Don't Bleed (Santa Carla) [IC]

[Ironsmith]

Santa Carla

The city itself has several means of entry. The simplest, and probably safest, way to get in is to just walk, but the nearest safehouse is well over a week away on foot. Santa Carla has active airports, train and bus stations, but all are monitored carefully and a human is likely to be caught should they attempt to board any of them (thankfully, the same can't be said of passengers coming off any of them). The coast is all available for landing, but docking anywhere official leaves a paper trail, and leaving a boat to be discovered might alert the authorities. Finally, there are many roads in and out of the city, most of which are monitored.

Most of Santa Carla is run-down and dirty, dotted with small businesses of varying repute. The city is practically deserted during the day (to nobody's surprise), with the exception of day clubs, where citizens spend the daylight hours partying while they're stuck indoors. Small gangs of petty criminals roam the streets, emboldened by their immortality and lacking anything better to do.

The residential districts are mostly vestigial, since there's no longer a need to return home to eat or rest. As such, most of the old apartments and homes are abandoned, which makes them ideal hideouts for infiltrating humans who still need to sleep every day. Of course, they aren't all abandoned, so watch your step...

The clinics represent a major hazard area, for both humans and vampires. This is because the clinics are the largest producers of Haemacin, a little black pill that alleviates the hunger pangs associated with blood deprivation, and a very high-value good among the vampires. As such, security around them and the pharmacies that dispense them is excessively tight, to ward off potential thieves.

All told, it's a charming place for vampires... Less so for humans. Which brings us to your mission.

Search and Rescue
You're on the lookout for one of many humans stranded in the city; a doctor, answering to the name of Janice Hadian. She'll be on the lam, and likely not practicing her profession openly, but a doctor is someone the remaining community needs badly. You each have photos of her in your phone, so you should be able to identify her on sight.

Once you find her, you need to get out of Santa Carla and back to your camp, about a week's travel by foot to the northeast.

Of course, that's all moot if you can't get into the city. What route will you take?

[CaoimhinTheCape]

Tri Chen has been told that he's of better use to the community staying back. Of course, he was one of the first humans who settled here. Everyone knew his face, if not his name. And there was some truth that he was no longer the most agile in the field. Whether it was one too many missions evading the Fangs or simply his age catching up with him, Chen wasn't in the best condition to leave relative safety.

But, he argued, no one knew these type of missions like him. The past that roughed up his body sharpened his mind - he knew how to avoid being trailed, he knew how to read someone and get out of a sticky situation. So Chen was on another "last" mission before he would be forced to stay back. If it was up to him, he would have a few more "last missions" to go on.



Chen entered the meeting room, apparently first. He didn't know who else would be joining him, but he hoped they could keep their wits about them in the field.

[bc56]

The next into the meeting is Jim Montgomery. His face is unshaven and coated in stubble, and his brown hair is unkempt. He's passing a playing card back and forth between his fingers, the seven of clubs. "Afternoon." He takes a seat.

[Ironsmith]

Mr Trainman, the meeting's coordinator, looked down at his watch disapprovingly. "Good to see the two of you. But where is Charles? We're already fifteen minutes behind schedule." Trainman took a seat opposite Chen and Montgomery at the planning table. "...Well, I suppose we can't wait for him forever. I trust you've read your briefings on Santa Carla?"

[CaoimhinTheCape]

When Jim walks into the room, Chen eyes him over and considers for a moment. Seems a bit too relaxed for my liking. That attitude will open you doors... or get you killed.



Chen is ready to speak when Trainman introduces himself. "Overrun by Fangs, as far as I can tell. Barely any Humans left, bless them for being able to lay low.

From what you described, we have options - the quietest may be foot but that seems like a solution for only a few people. Depending on how many we find it may be difficult to march out.

I don't see the name in my notes..." Chen looks at the briefing he was given again. "Do we have any contact in the city or place to find the survivors?"

[Ironsmith]

"Of course. You'll be meeting with Ms Winters in an apartment complex on the west side of town. A place called Sunny Hills. Seemed appropriate." Trainman chuckles a little, dryly. "As for survivors, we haven't had the personnel available to round them up. Winters is too busy keeping a safehouse to do much in the way of reaching out. That is, after all, where you gentlemen come in.

