Chapter 3: The Path of the Righteous Man

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri positions one drone to watch the stage area, in case anything comes up. The newly activated drone cans the bar area near the truck, and the third goes along as the others gather the supplies.

[greyarea]

Emile cracks a wry smile and glances at his Sunshooter. He cocks an eye at Tavvi and says, Safety? What's a safety?

[Marullus]

Ambiance: I See a Darkness

Nora keeps her arms protectively around Oliver on the back of the flatbed truck, Oliver no longer resisting. They are bathed in shadows of moonlight, partially outside upon the bed of the truck, rather than the darkness inside. Kimberly crouches, uneasy, on the flatbed as well, cradling her laser pistol in her hands, running her thumb contemplatively over the safety, clicking it on and off. Shadrach crouches near the bar, watching grimly as his spectral hound tears the entrails of a stripper from her abdomen, compelled to watch the gristly display, his thoughts somewhere inside.

Remaining in the cab of the truck, Báleygr positions one drone to watch the save, one to illuminate the area between the truck and bar, and the third to follow the others down the kitchen stairs to the supply area. The blue cube that calls itself The Heavy pulses on the seat next to him.

As the government official, Taavi resumes the lead. "Marshals, well done. Gather at the truck, reload, set safeties to red, and gather at the stairs to the basement."

Emile cracks a wry smile. "Safety? What's a safety?"

Hansel knocks back his drink, returning his empty glass to the bar, and starts down the kitches stairs. Emile follows.

The pair finds no resistance in the stairwell. At the bottom of the steps is a crowded storeroom; the drone hovering above their shoulders shines its narrow spotlight, the only illumination in the pitch darkness. It is a large room with two doors - one on the opposite wall, one on the right, both closed. Nothing moves. The area is piled with crates, boxes, bags... nothing matches, indicating they are from many sources, collected at different times. Those that are open or labeled show a chaotic assortment of preserved foodstuffs, liquor bottles, dry goods, clothing, ammo... it smells musty, with a metallic hint of old blood.

What are you grabbing, or should I randomize sealed boxes? Or, are you opening a door? How long do you remain here?

[redwarrior]

Hansel looks carefully at the two doors, for any signs of trapping or surveillance and then and the storage items for anything that looks especially out of place. Of course, now ammo seems a totally reasonable thing to have in restaurant's storage space... He grabs a bottle of top shelf whiskey, if he sees one, and He'll grab any boxes that seem significantly different from the others for further inspection. While he does this, he'll keep an eye open for spikes for Shad's new toy and keep a quiet running commentary on what he sees into the comm system.

I'm thinking maybe 5-8 minutes, max, then the party should decide on a course of action.


Notice rolls
Opposite Door
Notice [3d6c1+2]=10+2=12
Right Door
Notice [3d6c1+2]=9+2=11
Storage:
Notice [3d6c1+2]=8+2=10

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri maneuvers the drone, spotlighting the storage area so they can see what to grab.

[jemmus]

Taavi slings his rifle and joins the others in the storage area. He looks specifically for ammunition for his rifle and semi-automatic pistol. But also opens some random boxes and cases to check for anything of interest.

[Marullus]

The three men triage the storage room... the mound of blood-splattered, torn clothing making it clear where these goods have come from. Amidst the mess are the clear signs of ruined lives... an electronic keycard to an apartment in Kumekhna City. A synthsilk robe, a blood splatter across the lapel. Armored clothing, soaked with red-brown bloodstains at the neck, but otherwise still serviceable. An unlabled keycard wrapped in a letter of introduction for a group that obviously didn't want it found.

The utilitarian metal shelves provide no organization, just vertical layers to the mess. Taavi finds a shelf with four cases of unopened ammo, a fifth case torn open and spilling out. Worn handguns - two revolvers and a laser pistol - are tossed on another shelf, a semi-auto rifle and two shotguns stand in the corner. You find plenty of canned and preserved foods, some well past their expiration date, but about two dozen still good and worth transporting. Hansel grabs a dusty bottle of whiskey from a mostly-empty case, then his eyes light on a large black polymer crate shoved into the back corner... the kind that pre-dates the Scream. Bushing the dust off the top he sees the symbol of the Terran Mandate logo on the top. The technical jargon on the label means little to him, but he knows enough to take it to Balygyr.

