Dinosaurs!: Georgia On My Mind

[Freemage]

As promised, Chief Wilde is waiting for you in the briefing room. For once, Montcrief is nowhere to be seen. She has a map of the southern portion of the Magic Zone on the table, with several red pins set in various places. Her whiskey glass is set on one corner of the map, having already been picked up and set down often enough to leave a spill-ring; an ashtray holds down another corner; some of the ash from the stogie has actually made it into the target, but a good bit is scattered around it, making it look like southwestern Tennessee is covered in snow.

"Alright, come on in. Montcrief got snagged for some sort of pow-wow with Elle, but I figure I can give you the run down. We've been getting some strange surges along a few of the ley lines in this region, and there's some concern about Storm activity brewing. Since several of you have been through a Storm before, you get the lucky draw. We've got a path mark--"

She's cut off as Montcrief bursts into the room, striding over to her and leaning in to whisper. She listens, her face growing darker and more grim as he speaks. His murmurs are inaudible even to Echo, but her replies are completely within the realm of hearing--probably most of the way down the hall. "What? ... You've got to be--. ... No, that's just--. ... What did he--? ... So for all we know it's a damned snipe hunt? ... Tell that feathered--. ... Fine, dammit!" She sighs, takes a deep breath, a deeper drag on the stogie and a deeper still swig from the glass, and then nods.

"Right. Change of plans. One of our intrepid explorers seems to have found something he thinks is important down in the Dinosaur Swamp. Which is impressive, since last I heard, he was investigating some caves about 20 miles from here. Anyway, we've got a half-assed message he sent back this way saying he needs support immediately. Apparently, Elle of Owls, in her infinite wisdom, has selected the 7th for this detail. So, here's the deal. You're to make your way as quickly as you can to these coordinates in Georgia, about 40 miles southeast of the ruins of Macon. You're to meet up with Harlan Sarma." She takes the pad Montcrief has been holding out, and taps it, bringing up an image of an absurdly handsome young man with olive skin and dark eyes.

"According to the message--which is apparently horribly fragmented, having been passed along orally at points--there's some sort of major threat brewing in the area, but we don't know what that threat might entail. So you get to go down there, find out what's got his panties in a bunch, and then figure out what to do about it. Since it's the freakin' Dinosaur Swamp, I'm going to be insisting on you getting Hazard Pay; we'll have the amount settled by the time you get back. Load up and head out!"

Montcrief adds, helpfully, "The route data and Specialist Sarma's file, most notably his radio frequency, has been downloaded both to the Big Boss' onboard computer and Sasha's systems, Specialist SnackHappy."

She tolerates only the briefest of questions before directing you all to gear up and get moving, already.

OOC Comments

The Gunwolf has a pace of 10, ergo 5 mph. Assuming 14 hours of travel per day, that's 90 miles/day. Your trip is a bit under 800 miles, and thus... about 8-1/2 days long, planned. (I tend to assume Robot Armor is capable of keeping up across most terrains at full Pace. If you guys actually were going to Florida, that part of the travel would be slower due to the swampier ground. Georgia, fortunately, is going to be more 'jungle' than 'swamp'.

Brief questions will be tolerated, and you can post any actions you wish on the trip.

I would like to know camping protocol. Given that your Big Boss is loaded with supplies for what might be a month's long trip (if not longer), there's only room for 4 to sleep comfortably inside it at night right now (it'll probably be better for the return trip). Snackhappy, of course, can stay happy in Sasha. Weather is moderate and you're well-provisioned, including bug-repellent for once you're in the DS proper--no need for Survival or Vigor rolls at this time.

Oh, and Fox? That's a long trip, time to tell the group something about yourself. Post an Interlude to this thread. If you can incorporate the theme (below), you get a choice--an extra bennie, or an extra draw from the Adventure Deck.

What's that, you say? You haven't drawn from the Adventure Deck? Silly fellow, go post here. One roll, at least, or two if you take that option for the Interlude. Roll 1d54, and then read it off the table. Re-roll anything that duplicates the rest of the group (one copy of a card in play is the limit). Remember, you also only get one AC play per Quarter.

You'll only have this/these cards for the rest of the month (then we re-draw), but hey, it might come in handy, and means you've got less pressure to save it.

Oh, and Fox got a Queen of Diamonds for the theme: Desire. This can be monetary, a possession, a person, a life-goal or a state of being; it can be a desire obtained, thwarted, or still being sought. Have fun with it.

[Zakkael]

Zakkael ponders the new twist in the assignment. "I don't suppose we have any Simvan who can be temporarily assigned to us. It matters not. The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Light. If the mouths of lions can be sealed for the prophets of old, then surely we need not fear the mouths of serpents on our noble task." Once all other questions are asked, Zakkael rises, bows to Wilde, and exits the meeting room.

[SnackHappy]

OOC Comments

Notice:[dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice]
Just in case.
Repair:[dice]2[/dice]
Wild: [dice]3[/dice]

SnackHappy grabs the file on Sarma. Slightly shaking his head at the mention of his new rank while looking over the file. Not sure how I feel about getting promoted cause of my friends death.

"Well boys, you heard 'm. It's time! Let's check our gear and get on the move! Any one of you guys know squat about dinosaurs?"

After the rest of the squad head out he waits patiently to be the last out the door in case people have questions for him. Then makes his way to the garage and tinkers with Sasha ensuring that all her systems are go and that her munitions are in top form and fully loaded.

[Echo]

"I know a little bit, but not as much as we should. Perhaps getting some books to brush up on before leaving the castle would be a good idea Sir?"

With a nod Echo heads to the data center to check out some books on the Dinosaur Swamp major threats and essentials to staying alive.

OOC Comments

Survival is only d4, but with e-books targeting the area we may be able to fudge some small bonuses to help.

[Growler]

Survival

Survival to determine information on the Macon area of Georgia (+2 due Woodsman)
Survival: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild: [dice]1[/dice]
Ace: [dice]2[/dice]
Result: 9 - Success with Raise

"I believe I know a bit about that area from what I was taught..."

Briefing

Assume Growler has briefed everyone IC about what to expect...

Georgia is heavily jungle-fied, with the 'swamp' part becoming a bigger issue as you move south into Florida proper. Dinosaurs, both authentic and alien, exist in the swamp, along with barbarian tribes (ranging from actual historical barbarians to Hollywood escapees from dimensions where people really do wear loincloths as armor). No real tech bases to speak of, but some of the tribes use weapons made of materials capable of punching through vehicular armor, if not very well.

[Kutter]

Wandering along at his normal late pace, Kutter search for a briefing room, and some Wilde feller, and a bunch of Jokers... Apparently, they were headed off to the BFE somewhere east...and they needed some one that could drive and tinker a bit...

Kutter plodded along, his left leg causing his gait to wobble and sink as he walks along. His leg look like it had been broken at a steep angle, and left to heal wrong. Kutter never thought much of it. He was usually thinking about what he could do with Sally. Sally was his number one girl. Sally had been there for thick and thin. He took care of Sally, and Sally take care of him.

Sally is a Mountaineer ATV. The Sweetest Dang vehicle north of the Red River!

Finally...Kutter approaches the sound of voices, and sees the briefing room number he was sent to.

Kutter first pokes his head into the room and gives a sniff.

OOC Comments

Psychic Sense - Detect Arcana - Notice
[dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

Then, with exuberance, hops into the room, and assumes a stiff military stance, complete with a hard salute.

"REX CORNELIUS KUTTER REPORTING FOR DUTY CAPTAIN WILDE", probably a bit too loudly.

He stands at serious attention, waiting.

[Freemage]

As Kutter enters the room, he sees a very solidly-built woman with a lit cigar in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other, bearing a Chief's rank insignia, accompanied by a violet-skinned, white-haired D-Bee in an Adjutant's uniform. The latter is bearing a stack of forms and a tablet. The woman is in full tirade.

"Of all the blinkered ideas... Can you believe Elle wanted to make that Gunwolf WALK all the way to Georgia for this? Insanity!" She breaks off as Kutter comes in.

"Right. Specialist--" she begins, and again, the Adjutant speaks before she can falter. "--Kutter, sir." "Right, Specialist Kutter. Welcome to the 7th SET. You're one of the Jokers, now! The group left just an hour ago; we've radioed ahead, and they'll be waiting for you--we'll send a driver along to help transfer the cargo, and to bring their current vehicle back to base. By the time you get down to the motor pool, your Mark V should be rigged up with a trailer for the trip--tell SnackHappy that Sasha gets to ride in style. Any questions? No? Good man!" She turns and walks away, but the Adjutant stays behind.

"Sorry about that. Sometimes Chief Wilde gets a bit ahead of herself--but she's right, the 7th needs you on the road as quickly as possible. I've got the route you'll take to be catching up to them here--I'm Corporal Montcrief, by the way, nice to meet you; your field commander is Specialist 1st Class SnackHappy--he's the GunWolf pilot. They're a good group, you should do fine, Specialist Kutter. You're going on a mission to the Dinosaur Swamp, to help one of our explorers with some mess he's gotten into or discovered or something. Do you have any actual questions? We have a few moments before the trailer is attached to your vehicle."

************

As Kutter pulls out, dragging the trailer behind the Mark V, Sasha's radio comes to life--and yes, this about an hour and a half after the SET hit the road. "Specialist SnackHappy, please have your unit take a brief break where ever you are. We're sending you a driver and a more suitable vehicle. Specialist 2nd Class Kutter will be joining you on the trip. Private Collins will come along with Specialist Kutter, to help transfer the cargo quickly and then bring the Big Boss back to Castle Refuge."

OOC Comments

Quick notes about the vehicle swap.

The trailer is reinforced to handle Sasha's weight, but it is not remotely a fit place to fire anything but the lasers from. The kickback from any other weapons WILL either knock Sasha off the trailer, break the trailer hitch, or both.

While the trailer is empty, it gives the Mark V a -1 Handling penalty; fully laden with Sasha, it's a -2. There is a quick-release lever in the back--you'd need a passenger to pull it, though, and if Sasha is on the trailer when it's released, the GunWolf will take a hard tumble. Still, if you need to maneuver, that's how you do it.

The to trip to Georgia will now take two days.

[Kutter]

"No Sir. No questions here. I'll take good care of them."

He salutes, gives a solid nod, and takes his leave.

He hurries, as much as he can, and almost has a skip in his step. He feels it in his belly, but he tries to fight it. He hates it when he gets excited. Scrambling back to the motor pool, he finally unleashes a howl of joy, followed by several brays and yips, as he bounds along to meet his new group.

He takes little time or conversation, and soon, Sally roars to life, and he is quickly on his way to meet up with the 7th.

