Worse Than the Disease IC

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean's abortive attempt to read a map come back to bite him and his fellow exiles when they take a wrong turn down a winding and long road. It is only ten minutes of driving before the exiles realize, too late, that they are going the wrong way - when they stop at an electric telephone pole fallen across the road, blocking the way...and there is a car full of armed men idling around the obstacle...

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean gets out of the car, taking the rifle with him, but not holding it ready to fire. He does not step out from behind the open door and does not do anything to attract attention until Tariq and Richard are out too. He stands ready to wave a hand as soon as he's noticed, then see what the further reaction would be.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq gets out of the back, and is going to have his Colt ready in one hand, and a concussion grenade in the other, likewise using keeping the door between him and the men.

[Volthawk]

Richard joins the others outside, and tries to look fairly welcoming in case these people aren't here to cause trouble, leaving his rifle resting against the side of the car - he reckons he's got a quick enough draw to still get the first shot out if they turn violent. Taking a step forward, he gives them a nod and a wave, although he doesn't head over until he sees how they react.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The men outside the car notice the exiles first.
The man not carrying the SMG approaches as the gunman covers him from behind, finger on the trigger.
The men in the car turn on their engine, ready for trouble.

"Who are you guys? Tourists from New York?" The man asks as he reaches 5 yards away. "Turn around now, Vermont's going to hell." He looks not just suspicious, but tired. Underneathe his faded blue winter clothing, he is a scarred, bruised and weathered man with light brown skin and messy dyed blonde hair.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean kind of gets the joke. "Hah. Not the tourists, I'd say, not as such. But yes, passers by. Took a wrong turn and I thought we'd say hello instead of sneaking up on you or sneaking back out. Will turn around now, if you so insists, but, hey, what do you mean "going to hell"? What's up with Vermont?"

[Shoot Da Moon]

The man sighs.
"This whole state is cursed. Dark magic has sunk in deep into most parts of the wilderness, and it will soon conquer the cities, too."

The man behind him rolls his eyes as his fellow rants. "Listen, can we move this along? We are exposed out here. I got no time for boogeyman tales..."

The man in front snaps back at him, "Bite your tongue! The shadow is growing all across this state! If you openly challenge it, it will surely seek you out to--!"

"SEE YOU BACK AT THE CAR!" The man with the gun interrupts as he walks away.

The man in front suddenly looks crestfallen as his fellow gets in the car with the rest. "Darkness rides, my brothers, and we are not ready for it..." He mutters to himself as he glumly stares at his feet.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"I cannot say I have your vision, but we'll see about that darkness and we'll see how it turns out in the end. Men hope, huh?"

Spoiler

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If nobody else wants to chat with the man, I'm ready to turn the car around, pick up Tariq and Richard, then drive to the ski resort the correct way.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Sean Pires

"I cannot say I have your vision, but we'll see about that darkness and we'll see how it turns out in the end. Men hope, huh?"

Spoiler

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If nobody else wants to chat with the man, I'm ready to turn the car around, pick up Tariq and Richard, then drive to the ski resort the correct way.

Sounds good.

[Shoot Da Moon]

(OOC: Richard? Would you like to talk some more?)

[Volthawk]

(OOC: Yeah, all good to go.)

[Shoot Da Moon]

The two car-fulls of people go their separate ways, as the exiles drive to the ski resort in the south.

Later in the day, the car arrives at where they were told to go; the old Killington ski resort, a series of facilities spread out across the base of the snowy mountain. Along with a bunch of condos, the ski resort also features three different lodges near old ski-lifts and a grand hotel in the center.
The exiles see the fires and the smoke before they go over the hill and see it.

Several buildings - a mountain lodge and several condos - have been set alight.
The exiles see no human activity in the area, let alone a full-scale battle going on. No cars, a few dead bodies here and there, no lights on.

(OOC: Which structure do you want to explore first?)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Having camouflaged the car some distance away from the road in a place which would allow to evantually drive back onto the road again (so no deep ditches or anything), and having camouflaged the tracks (the car's, but not the party's), Sean walks some short distance along the road observing imprints by either pedestrians or vehicles if they are present. He then stops and looks through the scope at the buildings, the mountain, the dead bodies and, generally, surroundings thereof. He is not in hurry.

