Encounter (1-in-6): 1 - Wolf Barbarians vs. Psycho Zombies.
All three members can hear gunfire before they see anything. They break from the trail with Ozzie taking point. They use the treeline for cover until they discover an overturned vehicle and several wolves fighting it out with several zombies by using slugthrower and battleaxe as their weapons.
There are three wolf barbarians fighting against five psycho zombies. The characters have semi-concealment from the treeline as they approach.
Round #1
Player: 9
GM: 2
Ozzie moves up to the periphery of the fight and attacks Zombie #1 w/ Rifle. Attk: 22 - Hit. D: 8. HP: 0/5 - Slain
Starkweather moves and attacks Zombie #2 w/ Blaster Rifle. Attk: 15 - Hit. D: 4. Zombie #2 HP: ⅕
Morrigan moves to another side of the fray and attacks w/ a Blaster SMG. She sprays, striking an MBT of (2d4 = 6) targets. This includes Zombies 2, 3, 4, & 5
Dex Save: 15 Negates
Zombie #2: 12 - Failure
Zombie #3: 18 - Success
Zombie #4: 16 - Success
Zombie #5: 11 - Failure
D: 7 - Zombie #2 0/5 - Slain / Zombie #5 HP: 0/5 - Slain
Wolf Barbarian attacks Zombie #3 w/ rifle. Attk: 22 - Hit. D: 10. Zombie #3 HP: 0/5 - Slain
Wolf Barbarian moves and attacks Zombie #4 w/ a Short Sword. Attk: 13 - Hit. D: 6. HP: 0/5 - Slain
The zombies are put down in quick order and the three wolves turn to find an otter and two rabbits standing to one side, blasters at the ready. One of the wolves points out Otter.
“You’re a Cardanian,” The Wolf says, “I’m Victor Creed. My father is the Chieftain of the Moon Guards.”
(Ozzie makes a History check: Natural 1 - Automatic Failure)
Ozzie appears confused and a little defensive at being recognized by a possible hostile tribe. He does not necessarily draw his blaster on the first Wolf, but he does not immediately relax.
“My father has a treaty with your colony,” Victor said with a soft snort of annoyance.
“I greet you in friendship, but I was not aware,” Ozzie said, “I hope you will forgive me for distrust. We ran into some setbacks a while ago.”
Victor eyed Morrigan and Starkweather, saying: “I don’t get the scent of those northern menaces off you two. You must not be from the Warren.”
“We are not Gun Bunnies if that’s what you mean,” Starkweather said.
Victor nodded slowly, “You three are from Barncombe?”
“Heading to Benny to investigate why they disappeared and have stopped speaking to us,” Ozzie found his voice, he looked down at the dead zombies and frowned at their misfortune. These were fellow Cardanians who were lying dead, “Is the entire town like this?”
“Not all of it,” Victor said, “There are some holdouts in the colony. Some of my own pack have escorted out when we’ve tried to raid for supplies, but anyone caught by these dead cretins end up like them. All except wolves. They shoot us on sight.” He grinned, baring teeth like his other two comrades, “They recognize us as natural enemies, they also fear us, but they will shoot back if given the chance.”
“They can shoot guns?” Morrigan asked.
Victor turned and gave an appraising look to the female Rabbitfolk, “Shoot them until the guns are empty and then use them to beat people over the head with. They are trained just enough to fire a few rounds before charging in to bite, claw, and bash whoever gets in their way.”
“We need to find a safe place to start our scouting mission, is there anything you can recommend?” Ozzie felt that he needed to get in touch with Yeats about where to go from there. Ozzie knew he’d get some hell for losing the hovertruck to the Gun Bunnies, but trucks could be replaced, and although it was armored like an APC, the truck had only standard communication equipment and none of the sensitive codes that would have gotten Ozzie in trouble.
Ozzie recalled the name of Yeats’ counterpart, “Do you recall if one of the survivors is a Commander Lachance?”