Now, this part is important. While we want you to rescue as many humans as you can, we've got a particular person we want you to make sure you bring home. A VIP, if you will. Her name is Doctor Janice Hadian. She ran one of the clinics in Santa Carla before the Fangs took it over. We don't have a bead on her location, as she was reluctant to share that while there was still potential for interception, so you may have to do some digging. Winters should be able to tell you more."

[CaoimhinTheCape]

"Of course Winters will be busy, she has a lot to deal with taking in the survivors. Getting in and out with survivors could be simple enough, given enough time and enough runs to and from the city. Dangerous but doable.

Spending time in there to find Doctor Hadian. That's going to put all of us..." Chen looks to his companion, and the door, "Well, spending time in the city may not be good for all of our health. Or worse, if a Fang with impulse control finds us and gets more information about our little operation."

Chen turns to Jim, and any of the other members who arrived. "So, what do you think of the mission? Any opinion on how we go in?"

[bc56]

Jim thinks about it. "On foot would be safest getting in, but more difficult getting out, especially if we have any wounded. If we take a truck in, we have to pass inspection, but I doubt they'd inspect trucks going out. That would be my first choice." A semi truck would be ideal, something that can hide people within it.

[Ironsmith]

"There's no reason why they wouldn't." Trainman points out. "They're already aware that there are humans in the city, trying to get out, and a large truck seems like a fairly obvious place for them to try and hide. If you do take that route, you're going to have to find some way to foil inspection, both ways."

"...On the other hand, if you commandeer a truck that's already inside the city, it would save you some trouble. You'll have a legitimate enterprise of some form backing you up, so it wouldn't raise any awkward questions... As long as nobody can tell it's stolen.

[JbeJ275]

I say we go in and out by sea, perhaps take a small craft in with just us an our kit. Then lay claim to either another boat or a truck while we’re in the city, use that to leave.

[Ironsmith]

"An excellent suggestion, Charles." Mr Trainman straightens his tie as he continues. "It may be somewhat roundabout, but that could work to our advantage, as the Fangs won't be expecting it. We don't have a boat in our communal resources, but I understand you were the proud owner of one prior to the takeover, correct?"

[JbeJ275]

Indeed, a have one moored up a few clicks to the south that should be able to take in a few operatives. It'll be a tight squeeze if we need to evacuate many people, but as you say they won't be expecting us on the way in.

[CaoimhinTheCape]

"How long does it take us to get there and back by boat? And how many can we fit? I'm not sure what we plan to have for numbers but I suppose as long as there is the safe house they can hold tight there."

Chen agreed with the plan from a logical standpoint but the idea of not having enough space, leaving people behind, never sat well with him. Regardless, the boat would be an important asset.

"I agree with the boat plan."

[bc56]

"I'm a little hesitant to leave a boat somewhere where it can be found. Maybe we should bring someone else along, to sail it away once we're there, then to bring it back in time for our rendezvous." Jim doesn't want to lose the way out, or worse, to have the vamps set up a trap there.

[Ironsmith]

"The transport would take a matter of hours, especially if you're not trying to be seen. I could arrange for another driver, provided you aren't concerned by less space."

[JbeJ275]

The craft can be piloted by one. It was originally meant to carry only about six people but twelve can fit on in a pinch before we get to desperate. Maybe a couple more but it'll be slow and frankly dangerou if we need to do anything more than crawl along like that. Still, it should serve admirably for infiltration and rescuing the one target.

[Ironsmith]

"Very well, then. All in favor of the boat plan?"

[JbeJ275]

Affirmatve.

[CaoimhinTheCape]

"Let's go."

[Ironsmith]

"Jim? Are you on board?"

[bc56]

"It sounds good to me."

[Ironsmith]

"All right, then. Godspeed, gentlemen."

(If nobody has anything else they want to do before getting under way:)

The boat is moored at the dock of a coastal cottage, which appears to be abandoned. Charles owns the place and is familiar with its ins and outs.

[JbeJ275]

Charles stops briefly a little over a hundred meters from the house, where he retrieves a clunky brass key from a lockbox in a rocky hollow. Then when getting to the door, he turns it in the lock and shoulders the door open. The inside is organised and mostly clean but spartan, with cobwebs occupying many spaces. He excuses himself to grab some Jerry cans of scavenged fuel from the basement, but shows them to a small room with a gas stove, a dining table and cupboards of preserved food, crockery and cook wear. The building is a bungalow, but from how long Charles is below has either several basements or one very large and very full one.