He takes the most direct route, and once he sees them, will radio ahead to the Gunwolf...

"Advise, Advise, Specialist Kutter requesting rendezvous with 7th. Hail to Gunwolf....Hail to Gunwolf...Specialist Kutter rendezvous as ordered."

He continues to drive up and wait for contact.

[Calyx]

OOC Comments

Notice die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

Calyx walks in to the briefing room with a smile on his face. He is so very glad to be back and out of the very cold and inhospitable north - it had taken him a day or two to warm back up. He looks around the room slowly. He frowns ever so slightly as he sees that the ever-present Montcrief is not present. He hopes nothing has happened to the D-Bee. They aren't friends or anything, but he doesn't wish the guy ill. The chief explains Montcrief's absence, so he pays it no more mind.

And there is a map, so the map quickly draws his attention. He likes maps for some reason, despite the gross way this map is being held down. His nose wrinkles slightly at the whiskey and ash but he moves past it. The Chief is quickly interrupted mid-briefing by the no-longer-absent Montcrief, and Calyx's eyebrows rise upward. He glances at his teammates and gives a shrug. Things are changed up, and their not-really-given-mission is squashed and completely rewritten. He tries to take it in stride, paying attention to what their new mission will be.

Georgia? Dinosaur swamp?? Now this is getting interesting! Whoa, that guy is far too good looking.

The mention of hazard pay makes him both smile slightly and think this will be no cake walk. He glances at Zakkael and nods thinking that is a fair question...though the rest of the religious spiel goes wide. Snack Happy starts barking, but is followed quickly by Growler and Echo piping up. "Not me. I've heard of it, but I only know third-hand information at best!"

He lifts his chin. "Permission t'requisition bigger guns t'help make any maraudin' dinos easier t'quell, sah?" That isn't proper grammar, and he seems to relish in it. He grins knowing he will be shot down but asks anyway.

He mounts up in the ATV only to have them get stopped a half-hour in to the trip. He chuckles and shakes his head. "Hurry up an' wait, I see."

When the new arrival shows up, he glances from Growler to the new Dog Boy and back. His lips twist in to a smile. Quietly to Herra he whispers, "Heh. I wonder if there'll be an actual pissin' contest!"

[Kutter]

(Interlude)

During the two days, Kutter finds a captive audience to talk to, something he has not always had.

Ok, This is it...You are a Joker...You made it Boy...

While eating some jerky, and listening to the others small talk, Kutter just starts talking, oblivious to whether or not he is interrupting anyone.
"So you guys ever git runned over by a motorcycle? he ask with a grin.
"See my leg? That's what happened yup...Swear it did, I know that's right...Hurt like a sumbitch too...I tell you what. No doctors in the Red River Boys. That's my tribe. We got wiped out by the blackskulls...actually, believe you me, I am the last one standing...I know right? Hard to believe it...Only survivor. I told Red that we needed to stop hittin those Coalition tankers, but he was a greedy bastard of a hound. So I was not one bit surprised to see them bastards that final morning...But that's not even how I hurt my damn leg. Damn Pecos Boy, You know, them crazy Texas biker gang guys?
Ya, them, they runned over my legged. We got him good though. We wuz stealin oil from them Coalition boys, and the Pecos tries to hone in on our job! Lazy bastards. So there is like 10 of these biker guys, with like chains, and vibro sticks. They are charging down on a few of us, me and Fuzz, and Doggo, and Bullet. They charge right through us, and I get whacked up side the head with a chain, and go out, like KNOCKED OUT, and one of them Pecos Boys runned over my leg when I was knock out. Doggo threw a grenade into the one guys backpack, so they didn't get to make another pass...but they runned over my leg, and the damage was done, and no doctors around before it healed.

He shrugs, and seems to have a flash of emotion that quickly subsides as he grits his jaw, and swallows.

"It's fine though, lot worse could happen. Could of runned over my head instead!

He lets out a hearty belly laugh, mixed with puppy like yips of excitement.

"Tell you what though, the Tribe coulda left me behind, but Red was smart, and said I would have to learn to drive if i couldn't walk fast enough to keep up. So I did. I leaned to drive and tinker. Now, I can't be doing all that smart math and engineering talk like those lab coat types. I don't know the first law of tom, dick, or harry nothing from no one. But, I'll fix it if it broke. If i can't fix it, it ain't meant to be fixed and it best time to get a new one. I tell you that for sure, no lies. If Kutter can't fix it, it ain't meant to be fixed.

Another snippet....

The Legion is good people. They helped me out. I probably be dead or in Coalition jail breaking rocks in Texas. They said that they could use me, didn't care bout my leg or nothing. Said if i could fix stuff, then they were happy to have me. Told them I could drive too. So they gave me a title an everything. I am a Specialist Second Class. Pretty neat? I ain't never been special at nothing before.
It's nice to be someone finally...

At this point he seems to trail off back into his memories...

I really miss you guys...Dammit Red, Why can't you ever listen....

[Kutter]

Driving

Driving
[dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die
[dice]1[/dice]

Drive check - 4 - Simple Success

Scent Memorization

Notice to memorize everyone scents
[dice]2[/dice]

Aced..Adding 1d8 - [dice]5[/dice]
14 Total

Wild Die
[dice]3[/dice]
Ace...adding [dice]4[/dice] = 9 total

Scent Memorization - 14 - Success w/ 2 Raises
Kutter takes the opportunity to memorize everyone's scents in case he has to find them at any point.

[Echo]

Notice 8, ignores all concealment

Echo Notice Roll: [dice]0[/dice]
Notice Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice] Wild Ace [dice]2[/dice]

Seeing you trying to get her scent Echo seems to subtly relax something a bit. As Kutter starts getting a scent for the others he will notice Echo strangely has no normal scent whatsoever, only the smell of her magic can be smelled. "To bad there where no healers after that happened. But it looks like you are adapting nicely and with a ride like Sally here this it makes sense you spend most your time in comfort." Appreciating the vehicle and the new guy Echo spends a lot of time making him feel welcomed into the group. Even offering to be a co-pilot when needed. But on assessing Echo's skills Kutter can see that while she won't do anything that could hurt Sally you would not want to trust Sally to her in an emergency.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Seems a lot of the 7th got left behind or even missed the briefing. Fox being one of them.

He was in the SAMAS running through diagnostics and checking controls and steering and doing all this while carrying on with his monologue. Fox completely missed the call to the briefing room and the subsequent departure of the 7th. When he realized that Happy was gone and Sasha and the Big Boss, he made his way over to Wilde's office.

When Kutter leaves Wilde's office with Wilde shouting about radioing the 7th about their new driver, Fox decides to follow Kutter and "escort" the newest member to the 7th. When the get to the garage and Fox sees the Mark V, he pulls up and actually intoduces himself to Kutter.

"Glad to see that the newest members of the 7th are fashionably behind. I am Fox and I pilot the SAMAS over there." Fox points over to another spot in the motor pool where the retro-fitted SAMAS stands. "Mind if I and Power Armor suit get a lift to the rondezvous?"

[Kutter]

{ Back in time to scene w/ Fox }

Kutter greets Fox with a big stupid grin and bounce in his step, despite his mangled left leg.

Good to meet yah...Of course! Yeah man, load up, load up....I was just about to burn out and catch up with the squad.

He looks over the SAMAS as it gets loaded.

Maaaaan, thats a nice suit there, bet that is real fast. One of them days, I am gonna learn myself to fly one of them bad boys. Looks like a heap of fun. Never seen one up close unless it was tryan ta shoot me, ya know?

He laughs, almost to hard, at his own joke.

Well, If you get it trashed up, I should be able to fix it fer ya. Couple things are probably wacky, but them co-lition things is all the same. They all start left, and end up right, ya know? But, hey let's roll out, and we can talk along the way. Dat a nucklear one? Dems da best ones fer sure. Nucklear is the way to go with any big vehicle. Gotta have a good power plant, or you gonna be warshed up a crick, ya know?...Gotta have the nucklear...

At this point, the final load is complete, and Kutter dials up to leave and get caught back up to the group

{ Current Scene W/ Echo }

Kutter makes note of the complete lack of scent. He could only smell magic on her. Normally, he would be alarmed, and thinking to himself, Why am I not alarmed by this....

Something about her put him at ease. How, or why, did not matter. To Kutter, his first instinct is the only instinct.

Echo puts me at ease....I like these guys. Seems like they like me too...and they dont even care bout mah leg. They are happy to have a Specialist...

Thanks fer being nice about mah leg. Sometimes, people think I'm dumb jus cos mah leg is broke and I can't explain physics and gear ratios to no one.

Kutter looks Echo right in the eye, and gives her a very joyful, sincere smile. A look of pure joy, the face that a puppy makes when he finally finds his home.

[Zakkael]

Zakkael notes Herra's relief at the changing of the guard and the new driver. He smiles at Kutter. "Welcome, friend! We are honored to have you join us on this assignment. I am Zakkael. I am sent from Heaven, the Angel of Justice, and of Vengeance, should the cause merit. Fear not, though. Vengeance is reserved for evildoers. It is plain to me that you have a good heart. If I may?" He reaches out and places his hands on Kutter. "May the Light of Heaven guide you, and lay your path straight. The blessings of Heaven are upon you, friend Kutter, and though your leg may be lame, that is only for a season. There is healing in the Light, for those who believe. Amen."
Smiling, he turns to find a seat in the new vehicle and straps himself in. "My, this is a fine conveyance. Thank you for sharing it with us, my friend!" He offers a passenger's seat to Herra. "I'm sure this seat will be much more to your liking, Herra. Come. Since you need not weary yourself at the wheel, let me share with you the promises of the Light and the blessings of Heaven." Whether or not Herra chooses to join him, he begins a sermon which, shortly into the second bullet point, Kutter interrupts with the story of his leg. Zakkael chuckles to himself and listens as the new arrival shares insight into his past.
This one has a wonderful heart. Salt of the earth. Yes, Gabriel. I know. There is a time for everything. Only say the word, and he shall be healed. Glory to the Light.

[Peta Chante]

Notice 5

[dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

At the briefing Herra remains quiet, letting their blow hard commander make enough noise for everyone present. Listening to Growler's short briefing on the swamps themselves she shudders at the idea of trying to get the Big Boss unstuck from mud and guck. She knew some psychics who could lift such vehicles with their mind, perhaps she should try it too. For the moment, however, she concentrates on adding anything of value to the briefing.