---
Okay, time to show a little bit of the GM’s hand as I (The GM) occasionally consult with an Oracle. This go round I’m using a simple oracle called MUNE. Does Victor know if Commander Lachance is a survivor? (d6): 3 - No, But…
---Victor shook his head, “In the name of our alliance, I can lead you three to a safehouse that the survivors have been using. It’s an outpost to help get refugees out of the city and into the country towards Barncombe.”
Seeing as they were on foot anyway, the party agreed to follow the three wolves and hope for the best.
---
Another encounter check as the party moves from the forest plains towards Benny.
Encounter Check (1-in-6): 2 - No Encounter
---
The group marched until they reached an abandoned utility shed with strange markings that Victor pointed out was a sign of the ancient ones. Humans, as they were called, or Pure Stock Humans. The kind that came before the beasts and vanished after human birth rates crashed and only the ancients’ creations, the beasts, rose to take their place. When speaking to one of the other alien races, the Pleiadians, the Cetian Grays, these groups only had vague recollections of the ancient ones. To the alien, the ancients were arrogant, believing in a manifest destiny that would see them conquer the stars. In the span that they existed, a number of empires, kingdoms, alliances, and federations rose and fell with the decline of pure humans. They never truly conquered the planet, but for a time, most alien races withdrew and somewhat cowered when thinking of the appearance of expeditionary fleets that would bring human conquest to their sectors. The technology of the ancients did live on in governments such as Cardania. The colony ships that arrived in this region were based on salvage ancient tech. The orbital shuttle that Morrigan and Starkweather used to get to the planet were, in probably some key portion, based on ancient tech.
None in the group were totally surprised that some ancient had arrived first and had tried to colonize Benefice, but for all the party knew, those colonists had long vanished. A storm brewed in the distance and was rolling towards the party. They decided to use the shed for a Long Rest.
---
- All party abilities are recharged.
- Party members gain Natural Heal equal to level or level + 3 if they are a ‘Fighter-type’ class.
---
The wolves broke out the flasks and sang of glory against some other wolf clan that none of the group had heard of, not even Ozzie recognized what the Crimson Claws were beyond the obvious clue that it was another wolf tribe that the Moon Guards were boasting of defeating. The three settled in another part of the shed. Ozzie leaned against the wall, Morrigan and Starkweather pushed their bedrolls so they could sleep next to one another.
Morrigan rolled to one side and shifted her form so that Starkweather would roll and throw his hand over her stomach. She might have shifted and spooned more enthusiastically with Starkweather if there wasn’t a third party in the room. Starkweather shifted from staring at the back of Morrigan’s neck to the Otter whose head was tilted back.
“May I ask you something, Ozzie?” Starkweather did not feel like sleeping at that moment.
“You two haven’t been on the planet that long that you’re this desperate for action,” Ozzie grumbled with his eyes closed.
“What made you decide to join the scouts?”
“What brought this on?” Ozzie opened one eye and looked at the pair.
“I don’t feel like sleeping yet while those three are out there singing. Might as well get to know one another before we explore a ruined and infested city.”
“Regular meals, regular pay. What more does a man need in this world?”
“Never thought about going independent?”
“How is that working out for you two?”
Morrigan smiled briefly and said, “Stark and I enjoy our freedom. We’ve hopped from planet to station to ship and back to planet across Lepus Minor and Lepus Major.” She touched Starkweather’s hand and said, “And before you ask, what we have to show for it is each other.”
Ozzie bowed his head, “Then congratulations on finding fulfillment. You two never thought about settling on a colony?”
“This one seemed nice,” Starkweather said before opening his mouth to let out a yawn. He suddenly felt tired.
“That's why we jumped at your commander’s offer. We thought it would ingratiate us with your community,” Morrigan added.
“Hopefully we have some progress to show him after we tell him about losing the truck,” Ozzie said before adding, “I will report that you two fought bravely against the zombies, and that all three of us lost the truck collectively.”
“How will that affect things?” Starkweather asked.