BAM! The door on the right shudders. Something strong is intent to get in, and you expect it won't take long.

Grab what you want as armfuls (via Encumberance) and declare actions! Loot list is below to choose from in more specificity.

Loot List...

- 280 rounds of ammo (Four cases of 60, one scattering of an open box with 40. 1 Enc per case, or 1 enc per magazine, or 1 enc per 20 loose.)
For simplicity, SWN doesn't track different ammo types. So, you can describe these as being for any given weapon - your pistols, shotguns, spike-throwers, etc. Once you describe them for a distinct weapon, track them on your sheet distinctly.

- 6 Type A power cells (plus two with the laser pistol)
In SWN, these are "ammo" for laser weapons and also power for various devices. Remember to track shots of laser weapons and swap cells.

- 22 transportable packaged meals-ready-to-eat

- 4 Bedrolls
- 3 Grenades
- Utility Tarp
- 3 Oil Flasks
- 2 TL2 Toolkits
- 3 Crowbars
- 20m Hemp Rope (TL 1)
- 5 Stims
- 3 TL3 Spare Parts
- 5 TL5 Spare Parts
- TL4 Medkit
Weapons:
- Laser Pistol (Worn condition, with two Type A cells)
- Revolver (Lightly Damaged, -1 to hit/damage)
- Revolver (Broken, unusable until repaired)
- Semi-Auto Rifle (Worn, no penalties)
- Shotgun (Lightly Damaged, -1 to hit/damage)
- Shotgun (Worn, no penalties)
Armor:
- Hide Armor (AC 14, Enc 1)
- Shield (AC 13 or +1 AC, Enc 2)
- Old Terran Clothing (AC 13, Enc 0)

Old Terran Clothing: These fabric comprising these colorful outfits
never fades, rots, or stains, and it has a toughness that makes it
a popular armor choice for those scavengers fortunate enough to
find a full outfit. As ubiquitous as this cloth was in the years before
the Scream, hard use, environmental nanite contamination, and
the gnawing of mutant vermin has transformed most pretech cloth
into tattered rags. Intact clothing is somewhat rare and remains a
valuable article.

- Scrap Mail (AC 15, Enc 2)

Scrap Mail: Tough pretech fibers and textiles are woven together
around Old Terran credit chips and other sturdy fragments of
ancient plastic, usually with an undersuit of thicker padding to
absorb the impact of incoming blows. Some scrap mail resembles
patched and studded clothing, while other has a more overtly
armored appearance to it. Working with pretech cloth is difficult,
and manufacturing an effective suit of scrap mail requires expertise,
good tools, and patience with the stubborn fabric.

- Harmony Armor (AC 16, Enc 1)

Harmony Armor: The sight of the mirrored helms and snug black
armor of the Harmony Bureau was meant to provoke a clammy
dread among Old Terra’s rebels. Most security officers died soon
after the Scream, either lynched by panicked citizens, slaughtered
by the engines of the Crazed, or killed while trying to contain the
countless local disasters that occurred during the catastrophe. Every
so often, however, an adventurer finds a suit stored away in a usable
condition.

Random Belongings:
- Link-interfaced sensory record
- Apartment or home keycard
- Ultra-sharp wire cutters
- Fleet recruitment holoflyer
- Long synthsilk robe
- Fingertip laser pointer
- Hidden flyer for a rebel group
- Keycard to rebel base

Rolls...

For those curious about loot generation... The following roles on Other Dust tables generated the above loot.