Survival 6

[dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

While driving is Herra's least favourite pass time, driving at the speed of the Gunwolf is excruciating. As news comes of a new vehicle, and a new driver, she breathes a visible sigh of relief. All these high tech machines just cause her so much stress. Although, now, her role in the group is a bit more unclear. Seeing the new arrival is a dog boy makes her smile, she saw a bit of kinship with them as were created as slaves by the Coalition but many have managed to rise above that and become much more. There was something noble about enviable about it.

There was also the business of the so-called angel, Zakkael, to deal with. Not him so much as his god. On Atlantis many beings claimed to be gods, but they were little more than petty creatures with power to lord over others. The idea of a good, just, god of light is extremely foreign - and suspicious. However, the winged crusader seems legitimate and the concept bears investigation. Having a source of light in life is certainly better than staring into the nihilistic pit of darkness that has encompassed her life so far.

Without having to focus on driving, she turns the conversation to the meta-physical.

"Zakkel, in my experience to serve someone more powerful than yourself has been as a slave to a master. Tell me, why do you willingly serve your god?"

[Calyx]

Calyx's eyebrows rise up. The new Dog Boy is kind of the opposite of Growler in many ways. He is SURE talkative for one thing! At some points Calyx considers the prospect of jumping out of a fast-moving vehicle. I mean, how much damage could it REALLY do to him, right? But mostly he is amused and entertained by the conversation(s) happening around him.

"Nah. Not bein' able t'do that stuff don't make you dumb." He gives a shit-eating grin. "Besides in this day an' age, we dumb types prefer the term intellectually-challenged!" He chuckles at his dumb joke. "Glad t'have you on board with us, so to speak. I'm excited, an' admittedly a little scared, t'see actual dinosaurs!"

When Zakkael speaks and then Herra interjects, Calyx's eyes widen and his jaw drops open. He then makes an odd noise and mimes the gesture of opening a beer can. "Oh shit! Ksssh! Can of worms...opened!" He lets out a laugh, and eyes the two. He doesn't expect anything but conversation between them over religion and philosophy, but still to some people they can be touchy subjects.

[Zakkael]

Zakkael laughs at Calyx's can of worms comment. "Yes, you may be right. I do tend to go on at length when Heaven is the topic. I hope you'll humor me. If nothing, a robust discussion of things beyond may help pass the time to our destination."
He turns and smiles at Herra. "Imagine the most beautiful sight you've ever seen. Something so beautiful, you struggle to put it into words. Now magnify it, and make it so far beyond description that you simply can't fathom it. Imagine that sight speaks to you, and asks you, in its name, to go and help those in need, to right wrongs, and spread the news of the gift of mercy. Is it slavery, or is it the ultimate freedom? If I can share the news of what I've seen, of whose loving instructions I am delighted to follow, then perhaps others can see what I've seen. And in that sight, they experience the truest freedom."
He shakes his head. "No, this is not slavery. Not in the way that, sadly, you are familiar with. While I am created to serve, it is my good pleasure to do so, for I do so for something so wonderful that it cannot be put into words mortals could pronounce, and those works bring about goodness and justice and mercy. Those who choose service, they do so of their own free will. And therein lies even greater blessing."
He ponders a moment, and continues. "If there was one you loved, who loved you in return, and required nothing of you, but asked of you everything, and giving over everything gave you the deepest joy, but giving over everything was not to your deprivation...is that slavery? No demands. No brutality. No oppression. Simply asking. That is true freedom. That is love."

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox leaves Kutter's side and quickly climbs into MANDO. Strapping in and powering up the servos for leg movement, Fox maneuvers MANDO through the hanger to the Mark V. Once the supply loads are secured, he maneuvers the SAMAS into a restraining bay. Having never been in a Mark V before, Fox is quite surprised when the SAMAS actually fit into the restraining bay.

He checks the securing magna locks and powers down the SAMAS. Climbing out he watches as the trailer for the Gunwolf is hitched to the Mark V. When the trailer is secured and all, he joins Calyx and Kutter up near the cockpit as Sally is maneuvered out of Motor Pool and out onto the road heading East and South.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox was impressed with Kutter's skills in driving, "You handle this vehicle quite well. Piloting a flight suit isn't that much different. It would take some time to customize a suit for you though. Maybe something to consider down the road a bit." Fox laughs at his own joke and makes preparations to assist with unloading supplies from the Big Boss and getting the Gunwold secured and ready for transport.

Having assisted in load transfers and securing the robot armor in the trailer, Fox makes apologies to Snack, Growler, Herra, and Echo for not joining the briefing. Once the team is back on the road, Fox asks to see the briefing material on their current assignment.

Reading the documents available, searching the reports for clues and details, Fox does some thinking on the situation. This is what they call the tip of the iceberg. We have details but not enough for a conclusive evaluation.

Sifting through Information

• • Investigation 24, success, raise x5
  • Investigate [dice]0[/dice] (+2 for searching)
  • Aced Investigate [dice]4[/dice]
  • Aced the Aced [dice]6[/dice]
  • Wild Invest [dice]1[/dice]
  • Aced Wild [dice]5[/dice]
  • Notice 7, success
  • Notice [dice]2[/dice] (+2 for searching)
  • Wild Notice[dice]3[/dice]

Call the mission what you want, Fox thought to himself. This here is a manhunt. Get to the Specialist before someone else does or already has.

Fox is noticeably silent. Lost in his own thoughts and memories.

[Freemage]

The only real thing Fox can get from a 'between the lines' read is this: Harlan Sarma is a xenopologist and xenobiologist, specializing in the study of sophants from other realms--both their biology and their social structures. The Dinosaur Swamp is NOT really known for such--it's far more of a 'land time forgot' sort of zone these days (well, actually, 'land invaded by past era', to be precise, but the effect overall is the same). While there's some alien life-forms there, it's mostly controlled by the various human barbarian tribes--or by the various megafauna, which are generally believed to be past-Earth natives.

The report does indicate he traveled there accidentally (probably through a Rift), but by his psyche profile (which was 'accidentally' included in Montcrief's briefing packet, it seems), he'd be unlikely to stick around there UNLESS whatever he found was actually of interest to his fields of study. The words "monomaniacal obsession" appear in the psyche eval.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox whistles and sits back in his seat, then leans forward and looks at Snackhappy. "Seems this specialist may have wandered into the Dino Swamp by accident."

"I would say this Specialist has more need of visit to a shrink than I do. "

Picking up the file and finding the right page, he pints to a section. "Says here that he studies alien life forms and specifically their cultures and societies."

Fox puts the file down on the table between the crew seats. Sitting back, "Would like to know how me managed to send a communication to the Legion from with in the Swamp. Any ideas?"

[Kutter]

Listening on the "religious" conversation, Kutter was a bit bewildered by some of the concepts. He never really gave much thought to why he was here, or if there was a higher power. He ran on what he could smell, taste, and feel. The idea of an intangible father figure floating somewhere in a magic "heaven" just rattled around Kutter's brain, and never found a footing. After listening to Zakkael and Hera discuss the nature of divine love, Kutter waited until a lull and then turns to Zakkael...

"I don't get the whole god and heaven thing. If all that was true, why did everything get all blown up like in the Stories? Red used ta talk bout the old days. before them Rifts and magic and people like me come along. Red was from the co-lition originally, and him and the other Red River Boys, so they knew all kinds more than us. They said somethings were meant for knowing, not for teaching. Red said on them scientists talked about computer files on old tapes in some under ground vault, bout what it was like before all this...Said that was the "Pocolypse" and the supposed to be a god come and back and fix it all back or something, but instead we go this... Red told me weren't no Gods, just things that are like us, but more powerful. Like the stretch between a cow and a human...we are cows to the "gods" like them cows is cows to us...but when you talk...it sounds true....but when Red talked, it sounded true too....So is gods real like you say or is they just aliens from other deemensions like Red said?

[Kutter]

At Fox's mention of getting Kutter into a power armor suit, Kutter's face lights up. He kind of laughs along with Fox's joke, and shoots a big grin.

"Sounds like a deal to me. Should't be too hard to fix one up...main thing is the face, cause i got a snout and such. If Snack got any design I could work off even. Im not as big as him so that's kind of good, for wearing the armor at least! Be nice to be all big and strong like that ya know? But fair's fair, you teach me sometin, so I gotta teach you sumthin in return...so you let me know if you see me knowing how to do anything you don't, Kay?

Kutter takes the rash of compliments with a sense of pride, and its visible as his posture straightens up a bit, and his chest puffed out ever so slightly more. Bobbing with the suspension to a strange beat, after the first extended silence, Kutter looks over and asks,

Y'all like musak?

He then turns on some "music" that is actually wolf and dogs howling in a somewhat musical arrangement. It is strange, but the howls and such are in tune and time.

[Zakkael]

Zakkael faces the front, so Kutter can hear him. "My friend, you raise fine points. I will not pretend to understand the length and breadth of the purposes of the Light, even though I am guided by those purposes. I do know this: if free will is to be truly given, then it must also be given to do ill deeds. If there were no risk, there would be no need for faith. And if there were no free will, then the Light only watches automatons strut and fret about the stage until a time of Its choosing. Is it not a more valued love if there is a chance it is not returned? Is it not treasured more if it is not compelled, but freely given? A harsh king counts his tribute, but a loving lord values even higher the freely given gifts from those they care for."
He takes a pause, and continues. "I have heard the tales of these past apocalypses. Time, in Heaven, takes on a different scale and a different meaning. But I know this: there was to be a reckoning, and the Enemy was to be given a span of time to do his worst. At the end of this span, he will be sealed away. Perhaps what you see around you are the openings of the prison which are to contain the Enemy at his final end. Again, who can weigh the designs of the Light of Heaven?"
He remarks, as an aside. "I am impressed with the smooth ride of this vehicle. My compliments to the driver!"

[Calyx]

Calyx looked over at Fox with a frown. Then he replied slowly. "Well...yeah. We were told he wasn't nowhere NEAR the Dinosaur Swamp until recently. At least, from where he had reportedly been workin'." He blinked and nodded. "Oh. Right. You didn't show up t'the briefin'. Never mind." He shrugged his shoulders.

To the religious talk he raised an eyebrow. "Religion usually polarizes people a bit, an' some believe an'/or have faith regardless o'what they can see, hear, touch, feel or sometimes even evidence t'the contrary. Some people, on the other hand, refuse t'believe no matter what they witness or feel." He shook his head.

To Kutter he chuckled, "Pretty sure we didn't need God's help t'blow up the Earth or bring on any Apocalypse. People been tryin' t'do that, an' kill each other, since before recorded time s'far s'I know."