[CaoimhinTheCape]

Chen quickly stopped by his own apartment, grabbing his few useful belongings. As he grabs some tools that he could easily carry, Chen looks at his bonzai plant and gives a little smile. He would have to ask someone to keep an eye on it for him while he was gone. Hopefully he would come back again.

After one last look at the apartment, Chen walks out and goes to meet the others by the boat. "I'm ready."

He waits for Charles to lead the way.

[Ironsmith]

There doesn't seem to be anyone occupying the house, or amy obstacles between you and the boat. It'll be dusk in a few hours; the ideal time to infiltrate a vampire-infested city.

[bc56]

Jim shows up a bit late, but fully packed and ready. He's dressed in black, as usual, and nonchalantly sits to wait for nightfall, absently shuffling and reshuffling a pack of cards as he loiters.
Once everyone else is ready, he'll get on the boat and do what is needed to help prepare for launch.

[CaoimhinTheCape]

Chen looks out to the sunset, instinctively becoming wary as the safety of the sun leaves.

"Right. While we're on the ocean, you'll be leading us Charles.

For when we get there, do we want to try to reach Sunny Hills at night? We may be able to see more of how the city works now, but it will be more dangerous than waiting until daylight."

[JbeJ275]

Ideally we’d arrive in the early hours, when it’s dark on approach but the city will be emptying as we arrive. Really though we need all the time we have to find the people, delaying puts them in danger. I say we move quickish.

Charles is performing the last few checks on the boat as he speaks.

[Ironsmith]

(Okay, time for the first roll of the game! Charles might find something wrong with the boat; roll the 2d6, plus his modifier for Perception. This'll be a neutral roll; no advantage or disadvantage yet.)
Dice Thread Here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615654-Don-t-Bleed-Dice-Thread&p=24607842#post24607842)

[bc56]

"Moving soon is good by me." Jim affirms. The people they need to rescue can't wait forever. Best to be there as quickly as possible.

[Ironsmith]

(Charles rolled a success.)

While examining the boat, Charles notices an glint under the frontmost passenger seat on the boat. Closer examination reveals it to be a small black snake, curled up in the shade under the seat. It doesn't seem to care that Charles is there... Moving it could be tricky, though, since it's not likely to respond well to being forced out from under the seat.

[CaoimhinTheCape]

"Well that's a problem." Chen cautiously approaches the snake, trying to get a better look at it and find out just what kind of danger they're in. "Do we know where we picked up this extra passenger?"

[Ironsmith]

Chen doesn't recognize the snake; it's not something he's seen before or read about.

The snake stares out at you with beady, unblinking eyes, occasionally flicking out its tongue to taste the air. Its coils move slowly over each other as it watches you.

[JbeJ275]

It's fine, these critters won't bother us as long as we don't bother them. It's fangs aren't of the sort you need to worry about.

Charles will hang back outside the door and make soothing motions at the little fella, then crack one of the food tins and throw a little square of pork to the snake. The general effort is to calm it down.

[bc56]

"I'm sure it will be fine." Jim takes a seat in the back of the boat anyway, just in case. He wouldn't want to be bitten, even if the snake isn't venomous. That much is clear.

[Ironsmith]

As Charles goes to set the meat down, the snake slithers out from under its hiding place and curls around his arm. There's nothing remotely aggressive about the gesture; it seems to have mistaken him for a tree branch or something. Now that it's out in full view, you can see it's not actually that big... Maybe a foot long, if that. Possibly a juvenile of whatever species it is. With as at ease as it is, moving it out of the boat would be a trivial matter now.

[JbeJ275]

You don't want any part of where we're going little buddy. Let's find you someplace nice. With that he sets the snake down in some shady place a little way from the docks, dumps a few more little meat cubes out for it and slides it off of his arm.

[Ironsmith]

Thr snake slithers off of Charles's arm and into the brush, where you likely won't run into it again.

The boat's all ready to cast off. You can leave whenever you're ready.

[JbeJ275]

Right, no sense in waiting if we’re to make it on time. As Charles says this he’s readying the boat for departure.

[Ironsmith]

(If there's no objections...)

A few hours later, the boat arrives within sight of Santa Carla's westmost docks. It's sunset; too early for any vampires to be anywhere but indoors, but you won't draw much suspicion if you're seen out and about now.