her grief. "...easier to dig the spot with the rose arbor gone, at least."

There is a quiet and reverent moment as Old Richard is interred. It is interrupted by a section of the house noisily collapsing on itself.

"Grandpa always said the old ways would die... but I didn't think like this," says Oliver quietly. "He wanted us to remember them." He picks up a mostly-intact rose from among the shredded debris of the yard and drops it quietly into the hole.

Taavi offers for Nora and Oliver to come along, expressing concern for her safety. Her eyes focus, cold, her voice a steel edge. "If you're going where Petyr is, we might as well go together. I'm going to find that bastard and put him in the ground where he belongs for this."

Post your final actions. I'll start a new thread for the next morning's departure.

[redwarrior]

Hansel, when the moment presents itself will repeat his earlier question to Nora. What is peytr? How can he be put down? We tried several methods that were…unsatisfactory.. After whatever conversation ensues, he will spend a few minutes alone at Richard’s grave, apologizing for failing to protect his how and vowing to do what he can to make it right. Then he will turn his efforts to finding battery packs for the laser rifle and aiding in the general search for surviving items that may be of use. Hansel has Fix, but no particular “scavenging “ skill, but he’ll try to make himself useful. I think one of us has an astral project skill? It might make sense to scout the radiation areas that way first, and then go in at a run to grab anything of value.

[Marullus]

Shadrach can shadow walk, but not pick things up. Both Shadrach and Balygyr have already scoped the lab for good stuff, though - it's really a matter of braving it. You can make an attempt to get anything from the previously-posted inventory list with one CON save per line item (i.e. if you're going for batteries, I'll give you more than one.)

[cybersavant]

if you gather up Báleygr, he can send drones down as spotters for you

[redwarrior]

Hansel is feeling unreasonably lucky, decides to make a dash for the grav cycle(s).
Unclear if the lift-pod can be moved, or if he can just grab one, he’ll do whichever is feasible within the 1 save timeline.
Physical save target 12 [1d20]=13
Which goes well! Emboldened, after a few deep breaths, he rushes in for the comm server. Physical save target 12 [1d20]=18

Feeling that he’s pressed his luck about as much as is reasonable, and unsure of the value of the remaining items below, Hansel will turn to gathering up the battery packs in the bag in the kill-dozer. He’ll make another dash if needed, but I’m not sure of the relevance of the remaining items. It seems the AI can do drone control, etc.

[Enoch]

As the group gathers around the new-dug grave, Shadrach turns to Nora. "Nora, I'm no preacher, but I've served the Church a long time. I'll say a few words, if I may."

He proceeds to pray over the grave. Though the prayer is sprinkled with bits of Testament, it's mostly the heartfelt words of an old soldier who expects a similar end one day, and hopes his own sins aren't enough to keep him out of Paradise. As he finishes, he lays one hand on Nora's shoulder for a long moment, then moves it briefly to Oliver's as he moves away. "I hope you'll come with us. Can't promise there won't be danger, but I'm afraid there ain't much left for you here. Hopefully 'fore long we can get you set up in a nice town somewhere."