[Echo]

Echo listened to the counter play back and forth over religion. Happy things had not turned violent, but aware sometimes they can she reads the emotions of the others before offering her own views. “I have seen both good and evil. I think you can judge what a person believes by what they do when under their own will. The God Zakael follows is obviously one who is good and his worship is in love. Some of the ones I have served were evil beyond all that is right and forced us to commit vile tortures.” When she is done she gets up from the copilot's seat and offers the others to get some snacks it coffee. “I am going to grab some joe, and a ham sandwich the be paired well in the extra cold and at the Castle I traded some for some sense already cured into ham. Anyone else want some while I am in the galley?” Then enduring she knows whatever wants she heads out and grabs the drinks. The cockpit was a bit crowded at this point anyways.
Going to see Snackhappy she asks. "If it is all right I would like to go for a little flight and scout the trip a little bit. I will only be half an hour is so then I will be back.” Once she has permission she will head out.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Noticing the conversation with Snackhappy and Echo, "Should she be out by herself? Maybe I could escort her for a bit?"

Fox will wait on Snackhappy's response. "Maybe we need to be running some sensor sweeps of the area?"

[Zakkael]

Zakkael nods to Calyx. "Quite true, my friend. Quite true. Sadly, mankind has always been given to destructive impulses. The methods have only become more efficient with the passage of time. So, too, has the capacity for good deeds and faith in the Light grown stronger, though it may not seem so, depending on where you look."
Glancing at Echo, he nods again. "There is, indeed, always a counter-point, is there not? Yours, I'm sure, is a most fascinating experience, if more than a little troubling. To be forced to do such terrible things, and to be cognizant of the awfulness of what you have no choice but to do...I envy that not. Yet, praise be to the Light! Here you are!"
He moves to assist Echo with refreshments, taking some water for himself. He is singlehandedly (four-handedly) capable of bringing most of the drinks to those who request them.

[Kutter]

Kutter is in a great mood, bouncing up and down with the flow of the terrain, humming a banjo tune.

As they got closer to their rendezvous, Kutter had one last topic to bring up...

"Alrighty, so I gots a question. We is all a sqaud, so we all gots jobs. Mine is driving, and fixing. And maybe some shooting and such if the need should come along...thing is, I'm the new dog, so I don't know a damn lick bout how you all like ta fight...so probly best if ya bring me up ta speed with how ya like ta throw down....I figure I might be in the back, shootin lasers at stuff...but thats easy...I guess I'm saying what kind of tactuks y'all like?

I need to git me one of them power armors, man, to fly, to RUN...ohhhhhhh boy.....that's it right there

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Assuming Snackhappy approves the scouting mission in some form, I'll need the following:

Echo Solo: Echo rolls: Notice, Stealth

Echo + Fox: Both roll, if they have them: Notice, Investigation, Knowledge: Arcana (Obviously, Gifted applies for Echo, if needed)

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Gathering Information

• Notice 8
• Notice [1d8]: [dice]0[/dice] (+2 gathering details)
• Wild Notice [1d6]: [dice]1[/dice]

• Investigation 6
• Investigation [1d8]: [dice]2[/dice] (+2 gathering details)
• Wild Investigation [1d6]: [dice]3[/dice]

Magic Force Stuff

K/Arcana - no clue.

[SnackHappy]

Waking from a daydream as people start speaking to him Jacob stumbles, "Oh yeah, yeah, scouting yeah that sounds like a good idea. Both of you should go, I think it will help to cover more ground. Hey Kutter! If you ever want to get as big as me you definitely need to start eating more. 'Sides did I hear someone say something about sandwiches? I could use at least a couple of them big hoagies loaded with some meat and cheese. I think better on a full stomach. Backs to what I was sayin'. If'n you wanna fix up some power armor Kutter I can help you mod just about anything. Key is to start bigger than you. That's why my Sasha is a Gunwolf. Plenty of extra compartment to make just right for me. I got pulleys and such setup inside for my tail to use. Also most people don't expect a damn Grackle to come jumpin' outta one."

As he finishes speaking Jacob's mind begins to wander whilst they travel on. At least huntin' dinos in the swamp will be better than that Canada place. That cold was terrible.

[Kutter]

Before any one leaves for a scout, Kutter will run a sweep of the immediate area using the sensors on board, hoping to give them some initial telemetry.

Notice-Sensors

Notice - [dice]0[/dice]

Wild die - [dice]1[/dice]

Bringing up the radar and other environmental sensors, he looks for any anomalies or presence of unwanted monsters.

He flips switches and dials in a seemingly random order, then the sensor display screen flicker to life and start delivering data.

"let's see what we can find out there...Hopefully....Nuffin....Woof."

Humming a banjo tune in his head while playing with the sensor kit.

[Echo]

Notice 16, ignores all concealment

Echo Bird of Prey Notice Roll: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

• Wild Die Ace [dice]2[/dice]

Stealth 12, Investigation 5, Arcana 7

Stealth

• Stealth [dice]3[/dice]
  Wild Die [dice]4[/dice]

Investigation

• Investigation [dice]5[/dice]
  Wild Die [dice]6[/dice]

Knowledge (Arcana)

• Knowledge (Arcana) [dice]7[/dice]
  • Ace [dice]9[/dice]
  Wild Die [dice]8[/dice]

Once she receives the okay Echo looks to Fox. "Go ahead and suit up. I will do some close recon, then when you are ready you can do some more extended recon. I am not able to range as far as you and return so quickly. But finding a ley line to swing buy would be nice."
Then turning into an peregrine falcon Echo takes flight, feeling good to get out and stretch and letting the others handle discussions of the topic she wanted little to do with. As she looks around she tries to see not only threats, but opportunities to avoid dead ends or wild life that should be left alone.

GM Notes

Echo will leave right away and scout until Fox passes her up. However while unable to fly anywhere near the speeds of the SAMAS, Echo would be willing and eager to take a safe perch with the armor if one can be identified and Fox is not offended.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox just needs some time to think. All these high moral and ethical questions and such, just have him baffled. He leaves Snackhappy to his sandwhiches and goes to suit up. Feeling the wind rush in as Echo opens the cargo bay door, he suits up and seals up. Man alive is he grateful for this SAMAS.

Walking to the bay door he brings the hover lifts on line and then engages the thrusters mounted at his feet. When he has cleared the cargo bay door he takes a hovering position and radios Kutter. "Scouting party away. Close starboard cargo bay door. Be back in thirty or so."

Fox trims the hover lifts as he switches the suit's jet thrusters on and takes off after Echo in falcon form.

With Echo's form showing as a small blip on his HUD he slows his speed down to match hers and then motions for a spot on his right shoulder oppossite the mounted rocket launcher. Switch ing the jet thrusters down to low he flips on the hover lift stabilizers, while Echo finds purchase. One of the new features is the leather spaulder that covers the shoulder. Fox figured that the red and browns would go well for natural camoflage.

[Growler]

"Alrighty, so I gots a question. We is all a sqaud, so we all gots jobs. Mine is driving, and fixing. And maybe some shooting and such if the need should come along...thing is, I'm the new dog, so I don't know a damn lick bout how you all like ta fight...so probly best if ya bring me up ta speed with how ya like ta throw down....I figure I might be in the back, shootin lasers at stuff...but thats easy...I guess I'm saying what kind of tactuks y'all like?

"Growler here. I am good at shooting, hand to hand combat, stealthy recognisance, and out in the wilderness. I will be the one who will be getting us food and clean water to extend our stores we brought with us, once we go down to a more tactical speed."

[PFC Fox Simmons]

The last time he was on his assignment world of Coruscant, he had been sent on a manhunt. A fellow clone had been termed a rogue and a traitor by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the Coruscant Guard were sent to bring him down. Not a thought Fox liked to linger on, killing one of his own.

In the years since, Fox had lingered on those few hours. Replaying every second. Regretting taking the shot that brought Fives to his knees. Wondering what it was that Fives had done, that had made him a traitor to the Republic. The last few minutes with Fives lying in his arms have created the greatest lasting impression and left him with a quandry.

As Fives laying dieing in his arms he had said, "Fox my death is not your fault. Palpatine plans to kills us all. Clones. Jedi. The Republic. We are merely pawns. Soon to be traitors, all of us." Fives passed his arms and left Fox wondering about what he meant. Rumor would later reach Fox that Fives had been spying on the Supreme Chancellor. As Fox was the last to be with Fives, Fox got his first dose of interrogation.

Looking back on that interrogation and the rage on the Chancellor's face, Fox's current situation must have been a far better outcome, he hoped, then his clone brethren. Wherever they were.

Fox snaps to the present and re-orrients himself as he had set the SAMAS on auto route and pilot wihout even knowing he had done it.

Tactical Assesment

• Knowledge Battle 9
• K/Battle [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild K/Battle [dice]1[/dice]
• Extra Effort [dice]2[/dice]

Interlude Rewards

• Action Card and a Benny
• (34) Cutting in Line: Draw Three Initiative Cards, Keep the Highest One.

[Calyx]

Before she went scouting, Echo offered up her own opinion and then offered to get refreshments. Calyx eyed her for a moment when she said she had served evil gods, wondering if she was being serious. Point, counterpoint, people serving deities, being slaves, being forced to commit acts...it was a bit much. He was just a normal guy. Well, at least in upbringing, and psionic powers notwithstanding.

He pondered the refreshment offer for all of about two seconds before he piped up a reply. "Uh, sure. I mean, no need t'go outta your way for me, but...I wouldn't say no." He smiled. "Haven't met a sandwich yet I didn't like."

He turned to the new Dog Boy who spoke up. A redneck mechanic Dog Boy? The world took all kinds he supposed. He held up one hand and a little bit of electricity began to crackle and arc along his fingertips. "I'm a psychic. Type that's colloquially called a Zapper. I deal in electricity an' lightnin' mostly. I prefer range for combat, but I'm no stranger t'close-quarters."

He grinned at Growler. "Growler's our talkative Dog Boy. We can hardly ever get him t'shut up, so you've got a run for your money, Kutter." He let out a chuckle.

Notice if needed

Notice die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

[Zakkael]

Zakkael addresses Kutter. "I am here to offer Heaven's guidance and protection. When the Breastplate of Righteousness is donned, little on this earth is capable of piercing that armor, be it upon me, or one of my stalwart friends. The Spear of Judgment, however, can be turned by no plating or power, for it, like the Light, judges the heart, not the flesh. I will most likely be found aloft, so that our foes must look up towards Heaven to see their judgment. I am also here to inform you that Calyx is the serious one and never tells jokes." He grins at what he believes to be one of the funniest jokes he's ever told.

