Worse Than the Disease IC

[Shoot Da Moon]

The Waffle House people do not quite remember the appearance of the exiles, but their radio communications with the radar base do make them familiar with the general reputation of the men. They welcome them in as the guards secure the area, waving the cars in.

A lot of Waffle House security need first aid. Most of them are injured, some are even close to death.

The exiles do not need to search the dead attackers, as the Waffle House people have already dragged in and stripped the dead bodies by the time the cars have been driven in. The people inside the settlement have a morbid interest in studying the mutants. No attackers who did not flee survived.

The dead mutants have jet black eyes with extra thick lids, weirdly pointed ears, severely discoloured skin, malformed mouths, and shimmering body hair. Sean finds he can't break the dead man's unearthly skin with his knife unless he really forces it.

[u-b]

Sean takes the first aid kit from the car and starts bandaging everyone, starting with those most severely wounded. Presumably, Tariq and Waffle House medical people take more patients in parallel. The first aid kit likely does not have enough bandages for everyone, so Sean uses Waffle House stocks if they have any. After everyone is at least bandaged, Sean starts to provide more focused care, treating three heavily injured men over the course of an hour. After that, he tries to estimate how many more need help and how much supplies are available for that.

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I think that would depend on how many medics fit to do anything they have at the moment and how much supllies they have in stock. The party only has a TL7 first aid kit in the car (and maybe Tariq has something on him, not sure).

[GnomesofZurich2]

Sean takes the first aid kit from the car and starts bandaging everyone, starting with those most severely wounded. Presumably, Tariq and Waffle House medical people take more patients in parallel. The first aid kit likely does not have enough bandages for everyone, so Sean uses Waffle House stocks if they have any. After everyone is at least bandaged, Sean starts to provide more focused care, treating three heavily injured men over the course of an hour. After that, he tries to estimate how many more need help and how much supplies are available for that.

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I think that would depend on how many medics fit to do anything they have at the moment and how much supllies they have in stock. The party only has a TL7 first aid kit in the car (and maybe Tariq has something on him, not sure).

Tariq has some bandages, but not enough to help more than a few people.

[Shoot Da Moon]

There are 10 people who have been harmed during the attack.
Sean bandages three of them and treats their injuries. They won't be back in action for days to come, but they won't die today.

The Waffle House has enough medical supplies to complete first aid on the injured, and keep them resting in sterile hospital conditions, but it will drain their storehouse noticeably. If the exiles can get more medical supplies for them after this, the Waffle House would be very grateful.

The Waffle House people gently ask the exiles if they would let them have all the loot off the slain attackers, so they may trade them for medicine?

[Volthawk]

Richards nods immediately when the Waffle House people ask for the loot - the way he sees it, the exiles have gotten their hands on plenty already, and medical supplies were important enough that they needed to get them. Besides, he felt a little like they owed the Waffle House people something, given their initial receptiveness and sending the exiles to the radar base had led them to the pretty decent situation they were in now.

[u-b]

Sean continues to help wounded people until everyone is taken care of. He does not quite object to leaving most or all loot to Waffle House people, but wants the list and the right to pick anything special they might have had. If they have no fancy gear and no clues, Waffle House can have it all. After they have it, they can trade it (or something else that they have) ​for one Springfield M1 Garand right now or maybe two of them tomorrow. That is, assuming they want to be able to repel a similar attack, which they probably do. Sean is very liberal regarding the stuff he can take in return, he will accept literally anything, including good gear, broken gear, empty casings, services, favors, promisory notes, etc., etc. He can deliver medical supplies as soon as tomorrow, if there is a demand.

Having that out of the way, he asks about the people wanting to restore a power plant and if that plan remains actual given the recent events.

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1. What is an attacker's typical gear?
2. What is the price of tha attackers' gear combined?
3. Any papers with them or maybe strange substances?

No need to go into too much of details, but Sean wants to have a clear idea.

I think it should be pretty late by now, so we won't move anywhere, but can spend some time talking to anyone present on site. Is the woman who sent us to the radar base here at the moment? Is she conscious?

[GnomesofZurich2]

Disappointed with the performance of his TL7 HE grenades, Tariq wants to take a bit of time to upgrade his remaining HE launched grenades to TL8. In less than half an hour, he has all the grenades upgraded.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Having that out of the way, he asks about the people wanting to restore a power plant and if that plan remains actual given the recent events.

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1. What is an attacker's typical gear?
2. What is the price of tha attackers' gear combined?
3. Any papers with them or maybe strange substances?

