Worse Than the Disease IC

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean gathers 10 rifle bullets and 2 HMG bullets from various plastic containers left around a formerly flooded room. The next drying room he checks has 800 pounds of miscellaneous scrap metal plates and plastic strips to offer him. Some kind of old steel vest and a legionary helmet stored in a sealed plastic case is what Sean finds in the third place he scavenges.

(OOC: The steel vest stats are torso DR 5F, weight 7 lbs., worth $300 (150x2).)

[Shoot Da Moon]

The exiles settle into their resting places as the day ends.
(OOC: I think we can call this day done. Mark off another 3 meals for everyone.)

DAY 29

The next morning, a convoy of men in vans drive up alongside the radar base and honk their horns loudly. They send one of their number up to the fence to talk to one of the guards, explaining that the men in vans are traveling merchants and explorers.

They ask if anyone at the base wants to do business or swap stories...

[Volthawk]

Traders? Richard is still a little wary, given the previous attacks and the knowledge that their enemy uses spies and other subtle strategies, but the opportunity to get useful supplies here and now rather than at the end of a car journey is appealing, and they could always do with more friends and allies out here. Leaving the rifle inside (but keeping his pistol holstered on his hip - he doesn't want to to talk to them with a gun in his hands but he's not going out there completely unarmed), Richard invites Sean to join him as he walks out to the fence. When he gets to their representative, Richard greetsthem with cheerfully, trying to give a good impression while at the same time trying to figure out how geniune the man's words are.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean meets the man at the fence and says that he has, indeed, a desire to trade, both in goods and in rumors. He would invite a small delegation inside, provided the guards do not mind. Sean says he has a large deal in mind and maybe a few smaller deals. The large deal would be to sell this sniper rifle and buy two more ordinary rifles, of fine quality, and one revolver granade launcher, possibly cheap. If they have the things sought, or some viable equivalent, and are willing to give them for this sniper rifle, the exact details of the deal can be worked out.

Spoiler

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Wanted (but will also consider adequate replacements):
1. Springfield M14, Fine Quality x2
2. Milkor MGL, Cheap Quality
3. Other stuff TBD if the above is available (if not, will talk smaller deals)

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq is content to let the other do any haggling for gear, but he will find a window where he can a keep on the men, particularly those not talking with Richard and Sean, to make sure they aren't up to anything.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The traders like the offered sniper rifle and bullets so they see if they can match it...
The traders double-check their inventory and announce they have no grenade launchers...but they do have some excellent rifles of the make and model requested.
They also would like to offer a single set of heated clothing, with 3 batteries to power it.
Richard can tell that the traders are genuine, and aren't scamming or raiders in disguise.

(OOC: What is the price of the rifles? The heated clothing costs $2200 (550x4), weighs 6 lbs., batteries are M/8 hrs. The medium batteries cost $20 (5x4) and weigh 2 lbs. each.)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean proceeds to discuss the details of the deal. He asks if the trader has spare car parts. In particular, the steering of this car needs some fixing. Seal also asks about availability of a collimating sight, preferably tritium-based, assuming it is still bright enough, and about availability of a tactical light for the rifle, preferably LED-based. He also checks the assortment of rifle rounds the traders have for sale, starting with plain FMJ, but considering all other options. He expresses desire to get some broken optics (for parts) and some rechargeable batteries and chargers.

Spoiler

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As for the car parts, the value is $12k per flaw, but the parts are probably much cheaper, depending on how related they are to this particular car and/or what we roll on d6.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The traders nod and go back to their vans. They return to the exiles with the kind of car parts that could replace and repair the sedan in the base's garage, making it better. It won't be cheap, but the advanced sniper rifle is just that valuable...

(OOC: the parts needed to repair a flaw in the sedan are worth $12,000 just as you figured.)

As for the gun sight, they do have firearms accessories for sale. A tactical light to mount on a gun is available, as is a sight.
Most of the rifle bullets they have are standard, but they have picked up some special rounds from a bout of selling in Gunmetal half a month ago.
The traders have some more batteries of all types on sale, and a charger for the more advanced ones.
Their "junk drawer" has some broken binoculars and telescopes...
(OOC: Just list the prices for what you want, and you can probably get it...)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

It takes some time to work through all the details, but eventually the deal is framed with sufficient detail to begin the actual exchange. Sean checks that everything works and is of the expected quality. In particular, he shots a round from either rifle to make sure they don't need any additional zeroing, he gets dressed into the heating clothing and turns on the heating, he checks the lights, the chargers etc. Assuming everything is in order, he then calls the deal complete and sits with the traders to chat.