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Stealth Rolls:

Brodkil Group 1 [dice]0[/dice]: 3 (Echo knows precisely where they are; Fox knows which squares they occupy)
Brodkil Group 2 [dice]1[/dice]; ACE [dice]6[/dice]: 10 (Echo locates precisely; Fox does not spot them initially)

Cybernetic Brodkil 1 [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Die Cybernetic Brodkil 1 [dice]3[/dice]; ACE [dice]7[/dice]: 7 (Both spot)

Cybernetic Brodkil 2 [dice]4[/dice]
WC2 [dice]5[/dice]: 3 (Both spot)

Coming off of Hold to attack; medium Range for NG-L5 Rifles (40"). All of them are shooting at the Power Armor guy, not really targeting the bird separately (though Echo will get hit by any Innocent Bystander misses). Two groups of 5 Brodkil, plus two additional WC Brodkil with Cybernetics. Mook groups get their skill die and a group wild die.

BG1 Shooting [dice]8[/dice]
Group1 Wild Die [dice]9[/dice]; Ace [dice]16[/dice]
Raise
Damage [dice]18[/dice], AP 2: 16

BG2 Shooting [dice]10[/dice]
Group2 Wild Die [dice]11[/dice]
Miss


Legs Shooting [dice]12[/dice]
Legs Wild Shoot [dice]13[/dice]
Miss

Too-Right Shooting [dice]14[/dice]; Ace [dice]17[/dice]
Too-Right Wild Shoot [dice]15[/dice]
Hit
Damage [dice]19[/dice], AP 2: 13

.

The initial scan by Duncan indicates no major life-forms, though here on the edge of the jungle, there's a lot more life-forms showing up than had before. Likewise, Echo's short flight doesn't turn up anything. But once Fox catches up and lets her mount his shoulder, they can cover some real distance.

And sure enough, they do find something. Echo spots them all, with her supernatural senses: ten or so Brodkil with their Invisibility active, rifles raised. Furthermore, two cybernetically enhanced Brodkil (one with cybernetic legs; the other has an extra arm, which holds a Vibro-Sword) step out as the pair get close. Fox only spots about half of the invisible Brodkil--curiously, they don't show up on his thermal sensors, which is... unusual, and possibly worrying. He really only 'sees' where they are moving in the brush below. However, he did see the two cybernetically enhanced ones step out, just fine. They, too, are raising their rifles.

The air fills with laser-fire--which does absolutely nothing to the SAMAS suit, even when a couple stray shots make contact. The Brodkil with the cybernetic legs continues moving after shooting, and gets back under cover, while the others are still out in the open and potential targets.

Fox does realize one thing, though--this is an ambush party, probably raiders. And, judging by their lack of formation (and the fact that they foolishly sought to engage with weapons poorly suited to the fight), they are probably part of a a larger force, with the leader not present at the moment. Sticking around to fight this group could mean having to deal with even more attackers--perhaps some with Mega-damage capable weapons.

OOC Comments

Okay, so you've got three obvious options:

• Turn around, report back, and decide what to do. Given their lack of ability to shoot you effectively, they'll likely not bother with any pursuit at this time. Obviously, the SET will need to pass through their territory at some point, but showing up with several other badasses (and Sasha off the trailer) will probably make them pretty miserable, even if they have some better options for inflicting damage available. If Fox takes this option, Caution gets him a bennie.
• Stick around and take some potshots. If you want to cull the herd a bit before scampering, you can make Quick Combat rolls, roll 2d6 for Ammo used (if Echo seeks to engage, she can, but of course, that'll make her a legit target for them), and I'll base the number of kills on your success total.
• Kill 'em all! You decide to deal with this menace right now. This means flying down and landing below the canopy of the jungle they retreat to, and probably ending up in melee. They have vibro weapons, so this is obviously a bit riskier--and almost ensures that reinforcements will show up in short order.

Oh, and one more thing--after they break off and have a chance to compare notes, the fact that the invisible brodkil did not show up on Fox's thermal sensors, coupled with Echo's K: Arc roll, tells you something--this particular group of Brodkil has the following Trapping on their Invisibility:
Endothermic Cloaking: The creature has no heat signature while this power is active; however, they also gain Vulnerability: Cold (+4 damage, -4 to resist cold-based effects) while it is running.

So, if someone in the group has Cold-based trappings on something, well, there you go.
.

[Echo]

Echo writes in the air for Fox to see "I think we should circle a bit and report back. This looks like a scouting party and I do not want the others at risk because of our greed." She will then stay fast hoping not to be destroyed, being alert for missiles or other area of effect attacks she will have to dive away from.

Contingency

Echo is on full defense paying attention to dangers. She will see no benefit to attacking the brodkil without the others.

If attacked by an area attack her Agility roll is.
Agility [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Agility [dice]1[/dice]

As the order of operations is attacker declares roll first in a contested roll if the attack roll is between 8 and 11 she will Extra Effort. I trust the GM to roll on my behalf unless he prefers me to edit it in.

Bird of Prey Stats for GM Reference

My toughness is only 3 right now. Here are the stats if you need them. (FHC pg 103)

Bird of Prey
Birds of prey may not be big, but their talons can rip through flesh with ease. The bird of prey could be used for eagles, hawks, and any hunting birds.
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d12+4, Stealth d8
Pace: —; Parry: 5; Toughness: 3
Treasure: None
Special Abilities:
• Blind: When attacking large prey (such as characters), birds of prey go for the eyes. If the bird scores a raise on its Fighting roll, it has hit the character’s face. The character must make an Agility roll. On a failure, he suffers the One Eye Hindrance until his wounds heal. A roll of 1, regardless of the Wild Die, he suffers the Blind Hindrance instead.
• Claws: Str+d6.
• Flying: Flying Pace 8”.
• Size –2: Birds of prey measure up to 2’ in height.
• Small: Attackers suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls because of the beast’s size.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox makes a quick glance at Echo, then notices her message. Noticing that she is still perched safely on his shoulder and not a pile of feathers streaming out in the wind, he takes the SAMAS up to her max flying height and engages the hover via the rotary wing lifts, disengaging the back jet thrusters.

Surveying the surrounding area, Fox makes notes of terrain features and possible locations that could work to their advantage for both the Mark V and the Gunwolf. He waits for Echo to make her observations and decides to check comms with Sally and Kutter. "Sally-77, this is SAMAS-76, over. Be advised of movement into hostile territory."

Fox begins maneuvering the SAMAS in a slow zizg-zag pattern back towards the rest of the 7th. When he ia able to verify that their is no one following, he slows down the SAMAS, engages hover and trims down the jet thrusters. Breaking the seal on his suit, he looks over at Echo and nods back the way they came. "I think you know better than I do what we are looking for. Please check that we are not being followed."

Fox will maintain hover at his current location and try to raise Kutter on the radio, if he failed to previously.

Checking

• Fox wants to verify whether radio signals were being blocked by the brodkil.
• Really could go for tracers or markers of some sort.

[Echo]

With the SAM slowed enough Echo dives off and does a couple of high circles verifying no one is following them. Then writing in the air her results she finishes by wrapping them in a field of silence as they finish their approach hoping not to let to much intelligence about their location get out.

Notice 20 to spot tails before proceeding, ignores all concealment

Echo Notice Roll: [dice]0[/dice]
Notice Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

[Freemage]

The Brodkil have apparently decided NOT to follow the flying man they cannot hurt. They can be taught, it would seem. There doesn't seem to be any radio jamming, either, and Fox can report back to the main group easily enough to arrange a rendezvous.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

With their position fairly secure for the moment and the SAMAS in hover mode, Fox radios back to the Mark V. "Snackhappy, best get Sasha off the trailer. Brodkil ahead, say a dozen. Rendevouz at my coordinates? Fox out."

While he is scanning the ground below, looking for places with tactical advantages, he sends another comm. "Kutter, what kind of armaments is Sally equipped with?"

[SnackHappy]

"Copy that Fox. Firing up the big girl. We will scare the pants off of the Brodkil"

"Kutter, Head to foxes coordinates. Looks like we are going to ambush some brodkil. Its showtime! Lets earn our hazard pay!"

As everyone starts getting ready Snackhappy heads into Sasha and starts firing up her systems and getting ready to head into combat. Upon reaching the rendezvous SnackHappy listens to the description of the forces and lets the group prep as they do before heading in the direction of the brodkil.

[Calyx]

Calyx was about three-quarters of the way through his sandwich. He was sitting back, feet kicked up, munching happily away. He was content to let others do the driving and scouting for the moment. Then things started to go the way of the ancient Chinese proverb about living in interesting times. He looked down at his sandwich and quickly stuck the rest in his mouth. In his head he could almost hear his mother admonishing him about doing things before a half-hour had passed after eating. He waved a mental hand to dismiss the thought.

He put his razorback cloak on, settling it on his shoulders, and made sure he had his gear, though not his heavy pack. He didn't fire up his aura, as doing that inside the vehicle might possibly be somewhat less than good for everyone else in there. Maybe. Unlikely. He grinned as he stepped towards the front of the vehicle.

As Snack Happy strode past Calyx piped up with a question, "I assume you don't need no help gettin' your armor off the trailer while we are movin'..." He gestured forward towards a general direction of where the Brodkil might be. "Are we leavin' one alive for questionin'?" He chuckled, since he was mostly joking, and wasn't planning on just killing everything that moved. He wasn't really the bloodthirsty sort, and that had been pretty obvious when not fighting undead and demons, as well as how to deal with the Coalition in the Frozen North.

Notice 5

Notice die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

[Echo]

Flying down to join the others Echo prepares herself for the battle to come. Donning her armor and checking her weapons. She really did not trust brodkil and never met one that called life. And the shot first attitude of these ones only confirmed they are a danger to others in the woods. Looking over at Snackhappy she asks. "Is there a plan boss?"

Activating Conceal Arcana, Raise attempts to detect her are contested at a -2

Spirit [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Spirit [dice]1[/dice]

Cloaked in smog like cloud of darkness -4, and under stealth 9 takes a notice 13 to spot

Unless Snackhappy has a better plan. Echo will be covered in a cloud of darkness on the roof using her Stealth. She will be "At the edge of darkness" so random shots at the center won't work as well.

Stealth [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Stealth [dice]3[/dice]


Activate Darkness (Success is -2 to notice rolls on, raise is -4)
Spirit [dice]4[/dice]
Wild Spirit [dice]5[/dice]

[Zakkael]

Zakkael closes his eyes. Wretched demons. Selfishness and violence. They shall see judgment this day. He stands to his feet. "Let us send these demons back to where they belong. Blessed Light of Heaven, may your hand guard us, guide us, and protect us from these evils. We know that righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Let us be the instrument of their overthrow."
He tightens the grip on his staff, and readies his shield. "They will regret their wrongdoing."