Healing the security forces is easy, but not particularly effectual. Stopping bloodloss requires little time, but the wounds themselves are ugly and large.

The Waffle House settlers primarily want ammo and medical supplies, and will trade tools and food for them.

The job to help restore the power plant is still available. The people who need an escort have their tools, but they want armed guards to keep them safe. Do the exiles have any questions so far?

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1) DR 1 armor sets, probably improvised leathers. An axe or baseball bat or H&R Model 8 Standard 12G single shotgun (last item worth $600). Gunners have 2d6 shotgun slugs worth $10 each.
2) Not much, if you don't count the shotguns and their ammo.
3) Well, other than their bodily fluids? No papers or weird drugs. Tracking down where the horde of mutant came from is possible, but probably dangerous and requiring a long time.

[u-b]

Sean does have questions. First, he does not quite get the situation with arming against a possible second attack. Granted, it is not guaranteed to happen anytime soon, but he still wants to understand it. In particular:
1. The Waffle House men seemed to have trouble harming the mutants. What exactly did they use and what was the observed effect? Talking about the snipers in particular (what are they armed with?), but also in general.
2. The mutants can be easily hurt by 7.62x51, but when Sean is offering to provide a 7.62×63 rifle or two they just say "no, don't wanna"?
3. Are they able to use the newly-acquired shotguns? Do they have any ammo for them besides the looted slugs?
4. Given the above and below, does Sean expect that 12G slugs would be good against the mutants?
5. Where is their boss woman, again? The one Sean has personally met.

As for the escort mission, we are potentially interested. Not necessarily ready to leave with the first light tomorrow, but we'll see. A few more details would be welcome:
1. How many people are to be escorted? How can they defend themselves? Are they able to use any types of guns if they are given them? Do they have a radio to take with them?
2. What is the expected duration of the mission?
3. Any payment for it?

After everything is discussed, Sean takes a 12G shotgun, two slugs and two dead mutant bodies. He shoots those two slugs at those two bodies: one in the heart and one in the stomach. He then performs a limited autopsy of those two, to see both the effect the slugs had and if anything else of interest would show up. This takes some time, but Sean does not need much sleep, so he thinks he can as well do it.

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@GM: Do I need any rolls for the above?

@Team: So, it seems we can go...
1. After the mutants.
2. After the gamblers' hidden outpost.
3. As an escort.

Listed in order of preference, mainly because the outpost is not bound to fade away, but can be reordered. What do you guys think?

[Shoot Da Moon]

1. The Waffle House men seemed to have trouble harming the mutants. What exactly did they use and what was the observed effect? Talking about the snipers in particular (what are they armed with?), but also in general.
2. The mutants can be easily hurt by 7.62x51, but when Sean is offering to provide a 7.62×63 rifle or two they just say "no, don't wanna"?
3. Are they able to use the newly-acquired shotguns? Do they have any ammo for them besides the looted slugs?
4. Given the above and below, does Sean expect that 12G slugs would be good against the mutants?
5. Where is their boss woman, again? The one Sean has personally met.

1. How many people are to be escorted? How can they defend themselves? Are they able to use any types of guns if they are given them? Do they have a radio to take with them?
2. What is the expected duration of the mission?
3. Any payment for it?

After everything is discussed, Sean takes a 12G shotgun, two slugs and two dead mutant bodies. He shoots those two slugs at those two bodies: one in the heart and one in the stomach. He then performs a limited autopsy of those two, to see both the effect the slugs had and if anything else of interest would show up. This takes some time, but Sean does not need much sleep, so he thinks he can as well do it.

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@GM: Do I need any rolls for the above?

1) The snipers were using Rolling Block rifles. The shots only seemed to deal a stopping wound slightly more than half the time. The men engaged in melee fared much worse.
2) The Waffle House guards would like such a weapon, but they are concerned about the price.
3) They can certainly use the shotguns, and have ammo for them.
4) The solid slugs are generally great man-killers. Maybe?
5) The boss is busy, and also still in their fortified position. She can not meet with you right now.

1) 20 people. Half of them have revolvers. They know how to use them. They know a bit about long arms. They have a radio.
2) One month at least.
3) They can arrange a payment of 100 pistol bullets, 50 rations, 50 bottles of water, and 50 rifle bullets. They might need to work out a deal with other settlements for electricity first, though.

