Worse Than the Disease IC

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean takes a look at the car and the fresh bodies lying in its general direction. "Nah, not wandering there in the open to join those guys."

"I'm not sure if it is good news or bad news, but some side seems to have won. Cover me, I'm going to track our clients..."

Sean then drops the backpack at the corner and proceeds to sneak along the hotel's northern side towards the location from which he can see the tracks of the attackers. He stays low and adjacent to the wall, but peeks into every window he walks past. ​He then proceeds to track them to wherever they were entering, still ​adjacent to the wall and peeking in windows.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean's advance scouting runs into problems immediately - almost none of the windows can be peeked into, since sheets of metals have been installed all around the place.

The tracks all over have been muddled by constant movements and the mess of combat. Sean fails to notice the presence of mutated animals until it is too late, and he finds himself suddenly surrounded by 4 wolves leaping out of the snow.

(OOC: Sean is surprised and cannot act for one turn the wolves are SM +0, and the other exiles are 10 yards away from their friend and his attackers. Richard and Tariq, what do you do?)

[Volthawk]

As soon as Richard spots the wolves, he raises his rifle and quickly snaps off a shot - hopefully if he can take one out before they attack, the others won't want to stick around for much longer and will leave to find easier prey without trying to tear Sean apart. If nothing else, the loud noise might scare or distract them a little.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Following Richard's lead, Tariq fires his revolver at one of the other wolves.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Richard doesn't have enough time to aim and Tariq is less of a crack shot, but the two men barely manage to hit two of the wolves anyway.
Richard's bullet shreds the target, causing the wolf to crumple to the ground.
Tariq's hit, however, weakly grazes the underbelly of the animal.

The wolves, taken by surprise, find themselves torn between eating the easy meal right in front of them, striking back at the gunmen with a charge, or simply scattering...
They decide to go for the threats. With a growl and a snarl, the wolves turn and beeline 7 yards towards Richard and Tariq, jaws angrily drooling.

Sean finally gets a hold of himself, and is ready to act.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean quickly turns around and takes a shot at the back of a wolf that is currently unhurt.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean blasts the animal right in its back, almost killing it immediately and knocking it out.

[Volthawk]

Alright, so the other wolves dying wasn't stopping these things. Now they just needed to take them out quickly, Richard firing another round aimed at the so far unharmed wolf, keeping watchful for any attempt by the animals to lunge at him.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq is alarmed at the rapidly approaching wolf, squeezing off another round and trying to find any cover to put between him and it!

[Shoot Da Moon]

Two more shots ring out, and the targeted wolves fall down prone and whining.
The bullets hit something they really needed.

With all the ambushing predators hurt too bad to fight anymore, they are easily finished off.

That's one more deadly fight the exiles have survived...

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Having already given away his position, Sean thinks he might as well try to communicate. He shouts: "Hey, inside! Friend or foe?!" Then he waves the others to withdraw to the east and starts slowly moving there, keeping his eyes mostly west and letting the team watch his back.

[Shoot Da Moon]

No-one answers Sean's shout.
As the exiles retreat, Sean spots some movement on the far horizon, the figure might have the vague outline of a man, but somehow much bigger.
The outside of the ski resort is cold, silent and bad-smelling. Around the grand hotel, the exiles notice the trappings of a militia training ground/base - dug-up footpaths, standalone desks, shot-up paper targets, fresh warning signs, floodlights and range markers.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq is a bit shaken from the encounter with the wolves, but glad it ended up like it did. He will take advantage of the lull in activity to reload the two shots expended from his revolver.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean points the rifle at the horizon as soon as he sees movement there. He does not intend to take inordinate time looking at whatever is there, unless he has already withdrawn all the way to the eastern corner, but he is interested in knowing what it might be and how it might relate to the situation.

Spoiler

Show

By the way, how high is the second floor window? Can two people let the third reach it? Can one person let the second almost reach it? Can one climb there solo by the outer wall?

[Shoot Da Moon]

The giant figure in the distance is a weird horror - bipedal with two arms and a head...but covered with blood, discoloured skin (mostly a sickly blue-red tint), carrying a huge club of some kind, twisted vaguely human features like ears and a mouth strangely arranged, a bizarre mess of feelers instead of eyes, and no hair anywhere...

The open window is 18 yards up from the ground. Using a grappling hook and rope to climb would work, if the throw was good enough...