[Kutter]

At Snack's direction, Kutter bring Sally in line with the position given. He starts going through a combat station ready list, and checks up on all the whirlies and dials. He scratches his head. and his ears start to lay back, and the fur around his neck starts to raise up. Kutter is tensing, getting ready. A wash of resolve washes over him, and he eyes glaze over with steel and contempt as he punches the gas.

Anyone staying here to man the gun? Don't need to, I got it..I can drive an shoot no prolim...Is up ta you all...I know how to handle that laser...Ya know, I bet you can't guess where that laser come from? Uh huh....some colition skybird type vehicle. Got a nice heavy laser, and I managed to get me one from this guy I know, Carver. Carver is good people...if you need it, he can find it. Well, almost anything....Not like he can get you a walk on the moon, but it sure is nice to know a black marker guy like him...

He trails off...

Maybe Carver can get me some power armor if i can learn how to use it...

Kutter returns from his inner monologue, now realizing that he was talking and pretty much just stopped dead in his tracks and started day dreaming.

Dammit man, PAY ATTENTION....

Ok, yes, sorry, dog brain fart...Ok so yes, takin down dome Brudkal or whatever....what's the stratego?

[Peta Chante]

Herra carefully listens to the views on religion, it is a new concept to her and she is trying to explore it with a somewhat open mind. From what she has heard so far it sounds like many things, a force for good and evil. At least goodness can be found in service. That thought alone gives her comfort. Not one for conversation she mostly listens until the report comes back about the nearby ambush. Sitting in the seat of the APC she listens to the report and watches SnackHappy's glee at seeing some action.

When Kutter asks the plan she shurgs, "Perhaps I should have a look before we charge in there? Now that our scouts have uncovered their location, I can direct my psychic senses there."

[SnackHappy]

"Sounds good guys. Lets keep one alive for questioning. I doubt we can get the drop on them with the vehicles and they probably know this place better than us. Herra as we approach I like the idea of seeing if your senses determine any other threats. If they have additional resources we may want to stop them from harassing less prepared travelers through these woods. Other than that lets get into position as quickly as possible. Staying at a distance may be good. From the sound of it none of their shots pierced the SAMAs. So chances are they are light on heavy weapons. If any heavy weapons show up I think they need to be priority targets."

Inside Sasha, Jacob starts an old music player he found. It begins playing the song Thunderstruck. He may or may not have accidentally left his loudspeaker on for everyone to hear.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

With the knowledge he had shared with Echo and she had relayed to him, Fox took to the air once again. His approach was slow and the the thrusters trimmed just enough to blend with the thrumming of the hover lifts in the SAMAS's wings. Watching for movement below and to the left and right of his position, Fox radios back his findings every few minutes.

Battle Prep

• K/Battle 14
• K/Battle [dice]0[/dice]
• Wild K/Battle [dice]1[/dice]
• Aced Wild [dice]2[/dice]
• Aced the Aced [dice]3[/dice]

[Peta Chante]

Getting some direction information from Fox and Echo, Herra prepares to enter the astral plane. Her body goes limp and shimmers as is fades in and out of the physical plane. Meanwhile, her consciousness drifts across the countryside toward the ambush site. She focuses hard on the ambush area, using her extraordinary mental powers to hear sounds as well as see sights. Unfortunately, the astral plane is not an empty place. Other beings and entities also live there and from time to time one crosses paths with the malignant and evil ones. This was one of those times. As she surveys the physical world a predatory entity confronts her on the astral plane, probing her mind to feed on traumatic memories and nightmares. Images of being capture, or beatings in the slave pens, of death, defeat, and destruction all flash through her mind as the entity siphons her energies. She screams inside her own skull...a scream that echos into the minds of everyone in the APC.

When (if) the entity is gone she is visibly shaken but takes a moment to try again.

Psionics - Critical Failure 2nd attempt 8

+1 ISP to add another sense, 4 total
[dice]0[/dice]
[dice]1[/dice]

On a critical failure, the psi lets out a psychic scream that causes him to be Shaken along with all allies in a Large Burst Template who fail a Spirit roll. This can cause a wound.

Spirit [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

Again
-4 more ISP
Psionics [dice]4[/dice]
Wild [dice]5[/dice]

Notice 10

[dice]6[/dice]
Ace: [dice]8[/dice]
Wild [dice]7[/dice]

[Calyx]

Calyx smiled slightly at Zakkael's very religious words, agreeing with the sentiment behind them maybe somewhat, but thinking they were a bit melodramatic perhaps.

He heard Kutter ask a question that turned in to kind of a rambling resume of himself and history of a gun. He let out a snort, but shook his head. "Sorry. Not really the 'gunner' type. I shoot with my hands.

He grinned at Snack Happy's pronouncement of keeping one alive.

He flinched when Herra's mind let out a scream in to the minds of everyone around her. His eyes narrowed as the pain of it mostly flowed around him since his mind was trained in psionics. He glanced at Herra and gave her a sympathetic look that was mixed with wariness and caution.

OOC Comments

Spirit die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Goose, gander, etc: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]
Ace [dice]2[/dice]

[Freemage]

The trek through the slowly thickening jungle is pretty straightforward. Sasha and the Mark V are both quite capable of pushing through the brush. Herra, periodically scanning forward, locates several Brodkil up ahead. They have clearly learned from the earlier encounter with Fox, and are now sticking to an area with a thick canopy overhead (at about the 25' mark), making shots from above that height nigh-impossible.

Herra's scan reveals the following, for certain:

2 Groups of cybernetically enhanced Brodkil, 5/band, one group with an extra arm, and the other with enhanced legs. They are all armed pretty typically for Brodkil: Laser rifles, Vibro-Swords. The guys with extra arms also have grenades, and each of them has one in-hand in addition to the NG-L5s they carry. The ones with mechanical leg replacements, on the other had, are armed with.. Oh. Pulse laser rifles. With CS logos stamped on the side. Some still stained in blood.

In addition, she's able to identify three separate clusters of something unseen moving through the brush--presumably, another 15 or so Brodkil lacking cybernetics, but making use of their natural cloaking ability. Obviously, knowledge of specific armaments on them is limited.

As expected, there's also a very obvious boss Brodkil shouting orders; four arms, one with another of the CS pulse rifles, the other with... well, low-Tech Herra has to describe it over the radio to Fox, who identifies the very big gun as a CT-PP40 Particle Beam Cannon. With the leader present, she can't help but notice that the lesser Brodkil are far more organized and even competent-seeming than usual, moving with discipline and tactics in mind. And in addition to the leader are two other significant Brodkil, both visible--lieutenants of a sort, it would seem.

The first simply appears to be much more heavily cybered up than the average minion Brodkil--possibly to the point where he may be more machine than his commander, at least to judge by the rippling masses of synthetic muscle Herra can make out--though, interestingly, he doesn't seem to have gotten extra arms or mechanical legs, like so many of them do. Across his back, he's got a huge chainsword, and a CS-issued plasma ejector; currently, he's holding a light railgun.

The second lieutenant may be the most 'interesting' of all, however. It's not every day one sees a sub-demon with a Juicer rig on their back! Also carried on his back is a different laser rifle; his current weapon of choice, however, appears to be a rocket launcher....

Then the SET arrives, and Echo adds one additional bit of intel to Herra's--one of the invisible Brodkil is no mere grunt--that's a M.O.M. she's equipped with! She's wielding a pair of Vambraces that appear to be chain weapons, rather than the usual Vibro-blade style....

Initial Positions

No surprises here, thanks to both sides being up and running.

Declared positions:
SnackHappy piloting Sasha
Fox flying above the canopy--he'll be coming down at a random position on the map on his action
Kutter driving the Mark V
Growler manning the Mark V's laser
Calyx in the center of the Mark V, ready to send jolts through a weapon-port (he gets benefit of the Mark V's Armor unless an attacker makes a -4 called shot against him)
Herra is likewise in the center, able to use a peephole to target her powers (-6 called shot against her)
Echo is in the co-pilot's seat at the front of the Mark V
Zakkael is outside the Mark V, flying below the canopy

Initiative Summary

Here's the Order of Initiative (all card draws on display in the graphic); Villains are in Red:

Calyx: Ace of Clubs
Herra: King of Hearts
Echo: King of Diamonds

Big Bad Boss Brodkil (Particle Beam Cannon, Pulse Laser Rifle): King of Clubs
Cray-Cray (Pain Vambraces): Queen of Diamonds

SnackHappy: Jack of Clubs

Juicy: 10 of Hearts (From BBBB's Tactician Draw) (Rocket Launcher!!!)

Growler: 10 of Diamonds (From Fox's Tactician Draw)


Normal Brodkil: (Laser Rifles) 9 of Spades
Sevenof Brodkil: (Light Railgun) 9 of Diamonds
Cybernetic Mook Brodkil: (Laser Rifles/Grenades {arms}, or Pulse Lasers {legs}) 9 of Clubs

Kutter: 7 of Clubs
Fox: 6 of Diamonds
Zakkael: 4 of Diamonds

Movement and Line of Sight Rules

Normal Brodkil begin the fight invisible (they become visible on their action). Echo can perceive them normally, but they do not show up on thermal scanners, so everyone else must make Notice rolls at -4 to target them, and attacks against them are at -4. This also applies for Cray-Cray. The other named Brodkil, and the cybernetic mooks, can be attacked normally. As deduced by Echo and Fox earlier, invisible Brodkil are Vulnerable to cold--a side-effect of the trapping that makes them non-thermally visible.

The entire area is covered in brush and underneath tall trees forming a thick canopy at about 24' (4") above the ground. Areas marked with trees on the map are actually low brush and dangling vines that interfere with movement (treat as difficult terrain, 1/2 movement, even for fliers). Both the Mark V and Sasha ignore the terrain--they're strong enough to just plow through the smaller brush.

If your line of sight to a target passes through one of those areas, the target is obscured, at -2. (Note: Echo ignores this penalty.)

Flying above 25', but within the canopy, is very difficult, costing double movement through those squares AND requiring a Piloting/Agility roll (depending on whether or not you're in a powered flight suit) at -4. Failure means you lose your movement that round, CritFail means you smacked a tree got Shaken, and fell like a rock: roll 3d6 Heavy Weapon damage from the impact on the ground. The exception to this is a 'punch through' like Fox is doing on round one, where he just drops straight through the canopy as part of his movement (this costs 3" of movement). Punching through can be done either straight up or straight down. All that said, being up in the Canopy raises your Obscurement to -4, both shooting out or in.

Being above or below the canopy gives total Cover to the other side of the canopy.

Juicy and Cray-Cray both gain the Uncanny Reflexes benefit of -2 to be hit, due to their IFs.