The Waffle House people think he's wasting slugs on dead enemies. Inspecting the bodies, Sean finds the slugs tore into the flesh of the mutants...but not nearly as much as a normal person. The mutants have heart, yes, and the slugs can damage them lethally. The stomach proves less vulnerable. A full analysis takes a hour...
(OC: Sean, roll against IQ-based Biology+6 or Expert Skill (Mutants)+6 - if you have them. Otherwise, it's a IQ-based Diagnosis+6 roll, whichever is better. No matter what you roll, you get another +3 bonus for an easy subject.)

[u-b]

2) The Waffle House guards would like such a weapon, but they are concerned about the price.

Sean first just observes that lend-lease is a thing. Then he agrees that deals like this are better brought directly to the leader...

5) The boss is busy, and also still in their fortified position. She can not meet with you right now.

...which is, thus, somewhat problematic. Sean has no problems navigating to the "fortified position", but would like to know if and when he would be able to talk to the boss. His time limit for this visit is the coming morning. Late morning will do.

2) One month at least.
3) They can arrange a payment of 100 pistol bullets, 50 rations, 50 bottles of water, and 50 rifle bullets.

The combination of this makes Sean wonder about the economical side of the whole affair and whether it is well thought-out. He lets Richard do further inquiries, if it would be so desired. Getting involved personally seems to be a big waste of time at the moment. Financing the arms is an option, but we'll have to see.

A full analysis takes a hour...

...and yields some results, which are sure interesting.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The boss of the Waffe House settlement is to be bunkered down until all the attackers are confirmed dead or far away from the area. It may take days or a week.

One of the quartermaster's chief assistants can handle the exiles' offer.

The mutant appears to have extremely thick skin that can easily match most low-tech armor, and it does not need to eat or drink anything. Well, used to, when it was alive.

(OC: The mutant attacker had DR 10 and Doesn't Eat or Drink.)

[u-b]

The deal proposed by Sean is like this:
1. We have three fine guns with x2 optics: a sniper rifle, an assault rifle and a 10G pump-action shotgun. Of these, any two can be provided to Waffle House Arsenal for any local defensive use.
2. While the guns are thus allocated, our team has a claim to hospitality here, able to use the site as a base for local operations without a long trip back north. We'll need secure parking spots to leave the car(s), some amount of storage and housing free of charge and gas always available for purchase.

Regardless of how the above proposal is decided, we'll have at least one other gun and will be willing to provide it to any Waffle House man willing to accompany us after the mutants (to confirm first-hand that they are dead or far away or maybe to take a more active stance if they are not). We can also provide the armor and everything else necessary for the operation.

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(OC: The mutant attacker had DR 10 and Doesn't Eat or Drink.)

1. Anything like Protected Vision or Protected Hearing?
2. Any clues about their source of energy? Like a lifetime supply of belly fat for some amoutn of lifetime, or something even less natural?

[Shoot Da Moon]

The deal proposed by Sean is like this:
1. We have three fine guns with x2 optics: a sniper rifle, an assault rifle and a 10G pump-action shotgun. Of these, any two can be provided to Waffle House Arsenal for any local defensive use.
2. While the guns are thus allocated, our team has a claim to hospitality here, able to use the site as a base for local operations without a long trip back north. We'll need secure parking spots to leave the car(s), some amount of storage and housing free of charge and gas always available for purchase.

Regardless of how the above proposal is decided, we'll have at least one other gun and will be willing to provide it to any Waffle House man willing to accompany us after the mutants (to confirm first-hand that they are dead or far away or maybe to take a more active stance if they are not). We can also provide the armor and everything else necessary for the operation.

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1. Anything like Protected Vision or Protected Hearing?
2. Any clues about their source of energy? Like a lifetime supply of belly fat for some amoutn of lifetime, or something even less natural?

The Waffle House security decides to take the deal - they want the sniper rifle and the assault rifle. In return, they show the exiles to a large garage that they reserve for them alone as long as the deal is in place.

The Waffle House people want to stay where they are and fix up their position here, before they entertain any idea of man-hunting. The exiles may have to go it alone...

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1) Maybe? Their eyes and ears are not normal, at least.
2) All their internal organs are strangely coloured and pumping some kind of unidentified chemical around.

[u-b]

Sean hands over the rifles and says that with their quality and scopes it should be practical to target the heart with just a second of aiming, which, according to Sean's findings, should be enough to one-shot a mutant. The garage seems good enough, so Sean parks the sedan there and transfers most of the useful things into the pickup. He asks Waffle House men if they have a good electronics repair kit available and/or a person able to fix the computers. No actual deal is proposed right now, but Sean might be soon interested.