Spoiler

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Can you place us somewhere on the map? Zooming in to our position and posting a link should be enough. The same for the group of buildings that are alight and other notable locations. Any antennas visible anywhere? Also, how dark is it now (in the terms of penalties) and how much time do we have before it's pitch black?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean Pires

Having camouflaged the car some distance away from the road in a place which would allow to evantually drive back onto the road again (so no deep ditches or anything), and having camouflaged the tracks (the car's, but not the party's), Sean walks some short distance along the road observing imprints by either pedestrians or vehicles if they are present. He then stops and looks through the scope at the buildings, the mountain, the dead bodies and, generally, surroundings thereof. He is not in hurry.

Spoiler

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Can you place us somewhere on the map? Zooming in to our position and posting a link should be enough. The same for the group of buildings that are alight and other notable locations. Any antennas visible anywhere? Also, how dark is it now (in the terms of penalties) and how much time do we have before it's pitch black?

The dead men on the ground were shot and stripped of valuables. They all have black tattoos depicting a Ace of Spades playing card on their necks. The road has been recently been driven on, by multiple cars, back and forth. There are spent bullet casings lying around. Not to mention the bullet holes and fires...

OOC: I'd say you guys are closest to the Whiffletree Condos. Most of the fires are set in or around the Condos. No visible antennas. I lost track of how many miles per hour your car does, but you travelled about 70-80 miles from the camp grounds? Maybe a hour on the road? It is about early afternoon? Darkness penalties can be worse than overcast (-1), but the night is pitch black and 4-6 hours away?

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq will busy himself getting the explosives together while Sean (and Richard?) scouts. It's interesting that all the dead bodies seem to be from the raiders, maybe someone beat us here to take them out?

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean suggests this location for one mine blocking the road. The mine is to be placed right next to the road with a trip wire across the road. The mine should be facing Whiffle Condos, but only able to affect a length of the road not including Whiffle Condos themselves because of the intervening hill. The mine should be able to get the first car moving away from the ski resort by concussion damage and maybe the following car(s) by fragmentation. The mine should be camouflaged and not visible from the direction of Whiffle Condos, but clearly visible from the other direction. The intent is for anyone approaching the ski resort to notice the mine. Sean suggests not placing the other mines just yet.

"I think they won it here and moved on. Had some casualties, which they sensibly looted. Let's trap the road, but not choose this as our fighting position. I'll choose fighting position after I have visual contact."

After the mine is placed, Sean will lead the group hiding from the mine and the people behind the hill to the left to the road to a position overlooking Whiffle Condos and takes another look at them and further away.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Looking over the scene, Sean realises that the fires are all ground level near the condos' main buildings, typically around walls, corners, and door frames.

Then he spots a bunch of armed men staying low in the car park of the grand hotel, near a car that has its engine on and its doors sloppily open. One of their number has been injured, and is receiving medical treatment.

He also notices that there are lights on at the bear mountain lodge...

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"I think we have a fairly nice view here and we've got visual contact. Not a large force so we don't need to prepare for a major stand just yet. Let's remain mobile for a moment. Richard, see there on the parking lot. You take the medic, and I take another one, then we'll see. Tariq, you just hide and stay ready, I'll tell if I see them up close." Sean lies down in the snow behind a large enough tree, unfolds the bipod and takes some time to aim. He takes a shot after Richard says he is ready.

Spoiler

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It seems Killington Bear Mountain Lodge is behind two hills from us, so we would not see it from here.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean and Richard co-ordinate their rifle shots at the men hiding in cover.
Richard's bullet goes wide but Sean's hits home. One of the men, who are toting an assault rifle, crumples under the wound, either dead or knocked out.

Immediately, the men panic as they realize they are under attack from the back. None of them can locate where the shots came from. One of them straightens up in shock, and is quickly shot in the head by gunmen inside the grand resort as payment for his mistake. The rest scatter while staying low, moving from cover to cover - half go left and half go right as fast as they can, leaving their wounded man behind.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean takes an aim at the man whose chosen trajectory seems least likely to take him out of Sean's sight.