Posting Directions

When posting movement, please note your destination square as follows: Color-Letter-Number, where "Color" is the color of the box around the letters along the top (White, Red, Green, Purple). This will make it easier for me to create subsequent round maps.

For Sasha, the destination square is the NE corner of the Gunwolf. For the Mark V, it's where your front driver's side corner ends up (this will make it easier to track turns, as well).

Similarly, when targeting attacks, Mook Brodkil should be noted by "Color-Number". Colors are Black, Red, Blue (all normal Brodkil) and Lavender (cyber-arm), Ice (cyber-leg). Named Brodkil can just be designated as such.

When placing a round area-of-effect Template, please note two squares, diagonally adjacent to one another; the corner they share in common will be the center-point of the blast. When placing a Cone, note the start of the Cone and the square in the center of the arc at the end of the cone (should be 9" from the start square). For Template descriptions, you can click this link.

Villain Important Stat Summary

Normal Brodkil Mooks (15 Total)
Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (2)

Cyber-Brodkil Mooks (10 Total)
Parry: 6; Toughness: 15 (6)

Juicy
Parry: 7 (Uncanny Reflexes); Toughness: 21 (9)

Cray-Cray
Parry: 10 (Uncanny Reflexes); Toughness: 15 (5)

Sevenof
Parry: 11 (10 w/ Chainsword); Toughness: 16 (6)

Big Bad Boss Brodkil
Parry: 8; Toughness: 24 (14)

[Calyx]

Calyx heard the report about the Brodkil and as they got closer to the ambush site (and he was still wondering who was actually ambushing who), he used his psychic abilities to make himself a better psychic, silly as that sounded in his own head. He pulled out his Infared Distancing Binoculars and his pistol. and looked out the port to see what he could see. There was a lot of cover out there and the Brodkil, the ones he could see anyway, seemed to be very far away for the moment. So for the moment he used his psychic powers to make himself a bit more resistant to damage.

Notice 5

Notice die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

Power, Boost Psionics in previous round 15

Psionics die [dice]2[/dice]
Psionics die ace [dice]4[/dice]
Wild die [dice]3[/dice]
NOTE: Also gain +2 to Pace and on a raise increase Agility one die type for the duration of the power

Power, Armor 6

Psionics die [dice]5[/dice]
Wild die [dice]6[/dice]
NOTE: Ambient light and electricity are sucked in or dampened, increasing Stealth by one die type.

Fear Roll 6

-2 to total
Spirit die [dice]7[/dice]
Wild die [dice]8[/dice]
Benny Extra Effort die [dice]9[/dice]

[Peta Chante]

Greater Smite 10 - raise - +8 Mega Damage - Holy Trapping +4 to Brodkil

Survival (to determine weakness for Brodkil - holy) [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Psionics [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]
Ace: [dice]4[/dice]
-8 ISP (both launchers, 4 each)

As they prepare for battle Herra recalls that Brodkil are a species of sub-demon, meaning they abhor all that is holy and good. Smiling at this knowledge, she touches each missile tube and magazine on the Mark V giving them insight into the monsters' weaknesses so they can hit harder than normal. Satisfied that they are ready to go she takes the co-pilot seat and helps Kutter move them into battle position. Surveying the scene she calls out where invisible targets might be to Growler and Kutter.

"I suggest you use missiles. I sense that they will be very effective."

Smarts 7

Detect Arcana (free action) to see invisible foes
Psionics [dice]5[/dice] - success
Wild [dice]6[/dice]

Cooperative roll to use detect arcana to point out invisible foes.
Smarts [dice]7[/dice]
Wild [dice]9[/dice]

[Echo]

Having stowed herself on the roof and using a cloud of darkness to hide her exact location Echo weighs her options. "I think I can indicate their positions." Making sure to use the geometry of the vehicle for cover Echo maintains her cloud of darkness, while having several arrow like shapes of darkness pointing towards hard to see targets through the cover.
Then she shoots the Crazy Brodkil.

Complicated

Using Energy Control and my ability to see through to concealment to aid in the notice rolls of the others, If I can only aid one person it will be Snackhappy.

Starting and Ending positions determined by GM fiat, as Echo is on the vehicle. Free 6" move to look up shoot and duck back behind cover if there is any.

Energy Control to Assist Allied Notice/Target rolls (I do not know how you will handle this effort, I think this will provide a +1, but not sure)
Spirit [dice]0[/dice]
Spirit Wild [dice]1[/dice]


Shooting NG-IP7 Ion Pulse Rifle (+2 3 round burst, -2 Uncanny Crazies, -2 Range = -2) = Miss, but those poor trees.
Shooting [dice]2[/dice]
Shooting Wild [dice]3[/dice]

.

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Shooting Mods: Range -4; Obscurement -2; Cybernetics +2 = Total -4
Shooting [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Shooting [dice]1[/dice]
TD: [dice]2[/dice]

Cannon now suffers -1 to hit. Seriously, lamest opening ever. Zakk's obviously protected by the Light.

The four-armed Brodkil with the Particle Cannon sneers at the Legionnaires as you enter their turf. "I spy a little birdie. Hey, Little Birdie, time to play!" He pulls the trigger, and... nothing much happens. The weapon simply fails to fire, and he smacks it with the side of his hand. "Stupid Cee-Ess piece of crap!" The beam fires off, belatedly, going well wide of where Zakkael was soaring.

OOC Comments

Psionics Modifiers: -2 obscurement; +2 via Major Psi, +4 ISP to Power Cost = Total Flat Roll
Psionics [dice]3[/dice]
Wild Psionics [dice]4[/dice]
ACE Psionics Running Total [dice]5[/dice]

Smarts [dice]6[/dice]
Ace [dice]14[/dice]
Wild Smarts [dice]7[/dice]
Ace [dice]15[/dice]
Error: Should've been -4. Still Succeeded. Total of 16 ISP spent

Intimidate [dice]8[/dice]
Wild Intimidate [dice]9[/dice]

Fighting Left [dice]10[/dice]
Wild Left [dice]11[/dice]
Raise
Damage: [dice]16[/dice] + [dice]17[/dice] + [dice]18[/dice] + 6 + Ace [dice]19[/dice]= 26 Mega-Damage, AP 2 (3 Wounds, 4 if he was Shaken by the Intimidate and does not spend the Benny)

Fighting Right [dice]12[/dice]
Wild Right [dice]13[/dice]
Miss
.

The grinning female Brodkil (unseen to all save Echo) suddenly disappears from Echo's view, too. Inside the APV, Growler hears a rasping voice behind him. "Oooh, you look like you might last awhile." Suddenly, she's THERE, with him, in the rolling metal box, and slashing with the vambraces. The right hand misses, but the left vambrace connects, beyond solidly.

As the blade cuts through Growler's Cannonball armor, there's a surprising lack of blood--but there is PAIN. More pain than he's felt since he left the lab. It runs through his nerves like fire.

OOC Comments

Okay, so Growler has some rolling to do:

1: Spirit to resist Intimidate; he needs to beat a 7 (so an 8 or better). If he gets less than a 3 or less, he's Shaken, and will need to spend a Benny to unshake immediately (and believe me, he wants to).
2: He takes 3 Wounds from the attack. Bizarrely, this is non-lethal damage, but it's still Wounds.
3: In addition, there's psionic pain ripping through him at the moment (from the trapping on the smite on the vambraces): He needs to roll Spirit at -2, or he suffers a level of Fatigue.

Yeah, Cray-Cray is nasty.

As the insane Brodkil howls in triumph from inside the APV, everyone feels a sense of dread washing over them.

OOC Comments

Fear rolls, everyone! Spirit rolls for everyone (including Growler, so he gets four rolls), at -2, since there's a Leader Brodkil on the board.

[Growler]

The grinning female Brodkil (unseen to all save Echo) suddenly disappears from Echo's view, too. Inside the APV, Growler hears a rasping voice behind him. "Oooh, you look like you might last awhile." Suddenly, she's THERE, with him, in the rolling metal box, and slashing with the vambraces. The right hand misses, but the left vambrace connects, beyond solidly.

As the blade cuts through Growler's Cannonball armor, there's a surprising lack of blood--but there is PAIN. More pain than he's felt since he left the lab. It runs through his nerves like fire.

OOC Comments

Okay, so Growler has some rolling to do:

1: Spirit to resist Intimidate; he needs to beat a 7 (so an 8 or better). If he gets less than a 3 or less, he's Shaken, and will need to spend a Benny to unshake immediately (and believe me, he wants to).
2: He takes 3 Wounds from the attack. Bizarrely, this is non-lethal damage, but it's still Wounds.
3: In addition, there's psionic pain ripping through him at the moment (from the trapping on the smite on the vambraces): He needs to roll Spirit at -2, or he suffers a level of Fatigue.

Yeah, Cray-Cray is nasty.

As the insane Brodkil howls in triumph from inside the APV, everyone feels a sense of dread washing over them.

OOC Comments

Fear rolls, everyone! Spirit rolls for everyone (including Growler, so he gets four rolls), at -2, since there's a Leader Brodkil on the board.

No Effect on Growler

1: Spirit vs, Intimidation (+4 due ARES)

• Spirit: [dice]0[/dice]
  Ace: [dice]2[/dice]
  Wild: [dice]1[/dice]
  Result: 11 - Success. No effect

2: Physical Attack

• Using my Adventure Card
  • Last Stand: Your hero and any adjacent allies gain +2 Parry and Toughness. Allies who move into contact after the card is played gain the bonus as well. The effect ends when a Joker is dealt.
  • Lowers wounds taken to 1.
• Spending Bennie to Soak Wound
  • Vigor: [dice]3[/dice]
    Wild: [dice]4[/dice]
    Reroll (Bennie): [dice]5[/dice]
    Wild: [dice]6[/dice]
    Result: 5 - Success. No wound.

3: Spirit Roll vs. Pain

• Spirit: [dice]7[/dice]
  Wild: [dice]8[/dice]
  Result: 4 - Success. No Effect.

4: Fear Check at +2 (-2 Due Fear, +4 due ARES)

• Spirit: [dice]9[/dice]
  Wild: [dice]10[/dice]
  Result: 7 - Success. No Effect.

Response

Turn 1 - Using Quickness Power

• Psionics: [dice]11[/dice]
  Wild: [dice]12[/dice]
  Result: 7 - Success. Growler has two separate turns per round on his action card instead of the usual one. Each turn is handled independently with its own actions, but the character must resolve one turn entirely before beginning the second. Also, +2 to Pace (10). Costs 5 ISP.

Turn 2 - Draw Flaming Sword and Attack with Disarm (Called Shot at -2 to hit, offset by HJ Roll, -2 due MaP, -2 due vs. Crazy). 1 ISP
Fighting: [dice]13[/dice]
Wild: [dice]14[/dice]
Result: 2 - Miss.

