All Things Must Rot

[Bennosuke]

Every 12-14 days, Joe Hughes is forced to leave his remote mountain lodge to drive the some 40 miles into the nearest town, Wormwood, to trade. While the gentle giant has made every attempt to remove himself from society and the pain of human interaction, it is still necessary to regularly restock on supplies. Joe loads the back of his rusted black Jeep pickup. He lugs several crates filled with pelts collected from the small game he's caught, extra lumber, and 5 glass jugs of what is considered the finest fruit moonshine in the Snow Crest woods of Colorado. His hands still shake at the thought of going back down to Wormwood. The local Drugstore owned by and named after Old Gary often trades Joe's goods for needed gasoline, and other non-reusable supplies. Old Gary is a man as portly as he is sour, but Joe's moonshine always seems to sweeten their deals. Joe's dog, races back and forth from the cabin with excitement, she knows what this ritual means and she yips with excitement, tail wagging.

With the truck loaded up, Joe lets his dog into the passenger seat and keys up the ignition. The engine sputters and misfires, coughing up a dark exhaust as he puts it into first. A narrow, but uncomplicated trail runs the truck for about 15 miles before coming onto the freeway. As the truck roars down the empty blacktop, Joe begins to feel more and more uncomfortable. It gets harder to breath, and it feels like his chest is full of lead. The dog yips and licks at his right hand. Though it's still early in the day, not a single car is on the road, not even a sheriff's car sitting in neutral in the breakdown lane, and the trip into Wormwood is mercifully fast.

Welcome to the Game. Please make a wits+streetwise roll (for you that's just 1d10), to see if Joe recognizes anything odd as he comes into town.

[beastman]

1d10 this is my special roll

[beastman]

1d10thisismyspecialroll

[beastman]

d/10forthisturn

[beastman]

[roll0]forthisturn

[Bennosuke]

Joe directed his truck into the town of Wormwood, oblivious to how empty the town was this morning. Saddie whined softly as he brought the truck around to the back of Old Gary's Drugstore. He let the Jeep chuck to a halt in the alley between the drugstore and small antique shop; it smelt of rotting trash- the smell of the city. Usually the back door to Old Gary's would be propped open this time of day, and Joe would be able to saunter in and find Gary or his daughter Irene, but the door was closed.

Joe's hands were still shaking with nervous energy. It took all he had to open the door of his truck and step out into the alley, his mind racing through a hundred other places he would rather be.

At his point I will let you dictate what Joe does next.

[beastman]

John will try to collect his cool and attempt another awareness roll.

[beastman]

d/10forthisturn

[beastman]

[roll0]forthisturn

[beastman]

Joe waits nervously in his car, slowly but surely he musters the strength to exit his car and enter the building, calling out his name. He keeps Saddie in the car despite her fearful barking.

[Bennosuke]

Several dumpsters in the back of the alley were overflowing with trash. The smell of rancid fruit and garbage blasted Joe the second he opened the door. It was overwhelming. 'The smell of the city, the smell of people', thought Joe. It was worse than usual, and made it hard to think. Joe almost stumbled towards the back entrance, and struggled to open the back door to the drug store. But the door was locked, 'That's not normal'.

[beastman]

Joes senses told him that whatever was going on, it was most likely foul in nature. The smell was too strong for him, he wretched forward and coughed before collecting himself, covering his nose and mouth with his right hand while using his left hand to shield his eyes as he looked in through a window next to the door.

[Bennosuke]

It was dark in the shop; the lights were still out. The window was dirty and it took some spit and wiping till Joe could see well into the drug store. It appeared that several of the shelves had been overturned and cans and boxes were strewn about the floor. There was no movement inside that Joe could see. Just before stepping down from the window, Joe saw a figure, laying on the ground. Not moving, as if asleep.

[beastman]

Joe, hesistant because of his fears and sense of dread, froze in his spot. His voice suddenly failed him as he reflexively stepped back a few paces. In the end he had no choice but to overcome his cowardice and help the man, he could be seriously hurt. Joe ran up to the body, knelt down and checked the man.

"Gary?!!" Joe whimpered as he flipped the flaccid body face up, "is that you?!!"