“It will probably affect the bounty you get paid if we make it back,” Ozzie said before standing up, “Keep your blasters close while we are with our friends. Our colony may be allied with them, but none of them are what I’d call civilized.” He nodded and started towards the door, “I’ll be back in an hour, after that I plan to get some sleep.”
Morrigan and Starkweather raised a hand in thanks and waited until after the otter had closed the door to embrace in what amounted to a closet in a shed.
---
The march bent south and coasted around the perimeter of the colony, only crossing one of the main roads with caution before bending up again. The group was mostly silent, with eyes and ears pressed to detect the crazed moans of any packs of psycho zombies that were wandering out in the country. The path then turned again towards the north until the group reached a gap in the outer fencing.
Victor pointed out both the gap and noted: “The alarms and motion trackers are offline. It’s allowed people to escape without alerting the damn zombies to their location. Some of these folks still run into some bad luck out in the field, running into these monsters.
“These were fellow Cardanians,” Ozzie hissed.
“Yeah? Did that stop them from slashing or firing at you earlier?”
Ozzie said nothing, but narrowed his eyes and looked ahead. Although they were lost to whatever chemical or psychological effect that had turned them, these people were his fellow citizens. He felt he owed them some form of dignity by not simply thinking of them as just monsters. “Have you ever taken any of these people prisoner?”
“The zombies you mean?” Victor nodded when Ozzie gave him a look, “We’ve taken a few prisoners, we tried everything to reason with them and they remained violent. When one of them was finally put down, we had our healer examine the body. There were both chemical and cybernetic alterations done to make them like this. So, our second time, we captured and tried to remove whatever had been implanted. The process was fatal,” Victor said, “You may have more luck back at your medical center, but whatever we tried would kill them. So we stopped trying to take prisoners.”
“Refugees are our priority,” Ozzie said, “That’s the safehouse up ahead?”
Past the gap in the line, the party came across a scarred building in the distance. There were a couple of entry points, including a cargo loading dock with two of the doors that appeared busted in. One of the broken paths was blocked by containers and debris. The other was ominously open.
“Sentries are on that one,” Victor said.
“Can you signal them?”
---
“These were fellow Cardanians,” Ozzie hissed.
“Yeah? Did that stop them from slashing or firing at you earlier?”
Ozzie said nothing, but narrowed his eyes and looked ahead. Although they were lost to whatever chemical or psychological effect that had turned them, these people were his fellow citizens. He felt he owed them some form of dignity by not simply thinking of them as just monsters. “Have you ever taken any of these people prisoner?”
“The zombies you mean?” Victor nodded when Ozzie gave him a look, “We’ve taken a few prisoners, we tried everything to reason with them and they remained violent. When one of them was finally put down, we had our healer examine the body. There were both chemical and cybernetic alterations done to make them like this. So, our second time, we captured and tried to remove whatever had been implanted. The process was fatal,” Victor said, “You may have more luck back at your medical center, but whatever we tried would kill them. So we stopped trying to take prisoners.”
“Refugees are our priority,” Ozzie said, “That’s the safehouse up ahead?”
Past the gap in the line, the party came across a scarred building in the distance. There were a couple of entry points, including a cargo loading dock with two of the doors that appeared busted in. One of the broken paths was blocked by containers and debris. The other was ominously open.
“Sentries are on that one,” Victor said.
“Can you signal them?”
---
Victor attempts to signal one of the sentries: 22 - Hard+ Success
Q: Is there a sentry like Victor said there was?
A: Yes
---
From out of the tunnel, a Chikon hen sporting a slug rifle clicked her long talons as she stepped out from under the shadow of the broken loading dock door and scanned across until she saw the group. She began to shoulder the rifle and take aim when Victor raised a clawed hand in the air, “We can talk, Melody.”
Melody the Chiko clicked her beak twice before lowering her rifle, “Then step out and be recognized.”
Victor… his men… followed by Ozzie, Morrigan, and Starkweather all stepped out so that they were clearly visible.
---
Q: Does the presence of the Rabbitfolk alert Melody?
A: No, and she recognizes Ozzie as a Cardania scout.