Looting the storage room.... This is Salvage Loot Tables from Other Dust. It will count as:

Enclave Plunder, TL3 2d6 Weapons (1d6+8), 2d6 Armor (1d10+4), 3d6 Random Loot, 1d6 Random Loot+10, 3d6
x 20 rounds of ammo, 2d6 Type A Power Cells, 25% chance of one Rare Item, 1d10x20 rations

[2d6]=5 weapons [2d6]=4 armor [3d6]=11 random loot [1d6]=2 random loot+10
[3d6x20]=14x20=280 rounds of ammo, [2d6]=5 Type A Power Cells, [1d100]=2 25% chance of one Rare Item, [1d10x20]=1x20=20 rations
Weapons: [1d6+8]=2+8=10[1d6+8]=3+8=11[1d6+8]=6+8=14[1d6+8]=5+8=13[1d6+8]=6+8=14
Armor: [1d10+4]=10+4=14[1d10+4]=6+4=10[1d10+4]=4+4=8[1d10+4]=2+4=6
Random Loot [1d20]=18[1d20]=17[1d20]=18[1d20]=20[1d20]=19[1d20]=3[1d20]=16
Random Loot [1d20]=20[1d20]=7[1d20]=9[1d20]=9[1d20+10]=7+10=17[1d20+10]=11+10=21
Rare Item [1d100]=50
[1d6]=5 TL5 Spare Parts
uncommon items [1d100]=96[1d100]=73[1d100]=41 Common Items [1d100]=13[1d100]=37[1d100]=89[1d100]=11[1d100]=50
Common Items [1d100]=14[1d100]=81[1d100]=84[1d100]=29[1d100]=65
Common Items [1d100]=15[1d100]=70[1d100]=59[1d100]=28[1d100]=29 .
[1d6]=3 TL3 Spare Parts [1d4]=3 Grenades [1d4]=3 Oil Flasks [1d6]=5 Stims [1d4]=2 Rations
Energy Weapon [1d8]=3
Random Belongings [1d100]=30[1d100]=38[1d100]=91[1d100]=83[1d100]=85[1d100]=65[1d100]=15[1d100]=40
Weapon Wear: [1d20]=14[1d20]=19[1d20]=9[1d20]=13[1d20]=7

[redwarrior]

Hansel swaps out his laser pistol's battery for a the fresh one in his pocket, grabbing another fresh one off the shelf, just in case, as he slides the whiskey into another utility pocket, wrapped in the old terran clothing unless someone wants it. Grabbing the semi-auto rifle Assuming a combat rifle? if a different type, let me know. and loads two magazines from one of the crates, seating one magazine, he slides the other into a cargo pocket. He passes a case of spikes over to Shadrach.

He looks longingly at the Harmony Armor, once Balygyr has explained how to open the case, feeling all the pellets still embedded in his shoulder throbbing...Anyone else going to wear this? Not sure where others fall on the Armor scale, if nobody else claims it, he definitely will. If someone else wants it, no worries.

Looking at not takingthe grenades and oil flasks, he wonders out loud I wonder if those creatures burn good?

The bedrolls, tarp, MREs, etc look like good things to toss into the truck, if we live...

Loot - will update character sheet once I know on the armor front.

1 type A cell, Whiskey, Combat Rifle, 2 30 round magazines. Maybe Old Terran Clothing (AC13, Enc 0), Maybe Harmony Armor (AC16, Enc 1)

[greyarea]

Emile picks up one of the grenades and examines it. Can he tell if these are frag or concussion or incendiary or other?

I say we open the party with these. Follow the shock and awe with some good gunfighting and then use the oil to douse the bodies and light them up. I don't think the undead come back from that but I ain't that kind of monk.

Sound good?

He hands the other two grenades to those who will take them, suggesting an organized attack.

[Marullus]

Can he tell if these are frag or concussion or incendiary or other?

SWN grenades are explosives.

Grenade users always roll to attack AC 10. On a
miss, the grenade lands 1d10 meters away from the
target in a random direction. Hit or miss, the grenade
then explodes for 2d6 damage to all targets within 5
meters. Victims are allowed an Evasion save for half
damage. Targets take 1 less point of damage for each
point of AC above 14. Grenades can be thrown with
the Exert skill instead of Shoot, if desired.