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Still looking at something on the horizon, Sean somewhat suddenly takes a shot. Then he curses. "Damn it! First wolves as ambush predators and now that thing - see, over there, some sort of an extra-large biped." Sean still looks through the scope, intending to make another shot if able and needed.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean lets loose an excellent shot - it hits the thing straight in its...heart?

While the shot would be enough to waste a human three times over, the giant is made of much sterner stuff. With a mighty roar of pain, the monster starts to retreat, moving 5 yards away to a closer hill, apparently eager to run away from an unseen shooter.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean keeps aiming at the retreating monster. He intends to shoot it again if he can aim before it leaves sight, and probably go for two taps for good measure.

[Volthawk]

Richard keeps his attention on the building, watching for anyone hostile that may come to investigate the noises they've been making, but Sean's firing and commentary does get him to give the giant a quick glance. The hell is that thing? End result of too many of those medical nanomachines they've been finding? Content to let Sean deal with it using his rifle's superior range, Richard returns his focus to the immediate area.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean's aim is true as he lands two kidney hits on the monster's back as it flees. It takes the deadly assault like a champ - it slowly stumbles away and keeps awake.

It's elephantine form slips out of view, behind a mountain slope.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

For a few moments Sean remains just standing there, incredulous. Then he shakes his head. "I can swear I've scored three hits. It's either too tough or too armored or has its vitals where you would not be looking for them. Or all that at once. Don't you conserve ammunition when you see them up close." He shakes his head again and leads the way around the eastern end of the Grand Resort building, on the southern corner of which he takes a good look at the hotel's windows on that side and any life in them, with the intention to follow along the wall west and south to the southernmost corner of the hotel and take a good look at the pond, the Waffle Cabin and the Ski Area.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Taking care to avoid snow blindness, Sean's recon notices more dead bodies scattered around the area. Some have been brutally fried by a nasty blaze.

The pond is a grim scene; 4 people floating face down in the water, the surface dyed red.

The cabin has been locked down and fortified, bearing the scars of battle and scorched on one full side.

The ski area is untouched by violence, animals or winter fun. Guess all the action is at the top or downslope.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

Sean looks for presence of any antennas anywhere on or near the Waffle Cabin. Then he takes out the flashlight and emits three flashes at it. Then makes a long pause and repeats that. He remains mostly behind the corner while at it and the rest of the team should be further back behind the corner and not visible at all. Then Sean waits for any response.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The people in the cabin return the signal that the exiles have arranged earlier.

There is an antenna on top of the cabin, shielded by a metal wire cage.

Coming closer, the cabin inhabitants can be seen watching out with rifles braced, ready for trouble. They are all dressed in heavy white snow gear. When the exiles come right up to the cabin, they are let in, gestured to hurry.

Once inside, the scene is familiar; weary survivalists with guns, one injured and being treated, food and water rations on a table, weapons and ammo on another table, and expectant glances from the dug-in men.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq is taken aback by the giant...thing. "What was that? I hope that's the only one!"

As they're admitted into the cabin, he greets the people inside. "Hello, it looks like you've had a lot of trouble here. Sean here got at least one of them, but I'm not sure what that giant thing was...whose side it's on. What can we do?"

[Volthawk]

Richard nods at the people in the cabin as he enters, trying to give them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we're here to help. Is this all of you? We came across a gunfight down at the hotel - we know one side were those tattooed radiers, was the other side some of your people? We took out some of the raiders on the way here, but they're not all gone yet. Still, thanks to Sean here they should still be thinking twice before sticking their heads outside. Do you know anything about how many they are or where they're set up?"

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"He means," nodding at Tariq "we are your only help at the moment, but we are ready to act. We can follow your plan, whatever it is, as long as it's active, or try to think something up, for which we will need your best understanding of the situation." Then Sean remembers to name himself. "Sean Pires, radar base."

Spoiler

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I am assuming Sean has picked up his backpack after receiving the signal and before going in.

I think we'd like to know at least the following:
1. How many people are currently in this particular team and how are they armed (most of this could be answered just by looking at them, but still).
2. How many people were there living around this mountain and what is known about their fates (preferably, per building or group of buildings, if they know that much).
3. Is there any contact now with any other building or group of buildings (by radio or otherwise)?
4. How things were organized here before the attack (one settlement with one leadership, copmplete anarchy or what exact sort in between)?
5. The radio contact did not mention animals and monsters. Any notable changes since then?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Tariq is taken aback by the giant...thing. "What was that? I hope that's the only one!"