---
Melody stepped forward, nodding to Ozzie first, “You come from Barncombe, trooper?”
“That’s right,” Ozzie said, “Commander Yeats’ compliments. After we lost communication with the colony we feared it was a sign of a possible invasion by the Pleiadians, or a major offensive by a wolf barbarian tribe.” He looked at Victor and said, “Not your tribe, of course.”
“Point taken,” Victor said.
“We are in dire straits,” Melody agreed before tilting her head back to the tunnel, “Follow me.”
---
The group is led down the loading dock hallway into what had been turned from a packing facility into a refugee camp with one of the private quarters used as a makeshift clinic. To the left, the doors led into a workshop that was being used as a repair bay for equipment and storing the collection of blasters and slugthrowers that the guards were using. There were a few families huddled in whatever corner they could find while guardsmen and militia were stationed to watch over the outer courtyard of the ruined colony.
---
Q: Is Lachance present?
A: Yes, but he’s injured and his second is in command.
Q: Is Melody Lachance’s second-in-command?
A: Yes
Q: Is there a sentry like Victor said there was?
A: Yes
---
From out of the tunnel, a Chikon hen sporting a slug rifle clicked her long talons as she stepped out from under the shadow of the broken loading dock door and scanned across until she saw the group. She began to shoulder the rifle and take aim when Victor raised a clawed hand in the air, “We can talk, Melody.”
Melody the Chiko clicked her beak twice before lowering her rifle, “Then step out and be recognized.”
Victor… his men… followed by Ozzie, Morrigan, and Starkweather all stepped out so that they were clearly visible.
---
Q: Does the presence of the Rabbitfolk alert Melody?
A: No, and she recognizes Ozzie as a Cardania scout.
---
Melody stepped forward, nodding to Ozzie first, “You come from Barncombe, trooper?”
“That’s right,” Ozzie said, “Commander Yeats’ compliments. After we lost communication with the colony we feared it was a sign of a possible invasion by the Pleiadians, or a major offensive by a wolf barbarian tribe.” He looked at Victor and said, “Not your tribe, of course.”
“Point taken,” Victor said.
“We are in dire straits,” Melody agreed before tilting her head back to the tunnel, “Follow me.”
---
The group is led down the loading dock hallway into what had been turned from a packing facility into a refugee camp with one of the private quarters used as a makeshift clinic. To the left, the doors led into a workshop that was being used as a repair bay for equipment and storing the collection of blasters and slugthrowers that the guards were using. There were a few families huddled in whatever corner they could find while guardsmen and militia were stationed to watch over the outer courtyard of the ruined colony.
---
Q: Is Lachance present?
A: Yes, but he’s injured and his second is in command.
Q: Is Melody Lachance’s second-in-command?
A: Yes
---
While Victor and his packmates settle in, the trio are led through the double doors of the makeshift clinic. A single medic and a nurse were attending to several colonists laid up with bandages, regenerative patches, and other techniques used to keep people alive strapped to them. At the end of the row, Ozzie, Morrigan, and Starkweather stopped short of a bed where an injured Wolfhound was flipping through a datapad before looking up after Melody cleared her throat.
“I see Barncombe has finally decided to send someone to check on us,” Lachance introduced himself, nodding to Ozzie’s salute, looking over Starkweather and Morrigan and saying: “Are you the only regular force being sent here, Bleu?”
Ozzie nodded, “Commander Yeats wanted a low key operation. He wasn’t sure what to make of the radio silence. Was it Pleiadians? Was your colony defecting or in rebellion? We didn’t know, and we weren’t willing to commit a full force to finding out. So you have us three.”
“I see that, and I can tell you here and now that you’ll regret not bringing more people. The colony is lost,” Lachance paused to cough and grip his side. He has taken a gutshot. He leaned forward, his voice hoarse from the strain as he spoke: “And I swear upon my honor, I saw an Ancient that is behind this madness. An Ancient is running the science lab that has tortured… mutilated our citizens and turned them into monsters.”