Spoiler

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Intend to aim until either Sean gets a full acc bonus or everyone moving is out of sight.

[GnomesofZurich2]

After setting the mine, Tariq takes cover and camouflages himself in the vegetation as best he can, keeping a concussion grenade at the ready in case the men approach.

[Volthawk]

Staying put seemed like it would still work for the time being, so Richard stayed with Sean, lining up another shot - he was at a little bit of a disadvantage at this range, better trained and equipped for shorter range engagements, but an advantage like they had here was something you couldn't really turn down.

Spoiler

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Ditto for Richard. Solid plan, no need to change it up quite yet.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Tariq sets the explosive without a problem as the two riflemen line up their next shots.

The men scrambling for cover do not know where the fire is coming from, so they end up choosing some hiding spots that still leave them exposed to the shooters.

Even after aiming for a bit, both Sean and Richard can still hit half of the men without worrying about cover.

OOC: Roll your attacks, gentlemen.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Seconds later, the exiles with rifles fire again.
Sean hits another raider in the body, knocking him down and laying him still.
Richard, on the other hand, barely misses his target.
Seeing this, the remaining raiders take a chance and bolt for an entrance into the grand hotel.

The people inside open fire on the running men, but only manage to take out two more men before the desperate raiders smash through and get into the building, out of sight for the exiles.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"Oh, ****!" Sean surely did not expect this turn of events. "Feel like closing in? I can lead you to the hotel or almost there through south-west, west, west-north-west, but no guarantees that we will be in time. Any other ideas?"

Spoiler

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How many men have we seen running out of sight? Did Sean see how they are armed?

It seems the attackers were about here (a view from their side at us and at the hotel). We can safely get maybe here (the hotel chooses to be flat on this map). We can look (from a different angle) for any large groups of people at Whiffletree Condos and Trail Creek Condos while on the way, and then look to the south of Killington Grand Resort hotel, including a glance at the Waffle Cabin and Ski Area, but mainly a good view of a large body of water, which might be well frozen at the time. Not sure what we do after that.

[Volthawk]

Richard nods. "Closer range will work better for me anyway. No scope is making landing hits at this range difficult. Tariq, you good to come in with me? Should be able to put that revolver to good use inside, if you're up for it. Sean, perhaps we should keep our eyes out for a vantage point with better sight inside, see who you can pick off while we advance or see anyone else coming in or out, or would you rather back us up inside?"

[Shoot Da Moon]

(OOC: Sean, you saw six men remaining and entering the grand hotel. Three on both sides. I am not counting the wounded, or the men you shot. You see no other activity in the area, yet. No lights are on in the condos, and they all look utterly gutted.)

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"The problem with the close range is that it works both ways." Sean sighs. "Well, lacking a better plan..." Sean takes a flashlight out of the backpack and puts it in a pocket. He then leads the group south-west, west, west-north-west, north-north-west through the forested areas to a position just east of the eastern end of the hotel. There he stops to decide what to do, depending on what's heard and seen.

Spoiler

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Assuming nothing much attracts much of attention or otherwise interferes with the movement. Will react if it turns out otherwise.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Richard nods. "Closer range will work better for me anyway. No scope is making landing hits at this range difficult. Tariq, you good to come in with me? Should be able to put that revolver to good use inside, if you're up for it. Sean, perhaps we should keep our eyes out for a vantage point with better sight inside, see who you can pick off while we advance or see anyone else coming in or out, or would you rather back us up inside?"

Tariq nods, "Okay, but should I booby-trap their car before we go in? That way if some of them try to escape - BOOM!" He looks disturbingly eager at the idea.

[Shoot Da Moon]

As Sean leads the exiles over to the position, he notices most of the animals around have run away...and four large deer have been slaughtered and left to rot in the open.

He also hears a burst of heavy gunfire coming from inside the hotel. Multiple shooters, it is all over in five seconds...

From the east, the exiles see entrances have been heavily barricaded. The backdoor of the kitchen is boarded up, as is the guest's dining room nearest to the pool. A second floor window has been left wide open, though.