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Should we give more time for Volthawk and GnomesofZurich to chime in? Sean's plan currently is to leave with first light. We will take our only off-road-capable vehichle, which is the pickup. Sean will go lightly equipped and so will the dogs. Everyone else will ride the pickup. This should give us decent enough speed. Not necessarily better than mutants', but at least the trail won't be getting colder as we follow it, I guess.

If no second attack in the dark, I'm ready to call it tomorrow.

[Shoot Da Moon]

He asks Waffle House men if they have a good electronics repair kit available and/or a person able to fix the computers. No actual deal is proposed right now, but Sean might be soon interested.

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Should we give more time for Volthawk and GnomesofZurich to chime in?

The Waffle House settlement does indeed have people who know how to fix computers and have tool kits. They mostly work in explorations of The Gutter.

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Yeah, give the other players some time to chime in. BTW, mark off the meals and water consumed for today.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Should we give more time for Volthawk and GnomesofZurich to chime in? Sean's plan currently is to leave with first light. We will take our only off-road-capable vehichle, which is the pickup. Sean will go lightly equipped and so will the dogs. Everyone else will ride the pickup. This should give us decent enough speed. Not necessarily better than mutants', but at least the trail won't be getting colder as we follow it, I guess.

If no second attack in the dark, I'm ready to call it tomorrow.

I'm fine with this. I'm still checking daily, just you seem to have this handled so haven't been chiming in.

[Volthawk]

As far as Richard is concerned, while he's definitely interested in the escort mission - missions to help make something new or restore a little of what was lost are always going to be something he's interested in, given his idealistic view of the old world (even if recent events have shaken that a little) and his general selfless attitude - he agrees that the mutants are the priority at the moment. Besides just dealing with a threat to the Waffle House and potentially other settlements, the mutant side of things is something that the exiles have had pretty light intel about, just second-hand information and a single peaceful encounter back before they knew enough to ask relevant questions, and hopefully tracking this group down will help answer some of the questions he has, one way or another.

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Yeah, still around, just have had some IRL messes going on (main reason why I was a little irregular during the mutant fight, had a few weeks there of not being online much) and the recent back and forth between Sean and the Waffle House people has been something I haven't really seen a need/opportunity to have Richard chip in.

[Shoot Da Moon]

The exiles rest at the Waffle House settlement for hours. They eat and drink, enjoy the social scene, swap stories with travellers, and see to their gear.

(OC: You've all got free time to take care of business before night falls - let's call it 3 hours of activities. Are any of your characters going to do something in that time you want to get out of the way? What skills are you rolling?)

[u-b]

Are any of your characters going to do something in that time you want to get out of the way? What skills are you rolling?

They mostly work in explorations of The Gutter.

I think Sean already spent that much time if not more doing first aid and autopsy, so he might have to pass. But if Waffle House men don't mind staying late, Sean will chat with those particular guys and try to arrange inviting us on some of their trips to The Gutter. That is, after both we and they are done with the things at the surface. He'll welcome any information relevant to that trip, like:
1. How long those usually take and how far they extend?
2. What preparations would be required or recommended?
3. Are there specific places in The Gutter they were avoiding that might be worth visiting with our additional firepower?

(but apparently this does not go well...)

Also, shopping for water and gas, the detail of which later.

[Shoot Da Moon]

I think Sean already spent that much time if not more doing first aid and autopsy, so he might have to pass. But if Waffle House men don't mind staying late, Sean will chat with those particular guys and try to arrange inviting us on some of their trips to The Gutter. That is, after both we and they are done with the things at the surface. He'll welcome any information relevant to that trip, like:
1. How long those usually take and how far they extend?
2. What preparations would be required or recommended?
3. Are there specific places in The Gutter they were avoiding that might be worth visiting with our additional firepower?

(but apparently this does not go well...)

Also, shopping for water and gas, the detail of which later.

The men exploring The Gutter are not interested in Sean's offer. He looks a little green around the gills, and they want hardened back-up. They do not bother answering any of his questions.

The Waffle House merchants sell bottled water and gasoline at the standard price for the time and place. The Waffle House settlement has its own well, but they purchase redundant back-up supplies from travelling salesmen.