Sean shows some of the things he is not quite familiar with and asks if the traders could identify and appraise them. Also, he asks if they know where those things are produced and who are the primary users.

Spoiler

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Asking about:

Booze
Crystal meth
Nanomachine injector
Lime green injector drug
Modafinil drug

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean Pires

Sean shows some of the things he is not quite familiar with and asks if the traders could identify and appraise them. Also, he asks if they know where those things are produced and who are the primary users.

Spoiler

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Asking about:

Booze
Crystal meth
Nanomachine injector
Lime green injector drug
Modafinil drug

The traders happily buy and sell the agreed-upon goods.
When they look over the other stuff, they comment on how they do not recognise what the injectors and the Modafinil are. But they are familiar with both booze and crystal meth - a bottle of alcohol is worth $20 each and the crystal meth is (illegally in some places) worth $500 to addicts or dealers.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean thanks the traders for the information and asks whether they have a map and travel guide for the Gutter or otherwise can provide any information (who controls and inhabits it, where the power comes from and so on). Whatever their answer, it is probably the noon now, so Sean invites the traders for a lunch, that is, assuming he is able to kill something. A good chance to try the heated clothing and the new rifle. Whether they accept the proposal or start to pack right away, Sean makes a hunting trip into surrounding woods. He comes back empty-handed, but if the traders are waiting for him proposes to break a few MREs in exchange for a few useful tips about exploring the Gutter and dealing with the powers that be as the traders would see fit. Besides, who do the traders peacefully deal with: townsfolk, wasterlanders, tattooed gangs, paramilitaries?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean Pires

Sean thanks the traders for the information and asks whether they have a map and travel guide for the Gutter or otherwise can provide any information (who controls and inhabits it, where the power comes from and so on). Whatever their answer, it is probably the noon now, so Sean invites the traders for a lunch, that is, assuming he is able to kill something. A good chance to try the heated clothing and the new rifle. Whether they accept the proposal or start to pack right away, Sean makes a hunting trip into surrounding woods. He comes back empty-handed, but if the traders are waiting for him proposes to break a few MREs in exchange for a few useful tips about exploring the Gutter and dealing with the powers that be as the traders would see fit. Besides, who do the traders peacefully deal with: townsfolk, wasterlanders, tattooed gangs, paramilitaries?

The traders do not have any personal experience with The Gutter - some of their customers have sold stuff from there after journeying down into the depths. All of them have not shared maps of the place, or even talked about it...Perhaps they're scared of other people jumping their claims?

As far as the traders know, they've only ever traded with peaceful wastelanders and townsfolk. Of course, they've never been attacked by raiders, either.

The traders are fine with not eating meals with the exiles - they have their own food and they wouldn't feel right about taking advantage of hospitality without sharing any good information with them anyway. The traders stay through the night and leave the base at early morning.

[Volthawk]

While Richard hangs around with the traders and joins in the conversations they have when he gets the chance, when the optics are secured he has to leave the socialising to get to work. It doesn't take too long to salvage what's still usable from the broken scope and replace the optics, finishing in around four hours, and he's satisfied with the job he's done when he returns to Sean and hands it over. After that, he spends some time getting familiar with the new rifle - it felt good having a gun he didn't have to reload after every shot again, and between the rifle and the pistol he'd repaired earlier, he was starting to feel properly equipped for the first time since leaving the Shelter. After all, in there modern equipment was an assumption, not a luxury as it seemed to be out here. For the rest of the night, he relaxes, satisfied with how the day had gone.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean spends four hours searching the last basement room. After Richard is done with the scope, Sean gets it properly installed on his rifle, making sure that the installation does not interfere with the iron sights. Sean then spends two bullets to zero the scope and places some batteries to charge overnight. He plans to make sure all of the batteries are fully charged over the next day or two.

Spoiler

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Spending the food for the day.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The exiles sleep tight as night falls.
(OOC: Mark off another 3 meals for everyone if you haven't already.)

DAY 30

The traders are gone before the residents of the base are awake.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Early morning Sean gets dressed in his new outfit, takes the rifle and goes outside to hunt. Sure enough, there are fresh nightly tracks, so he picks up what looks the most promising and starts to follow it.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean finds, against all odds, a horse at the end of the trail. It has no saddle, horseshoes or bit & bridle on it, so it should be wild...

(OOC: The horse is SM +1.)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

For some time Sean wonders if a horse would be worth more alive, but then he has to admit he wouldn't know even where to start. He takes off the skis, unfolds the bipod, lies down, takes some time to aim and then shoots one round.

[Shoot Da Moon]

For one brief micro-instant, Sean is blinded by the kick of the gun and flash of the shot. When he recovers from the bang, he sees the horse is dead without a prayer, the hole in its heart fatal.