“An Ancient?” Morrigan asked with a raised brow, “You mean a Human?”
Lachance nodded, “He was not a Pleiadian. His eyes were never blue, only black at the distance that I saw him.” Lachance coughed and leaned back, one of the techs approached and offered a sedative that he waved off, “I don’t know how many civilians are left, but the guards… the criminals who volunteered to be test subjects in the science center. They’ve burned turned to these zombies… they try to grab who they can and turn more into an army!”
“To do what?” Ozzie asked.
Lachance shook his head and laid back, “To do what armies usually do. Conquer.”
Melody stepped forward and said, “He needs to rest. Please.”
The party left Lachance in the clinic and followed Melody back into the main chamber. No one spoke until the group passed into the workshop and the doors closed behind them. Beyond that part was reserved for the remaining Cardania security forces. Victor had left his packmates to join the group as well.
Melody, the Chikon, lit a cigarette and stuffed it in her beak before looking at the group. “Has any of the refugees made it to Barncombe?”
Ozzie shook his head, “None that I’ve heard of, but we cut from the colony not long after the first signs of a blackout. We were using a different trail.” Ozzie further explained that the group had come across one of the outposts within the marker that was operational and provided its location. Ozzie also added the encounter with the Gun Bunnies.
Melody cursed, “We could have used any kind of vehicle to evacuate these people. We’ve been slowly moving refugees when we have the manpower or weapons to spare. We’re in a real shit bargain between trying to maintain supplies to live out of this camp, have surplus that we can send people out, and either be able to give them weapons or have someone go with them.” Melody looked to Victor, “At least we get some support from the Moon Guard, but that’s a drop in a bucket.”
“We need our own supplies and wolves to fend off the other packs. I bet the Crimson Claws are attacking parts of this colony as we speak if they know there is this kind of chaos.” Victor’s tone was defensive with his eyes narrowed at Melody.
“We plan to scout the town. If we find more holdouts in the town we will send them here,” Ozzie said, “Is there any areas that we have confirmed as dangerous?”
“The place where Commander Lachance is talking about is part of the hospital complex. It’s a medical storage and testing center. That’s why Benny was set up on this planet, besides being a second colony along with Barnscombe. Manufacturing of regenerative chems for Thrax Pharma. Any of you use regen chems?”
The group collectively nodded their heads. Who hasn’t poured, drank, or injected green goo that sped up healing? It came standard with being independent mercenaries or military agents and was standard in most healing kits.
“Well this was to be the next manufacturing center before all of this went down,” Melody said, “Lachance claims that’s where he saw the Ancient directing some of these zombies as we were trying to evacuate the survivors…” Melody looked over her shoulder and said, “I never saw him… and the commander has been delirious since taking that shot to the gut, so I have no idea what you’ll find up there. It could be a Pleiadian directing this operation, although we have not seen any of the Blues or their Ursine minions.”
Melody referred to the fact that while Pleiadians appeared in the shape of the Ancients, all of them had bright blue eyes, regardless of their skin tone. Bear-like ‘Ursines’ were a common group who served the Protectorate as shock troops, although other beasts were found under the banner of the Seven.
“Is there anywhere else we should try to look besides a fallen hospital?” Morrigan asked.
“We’ve tried to send teams to scout the security armory to pick up more equipment. We grabbed what we could in a hurry, but there is probably more in there.”
---
The party decides to make their way to the Security Barracks and its attached armory for supplies so that they could split the loadout between themselves and Melody at the refugee center. The party moves through the city, trying to keep to alleyways and out any main streets to avoid detection by packs of roving psycho zombies.
---
Q: Does the party smoothly reach the arsenal?
A: Yes, and they are able to detect an enemy force before being seen.
Ozzie nodded, “Commander Yeats wanted a low key operation. He wasn’t sure what to make of the radio silence. Was it Pleiadians? Was your colony defecting or in rebellion? We didn’t know, and we weren’t willing to commit a full force to finding out. So you have us three.”