[Volthawk]

With little call for his more specialised skills, Richard focuses on the people of the Waffle House, getting around as many of the various groups living there as he could and talking to them, talking a lot about the exiles and what they've been up to recently. He doesn't embellish the stories much, knowing well that he's a bad liar, but tries his best to make it entertaining and impressive (after all, as far he's concerned they've achieved a lot over the last month or two) and to deliver the point he's trying to make well - that they're out there, they're fighting the various threats that plague the people of Vermont and that anyone with leads on said threats (mutants and the various raider factions, primarily, but he's always open to hearing about other problems) can get in touch with them if they want said leads acted on. He knew of course that intel from random people would never be reliable, particularly given they already knew that their enemy had spies in settlements like this, but nonetheless he felt like it might be useful - in any case, he felt like growing their reputation and having more people knowing who they are and what they're doing would always be useful.

[Shoot Da Moon]

With little call for his more specialised skills, Richard focuses on the people of the Waffle House, getting around as many of the various groups living there as he could and talking to them, talking a lot about the exiles and what they've been up to recently. He doesn't embellish the stories much, knowing well that he's a bad liar, but tries his best to make it entertaining and impressive (after all, as far he's concerned they've achieved a lot over the last month or two) and to deliver the point he's trying to make well - that they're out there, they're fighting the various threats that plague the people of Vermont and that anyone with leads on said threats (mutants and the various raider factions, primarily, but he's always open to hearing about other problems) can get in touch with them if they want said leads acted on. He knew of course that intel from random people would never be reliable, particularly given they already knew that their enemy had spies in settlements like this, but nonetheless he felt like it might be useful - in any case, he felt like growing their reputation and having more people knowing who they are and what they're doing would always be useful.

(OC: That sounds like a Carousing or Public Speaking roll?)

The juiciest new gossip Richard hears is that there is an abandoned Shelter that squatters and outcasts have claimed as their own, Shelter 60. This "rogue town" Shelter is located somewhere in the north-east of the state.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Richard also hears the following scraps of information;
There is an abandoned Shelter full of mutated animals and plants hidden in the mountains at the centre of Vermont.
There are computer servers in The Gutter that have old databanks of the Shelter network.
The Bread Basket settlement is hiding something from the other cities, something about their restricted area, the former Shelter below ground.
The Shelter network was supposed to be overseen by some kind of hyper-advanced digital mind.
The raider army has an Old World super war machine in reserve.
The raider army has converted a really big Old World car into some kind of war machine.

[u-b]

Sean makes the a transaction purchasing the following:
1. Plastic Bottle x32 at $1
2. Bottled Water x7 at $2
3. Gasoline x9 at $6

He pays 10 rifle cartridges for that and fills the all bottles at the well free of charge.

He rearranges some equipment and feels ready for another day.

[Shoot Da Moon]

(OC: Alright, Tariq and Richard, anything else you want to do?)

[Volthawk]

(Nope, good to go now.)

[Shoot Da Moon]

As night falls on the Waffle House settlement, the exiles enjoy a good dinner and good company...right up until the peace is broken by one of the guards screaming in agony as a petrol bottle bomb is thrown at him and engulfs the poor guy in flames!

Suddenly, shots from outside are fired, taking out another guard, and the entire settlement is scrambling for cover or battle stations! Calls to action fill the air as security forces ready their guns!

(OC: The night is worth a -8 darkness penalty. The attackers outside are unknown, probably hiding. They have not gotten inside the settlement, yet.)

[u-b]

Sean grabs the rifle and gets outside ASAP. He would prefer to have cover from the side where the action seems to be, and would prefer his position not illuminated by anything, but won't spend much time striving for those properties. At least, he'll need a line of sight, and on that he won't compromise. So, having chosen whatever spot seems the most appropriate, Sean crouches there and takes a look through the optics, trying to locate an attacker or two.

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I am assuming nobody has hit the bunk yet, and thus we don't need much time to prepare. I rolled the guard shift anyway, just in case it's that late (we'll stand guard shifts camping at the Waffle House for the simple reason of it being too close to Shelter 44 to just ignore the possibility of it being infiltrated). If Sean is socializing, he's probably lightly equipped, but that is good enough. Anyway, he won't exit the building without the vest on.

[Volthawk]

Grabbing his rifle, Richard gets to a different piece of cover to where Sean has set himself up and flicks on the flashlight attached to his rifle, sweeping it across the terrain outside the Waffle House, looking for any sign of the attackers.

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The large tactical light Richard has on his rile has an 100-yard beam which, given the kind of weapons the attackers have tended to use, should be far enough. Additionally, if any of them look directly at the light, it's bright enough that they need to make a HT-4 roll or be blinded for 10 seconds times the margin of failure.