Sean then squares his shoulders and gets to dragging the large dead animal back to base. By the end, he is sweaty and tired, having made a distressingly wide blood trail from there to his fellow exiles.
(OOC: The horse weighs 2000 lbs. What are the rest of you doing?)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean asks Tariq and Simone to help him with the dead horse, saying there is no way in hell one man can finish with it by tomorrow.

Spoiler

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Butchering the horse will take 20 man-hours. We can also start preparation to jerkify (some of) it tomorrow. All in all, it'll be a lot of work.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq agrees to come out with Sean to help with the horse. He surveys the dead animal and comments, "Say, this thing is pretty big. I could use a small charge and blast it into a few pieces, it'd be a lot easier to carry then. What do you think?" He looks at Sean with a hopeful expression on his face.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"Errr, no. We want to slice it into neat chunks and eventually eat it. We don't want it flying in randomly-sized chunks all over the place. And we can do it right here where it is. I do admit though, the idea would have been more attractive if only have thought of it earlier. This one took a lot of effort to drag here."

Spoiler

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I think the horse is already transported, though it took some effort for Sean to drag it to the base. So, the thing to do now it to slice all the meat.

[Shoot Da Moon]

As the exiles butcher the dead horse for hours, the sun eventually goes down. The job is still not done, but they can serve themselves a dinner of fresh meat from what cuts they’ve made so far.

(OOC: Mark off another 3 meals for everyone if you haven't already. I think we can say the butchering job is not complete, but you have made 14 hours worth of progress today, unless you guys stay up later than 10 PM. Another 6 hours of butchering tomorrow will finish the horse.)

DAY 31

The exiles get back to the meat chopping when they wake up next morning.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean spends a good part of the day cutting the remaining meat off the dead horse. Then he takes care of whatever is left, in several trips bringing it some place outside and away from the mines. Maybe to the hilltop. He places it where it's visible from the base, in case there would be an opportunity to shoot some scavengers, for presence of which he plans to periodically check by looking out of a window. He then approaches the Waffle House guards with a proposal to exchange some or most of his fresh horse meat to some of their groats, potatoes, or basically anything that is not meat. Whatever the outcome, he then completes the second pass through the basement, finding nothing much, but satisfied that he is done with this business.

Spoiler

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Basically, proposing 1:1 trade of food for food, if only not to eat 100% meat for the next three months. Any counter-offer will be considered.

[Shoot Da Moon]

It is midday by the time Sean is finished cutting the meat off the bones.

Crows pick at the remains of the horse placed at the hilltop as Sean exchanges the fresh meat for vegetables and grain cereals with the guards.

Sean's second pass through the basement yields 4 pistol bullets.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The Waffle House guards enjoy the horse meat that evening. The exiles go to sleep to the sound of the guards merry-making over dinner.
(OOC: Another 3 meals per person consumed for the day.)

DAY 32

The new day starts with the sound of a murder of crows cawing as they chew on the animal corpse Sean left behind.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

The crows are not exactly what Sean is looking for, but he does not mind them and thus lets them be. He plans to keep looking for any other comers, but otherwise just rests for the day while somebody else tends to the group's part of horse meat and makes some jerky.

Spoiler

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Does anyone have points left to learn driving the car? Sean's colorblindness gives him -1, so he's not too eager to be the man driving it, but it would be still possible if needed. Alternatively, we can plan a trip to the Gutter, which won't require any driving. We should probably fix the car anyway, if only because we have the time while Sean heals.

[Shoot Da Moon]

(OOC: Everyone mark off two meals for breakfast and lunch.)
One hour after eating their lunch, the exiles hear the spine-chilling screech of large falcons outside the base. The birds of prey, ten of them, are bunching all around the place the exiles were smoking the horse meat to make jerky. They want to snatch the juicy cuts for themselves...

If the exiles want to keep their jerky, they’ll have to get rid of the 10 flying raptors.

[Volthawk]

Having taken over jerky duty from Sean, Richard quickly notices the falcon problem. It didn't seem like a unmanageable problem - they just got new, accurate rifles after all, and he felt pretty good about his sharpshooting skills, so he lined up a shot at one of the birds and took it.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Richard's rifle bullet is overkill for the bird of prey. It spirals down to the ground in a puff of red and feathers.
The other falcons panic and take off, cawing and screeching. They quickly fill the air in criss-cross chaos, almost too fast for the eye to track. Are they circling the base, or fleeing the danger zone?

(OOC: The raptors are now Moving at an Air speed of 12 yards a second, factor that into any more shots you make. You are not sure if the birds are scattering or going to gather their wits and strike back. Shoot again?)