As they're admitted into the cabin, he greets the people inside. "Hello, it looks like you've had a lot of trouble here. Sean here got at least one of them, but I'm not sure what that giant thing was...whose side it's on. What can we do?"

The men shrug. "We don't know, it just showed up 20 minutes ago, wandering around the perimeter." One of the men sitting down says.

Another man speaks up, "We need you to retake a position from the enemy, and take out their commander."

Richard nods at the people in the cabin as he enters, trying to give them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we're here to help. Is this all of you? We came across a gunfight down at the hotel - we know one side were those tattooed radiers, was the other side some of your people? We took out some of the raiders on the way here, but they're not all gone yet. Still, thanks to Sean here they should still be thinking twice before sticking their heads outside. Do you know anything about how many they are or where they're set up?"

"There's more of us scattered around, most are barricaded in the hotel. They've been shooting raiders all day. The raiders are trying to wipe us out, and take over this place."

The man in charge explains further, "They've been getting fresh men in from their cars, their cars go out to fetch new men to replace losses now and then. They drop off new arrivals at where the raiders are dug in - the Bear Lodge."

Sean Pires

"He means," nodding at Tariq "we are your only help at the moment, but we are ready to act. We can follow your plan, whatever it is, as long as it's active, or try to think something up, for which we will need your best understanding of the situation." Then Sean remembers to name himself. "Sean Pires, radar base."

Spoiler

Show

I am assuming Sean has picked up his backpack after receiving the signal and before going in.

I think we'd like to know at least the following:
1. How many people are currently in this particular team and how are they armed (most of this could be answered just by looking at them, but still).
2. How many people were there living around this mountain and what is known about their fates (preferably, per building or group of buildings, if they know that much).
3. Is there any contact now with any other building or group of buildings (by radio or otherwise)?
4. How things were organized here before the attack (one settlement with one leadership, copmplete anarchy or what exact sort in between)?
5. The radio contact did not mention animals and monsters. Any notable changes since then?

The leader shows the exiles their area map, and points at the Bear Lodge. "The raider boss is here. He's running the whole thing, and his men will abandon the attack if he is taken off the board."

Spoiler

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1) Six? One has an AK-47, the rest have either hunting shotguns or good melee weapons, all have pistols.
2) The militia operating out of here was forty strong...until the raiders came. They figure 15 are confirmed dead, the rest are tied up in firefights or hiding.
3) The radio works, but they are getting no response from any of their comrades.
4) The militia had a leadership of 4 commanders, who each fed, led and bred 10 soldiers each, the ten soldiers were organised into two 5-man squads, each squad managed by one Officer reporting to a leader.
5) The animals and mutants just showed up and starting raising hell 45 minutes ago. Attacking everyone here, no idea why.

[u-b]

Sean Pires

"You say most are in the hotel. That's good, that should mean they are the winners. Still we'd like to go there and check. We have inadvertently provoked an attack on them and were wondering about the swift outcome. We'll need you to either tell them we're coming, and get a reply, or one of you to accompany us so that we are not accidentally shot at. As for the plan - no objections. Any of yours coming with us?"

Spoiler

Show

The intent is to walk north then east along the hotel's wall to find the ultimate fate of the attackers. All that without being shot from the hotel.

What's with the time now? Any chance to walk all the way to the Bear Lodge (along the road, placing the mines on the way) and still have some sunlight to attack and retreat?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sean Pires

"You say most are in the hotel. That's good, that should mean they are the winners. Still we'd like to go there and check. We have inadvertently provoked an attack on them and were wondering about the swift outcome. We'll need you to either tell them we're coming, and get a reply, or one of you to accompany us so that we are not accidentally shot at. As for the plan - no objections. Any of yours coming with us?"

Spoiler

Show

The intent is to walk north then east along the hotel's wall to find the ultimate fate of the attackers. All that without being shot from the hotel.

What's with the time now? Any chance to walk all the way to the Bear Lodge (along the road, placing the mines on the way) and still have some sunlight to attack and retreat?

The militiaman shakes his head. "Sorry, we need to hold this position. Maybe someone else can back you up. Here, we'll give you a list of passphrases, just say them to our comrades and you identify yourself as a friendly. No-one else has been picking up the radio, but we can still send a message anyway, hope that will help."

Spoiler

Show

Maybe if you head out to the Lodge within the next hour. Otherwise, it'll get dark real soon.