[jemmus]

Taavi takes the hide armor, leaving the stronger stuff to the better fighters of the team. He takes the remaining two full ammo boxes, as well as these items: wire cutters, T2 toolkit, one crowbar, both keycards, medical kit, and one grenade. He packs everything into a box he as emptied. But at the sound of something trying to get in, he leaves it on the floor and readies his rifle.

He's lightly encumbered until he can get to the truck and stow the stuff. (Counted the keycards as negligible encumbrance. If that's not right, he's heavily encumbered). He'll give the t2 toolkit to Baleygr and the medical kit to Nora.

[Marullus]

Anything from Balygyr, who has a drone in the downstairs scene, or what he relays to those still upstairs so they can get in on the next action?

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri hovers the drone and scans the area. "Hey, can someone grab those TL5 Spare Parts?" Once the banging starts, "THat's probably those 4 Emile encountered inside the overhead door. Better back up so they can't flank you."

[jemmus]

Will do. Taavi adds the advanced tech spare parts to his box of loot. Let's get out of here, marshals. He hefts the heavy box and trudges toward the truck.

Now heavily encumbered.

[Marullus]

Loot:

Hansel: 1 type A cell, Whiskey, Combat Rifle, 2 30 round magazines. Old Terran Clothing (AC13, Enc 0), Harmony Armor (AC16, Enc 1)
Emile: 2 grenades
Taavi: Hide Armor (AC 14, Enc 1), 5 TL5 Spare Parts, two cases (60 each) of ammo, T2 toolkit, one crowbar, Apartment or home keycard, Hidden flyer for a rebel group, Keycard to rebel base, Ultra-sharp wire cutters, medical kit, and one grenade

Ambiance: Burn Your Fun

Hansel slips into the Harmony Enforcer's ablative armor, not hearing objections from the others in the basement, arming himself up with the combat rifle and extra goods for the others.

Báleygr asks for the large black polymer crate sealed with Terran Mandate logos - Taavi slips on the black leather overcoat which he finds is lined with layered Mandate-era polymers (Hide Armor (AC 14, Enc 1)), throws some other items in a box, and begins lugging it back upstairs to the truck.

Emile scoops up two grenades, commenting to the others, "I say we open the party with these. Follow the shock and awe with some good gunfighting and then use the oil to douse the bodies and light them up. I don't think the undead come back from that but I ain't that kind of monk. Sound good?"

There is no time for a response. The door on the right shudders. A moment later it explodes inward, dangling where the top hinge has broken, an inkly black mass of writhing tentacles pours through, a gaping maw at its center.


Emile and Hansel: Actions and Initiative!
Everyone else, you hear the crash downstairs (and likely subsequent automatic weapon fire...). You can rush down the stairs on your initiative count, arriving with action in round three.

[greyarea]

Emile fires

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri watches via the drone and lets those near him know what's going on. "Its not the women, but some sort of tentacled beast."

[Enoch]

Initiative: [1d8]=6

Shadrach swears at Báleygr's words. "Shit, more shadowspawn." He pounds down the stairs as fast as he can, setting the butt of the spike-thrower against his shoulder and sweeping the staircase with its muzzle. "Grim, lov." The beast, difficult to see in the gloom, seems to careen off the walls as it flies past the soldier.

At least I've got good initiative for when I arrive in Round 3!

[redwarrior]

Hansel spins to the door, sights as he slides the selector to burst and pulls the trigger. However, in his haste, he has forgotten that slug throwers have recoil, and his rounds go wide.


init [1d8]=5
Combat rifle burst [1d20+5]=2+5=7 damage [1d12+4]=3+4=7

I think I',m happy that I'm in the new armor!

[jemmus]

Taavi thinks, "Oh crap, here we go again. Did Petr summon this thing too? Before we terminated him?" He puts down the heavy box, takes the time to dig out the grenade and figure out how he thinks he can arm it, unslings his rifle, and heads back to the stairs.

Will do my initiative roll this evening.