“I see that, and I can tell you here and now that you’ll regret not bringing more people. The colony is lost,” Lachance paused to cough and grip his side. He has taken a gutshot. He leaned forward, his voice hoarse from the strain as he spoke: “And I swear upon my honor, I saw an Ancient that is behind this madness. An Ancient is running the science lab that has tortured… mutilated our citizens and turned them into monsters.”
“An Ancient?” Morrigan asked with a raised brow, “You mean a Human?”
Lachance nodded, “He was not a Pleiadian. His eyes were never blue, only black at the distance that I saw him.” Lachance coughed and leaned back, one of the techs approached and offered a sedative that he waved off, “I don’t know how many civilians are left, but the guards… the criminals who volunteered to be test subjects in the science center. They’ve burned turned to these zombies… they try to grab who they can and turn more into an army!”
“To do what?” Ozzie asked.
Lachance shook his head and laid back, “To do what armies usually do. Conquer.”
Melody stepped forward and said, “He needs to rest. Please.”
The party left Lachance in the clinic and followed Melody back into the main chamber. No one spoke until the group passed into the workshop and the doors closed behind them. Beyond that part was reserved for the remaining Cardania security forces. Victor had left his packmates to join the group as well.
Melody, the Chikon, lit a cigarette and stuffed it in her beak before looking at the group. “Has any of the refugees made it to Barncombe?”
Ozzie shook his head, “None that I’ve heard of, but we cut from the colony not long after the first signs of a blackout. We were using a different trail.” Ozzie further explained that the group had come across one of the outposts within the marker that was operational and provided its location. Ozzie also added the encounter with the Gun Bunnies.
Melody cursed, “We could have used any kind of vehicle to evacuate these people. We’ve been slowly moving refugees when we have the manpower or weapons to spare. We’re in a real shit bargain between trying to maintain supplies to live out of this camp, have surplus that we can send people out, and either be able to give them weapons or have someone go with them.” Melody looked to Victor, “At least we get some support from the Moon Guard, but that’s a drop in a bucket.”
“We need our own supplies and wolves to fend off the other packs. I bet the Crimson Claws are attacking parts of this colony as we speak if they know there is this kind of chaos.” Victor’s tone was defensive with his eyes narrowed at Melody.
“We plan to scout the town. If we find more holdouts in the town we will send them here,” Ozzie said, “Is there any areas that we have confirmed as dangerous?”
“The place where Commander Lachance is talking about is part of the hospital complex. It’s a medical storage and testing center. That’s why Benny was set up on this planet, besides being a second colony along with Barnscombe. Manufacturing of regenerative chems for Thrax Pharma. Any of you use regen chems?”
The group collectively nodded their heads. Who hasn’t poured, drank, or injected green goo that sped up healing? It came standard with being independent mercenaries or military agents and was standard in most healing kits.
“Well this was to be the next manufacturing center before all of this went down,” Melody said, “Lachance claims that’s where he saw the Ancient directing some of these zombies as we were trying to evacuate the survivors…” Melody looked over her shoulder and said, “I never saw him… and the commander has been delirious since taking that shot to the gut, so I have no idea what you’ll find up there. It could be a Pleiadian directing this operation, although we have not seen any of the Blues or their Ursine minions.”
Melody referred to the fact that while Pleiadians appeared in the shape of the Ancients, all of them had bright blue eyes, regardless of their skin tone. Bear-like ‘Ursines’ were a common group who served the Protectorate as shock troops, although other beasts were found under the banner of the Seven.
“Is there anywhere else we should try to look besides a fallen hospital?” Morrigan asked.
“We’ve tried to send teams to scout the security armory to pick up more equipment. We grabbed what we could in a hurry, but there is probably more in there.”
---
The party decides to make their way to the Security Barracks and its attached armory for supplies so that they could split the loadout between themselves and Melody at the refugee center. The party moves through the city, trying to keep to alleyways and out any main streets to avoid detection by packs of roving psycho zombies.
---
Q: Does the party smoothly reach the arsenal?
A: Yes, and they are able to detect an enemy force before being seen.
---
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