With the Brodkil's Teleport inside, even this fearsome creature and its threats have no effect on Growler. Growler draws upon his Inner Strength and matches if not beats the Crazy in speed. They dance around each other as they fight in a blur to everyone else in the APC, neither getting much of an advantage against the other. Growler does not say a word to the Demon, though a low growl does escape his throat.

I was made to fight creatures such as this. He may have technology helping him, but I have some of my Pack inside here with me to help me.

[Zakkael]

Preparation

casting prep spells in round prior to combat:
Greater Armor with staff bonus and Courage trapping: 6 PPE
[dice]0[/dice]

Raise GA with prior
[dice]6[/dice]

WD GA
[dice]1[/dice]

Activate Greater Deflection from shield: 3 PPE / 4 ISP (5 PPE total)
[dice]2[/dice]

WD GD
[dice]3[/dice]

Raise WD GD
[dice]7[/dice]

Spirit to resist Fear, with Courage trapping active: net no bonus
[dice]4[/dice]

WD Spirit
[dice]5[/dice]

Notice with mystic vision
[dice]8[/dice]

WD Notice
[dice]9[/dice]

Detect Arcana as free action
[dice]10[/dice]

WD DA
[dice]11[/dice]

Taking flight, and a position above and away from the APC, Zakkael prepares himself for combat against an unholy foe. "The Light is my refuge and my strength. Heaven is my high tower. Whom shall I fear? No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I am the Angel of Justice, and I have come to account for the blood you've shed. Lay down your weapons and beg forgiveness, that Heaven may hear you and spare your lives. No? I expect nothing less than utter foolishness from pitiful demons such as yourselves. So be it!"

Pending

actions pending resolution of earlier cards

[Kutter]

Kutter sees the spread of enemies before the Jokers...

Well Hell, looks like we done found us a hornets nest....best get to it

Kutter howls with anticipation. Suddenly, his sense of smell picks up a hundred different smells of magic and psionic energy wafting by him like a supernatural bakery. He breathed deep and got ready to get rowdy.

He was confident with Growler on the laser...when suddenly there was an uninvited Brodkil nutbag running amok INSIDE the Mark V...and he felt his animal flight reflex try and kick in....

Fear Check

Brave + 2, Penalty -2
[dice]0[/dice]
WD
[dice]1[/dice]

1 BENNY to Re-Roll

[dice]2[/dice]
WD
[dice]3[/dice]
Succeed - 6

REALLY? SAM HELL you gotta be kiddin me, nice try scary lady, ain't got nothin on me..

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Kutter hoped his new friends could handle the demonic hitch hiker, and he focused his attention forward, trusting his pack to have his back. Seeing the particle beam sail off wide, he tried to make note of where ever the hell that guy was...and drop a mini-missile in his lap....

Pending Turn

[Echo]

Hearing the horrific noise from inside the APC Echo looks down momentarily distracted. Thinking to herself. How the hell did it get in there. Must be a Teleporter.

Fear Check Required, Success

Spirit: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

Benny for Extra Effort
[dice]2[/dice]

[SnackHappy]

After scanning the field Jacob notices the rocket launcher and thinks of the damage that can do to him and his friends. Looking to ensure their safety he targets the juiced brodkill. Shooting the first set of shots into him seems to take him out of the fight. His second railgun he points at the similarly armed brodkill with hopes to treat him like the first. Seeing the blood splatter Snackhappy lets out a howl over the loudspeaker.

Shooting

1st Railgun Shot Set
Shooting [dice]0[/dice]
Shooting [dice]1[/dice]
Shooting [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

Hit with Raise:
Damage: [dice]8[/dice]
Raise: [dice]9[/dice]
Total: 21 AP14

Normal Hit:
Damage: [dice]10[/dice]
Total: 22 AP14

If the first shot obliterates Juicy he will take the second one at any named one (Sevenof preferred) he can or trash if no named one is available.

2nd Railgun Shot Set
Shooting [dice]4[/dice]
Shooting [dice]5[/dice]
Shooting [dice]6[/dice]
Wild [dice]7[/dice]

Hit with Raise:
Damage: [dice]11[/dice]
Raise: [dice]12[/dice]
Total: 24 AP14

Hit with Raise:
Damage: [dice]13[/dice] Ace:[dice]15[/dice]
Raise(Because no -2): [dice]14[/dice]
Total: 39 AP14

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Juicy Soak:
Soak Shot 1 [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Soak [dice]2[/dice]
Ace Running Total [dice]4[/dice]
Both Wounds Soaked

Soak Shot 2 [dice]1[/dice]
Wild Soak [dice]3[/dice]
Should have been +1, since first shot totally soaked
Ace Running Total [dice]5[/dice]
Both Wounds Soaked

GM Benny Soak Shot 3 [dice]6[/dice]
Wild Soak [dice]7[/dice]
Spend one Burn to double the Soak Roll: All wounds soaked from 3rd Shot

GM Benny Soak Shot 4 [dice]8[/dice]
Wild Soak [dice]9[/dice]
Last GM Benny to Re-Roll Soak
Soak Shot 4 [dice]10[/dice]
Wild Soak [dice]11[/dice]
Spend Burn to double roll to 18. Out of 7 Wounds inflicted by last shot, that Soaks 4. He's got 3 Wounds, but is up.

Shooting Modifiers: Range -2; Armor Targeting System +2; Marksman +2; Obscurement -2, MAP -2 (uses Split the Seconds to Reload Launcher, and then fires a second shot). Total -2.

The Juiced-up Brodkil sneers as the guns level at him, and for a brief nano-second, it seems as if he is going to weather the blistering barrage unscathed; but the last round of the second gun manages to slam into his face-plate, leading him staggered, bleeding into his eyes and howling in rage and pain. And then he snarls, and raises the Rocket Launcher, albeit somewhat shakily. Even so, he moves with blinding speed--before the first rocket has even finished its arc, he has loaded a second and launched it, as well.

OOC Comments

Shooting [dice]12[/dice]
Wild Shooting [dice]13[/dice]
ACE [dice]16[/dice]
Hit: [dice]18[/dice] = 12 MD, AP 11

Shooting [dice]14[/dice]
Wild Shooting [dice]15[/dice]
ACE [dice]17[/dice]
Raise: [dice]19[/dice] Plus Raise [dice]20[/dice] plus ACE [dice]21[/dice] = 19 AP 11

The rockets sail true, despite the protecting foliage--one even strikes Sasha directly, while the other catches her solidly in its blast radius. And when the explosions fade, Sasha has suffered nothing more than scratched paint, as the blasts are utterly unable to penetrate her shell. Juicy looks... stunned by this turn of events.

OOC Comments

More to come tonight--Brodkil Horde, and Sevenof gets to go!

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Here goes nothin'

Red and Blue normal Brodkil advance forward, as do the Cyber-Arm Mooks (Purple). Black Normal and Ice Cyber-Legs hang back, remaining to screen the leader. All of them are firing through the foliage, so the below numbers include that penalty.

Red & Blue are both at Medium Range and shooting at Echo--yes, they can see through her darkness, I'm afraid. (-4)
Purple is at Medium Range and shooting at Zakk (-4)
Black is at Long Range and shooting at Zakk (-6)
Ice is at Medium Range and using 3-round-bursts, shooting at Zakk. (-2)

Echo
Shooting Red [dice]0[/dice]
Shooting Red [dice]1[/dice] Ace [dice]29[/dice]
Shooting Red [dice]2[/dice]
Shooting Red [dice]3[/dice]
Shooting Red [dice]4[/dice]

Shooting Blue [dice]5[/dice]
Shooting Blue [dice]6[/dice]
Shooting Blue [dice]7[/dice] Ace [dice]30[/dice]
Shooting Blue [dice]8[/dice] Ace [dice]31[/dice]
Shooting Blue [dice]9[/dice] Ace [dice]32[/dice] Ace [dice]38[/dice]


Zakkael
Shooting Purple [dice]10[/dice]
Shooting Purple [dice]11[/dice]
Shooting Purple [dice]12[/dice]
Shooting Purple [dice]13[/dice] Ace [dice]33[/dice]
Shooting Purple [dice]14[/dice]

Shooting Black [dice]15[/dice]
Shooting Black [dice]16[/dice]
Shooting Black [dice]17[/dice]
Shooting Black [dice]18[/dice]
Shooting Black [dice]19[/dice] Ace [dice]34[/dice]

Shooting Ice [dice]20[/dice]
Shooting Ice [dice]21[/dice] Ace [dice]35[/dice]
Shooting Ice [dice]22[/dice]
Shooting Ice [dice]23[/dice]
Shooting Ice [dice]24[/dice]

Finally, of course, is Seven0f, the Brodkil Headhunter. He's going to try to paint Sasha with the Railgun.
Base Skill (w/Chip): d12+1; Targeting Eye +2; Matter of Size +2; Obscurement -2: Final Shooting d12+3

Sevenof Shooting [dice]25[/dice]
Sevenof Shooting [dice]26[/dice] Ace [dice]36[/dice]
Sevenof Shooting [dice]27[/dice] Ace [dice]37[/dice] Ace [dice]39[/dice]
Wild Shooting [dice]28[/dice]
.

[Freemage]

Damage Rolls

Echo: 3 hits, 1 Raise
Hit [dice]0[/dice] Ace [dice]11[/dice], 20 AP 2 (2 Wounds)
Hit [dice]1[/dice] Ace [dice]12[/dice], 18 AP 2 (1 Wound)
Hit [dice]2[/dice] Ace [dice]13[/dice], 17 AP 2 (1 Wound)
Raise [dice]3[/dice], 20 AP 2 (2 Wounds)

Zakkael: 1 Hit
Hit 3RB [dice]4[/dice] Ace [dice]14[/dice], 17 AP 2 (1 Wound)
OOPS. Forgot Zakk had Greater Deflection up. No hit, no wound.

Sasha: 3 Raises
Raise [dice]5[/dice] +[dice]6[/dice], 17 AP 10
Raise [dice]7[/dice] +[dice]8[/dice], 17 AP 10
Raise [dice]9[/dice] +[dice]10[/dice], 13 AP 10

... Not a scratch on Sasha, again.
.

The Headhunter Brodkil's Railgun barks out an angry staccato, but once again, Sasha's hide proves superior to their weapons. The advancing Brodkil troops actually fare better, however. Despite the adverse conditions, one almost manages to hit Zakkael soundly--but the Light of Heaven averts the burst at the last second, scattering it to the canopy. But it is Echo who learns a painful lesson (or perhaps 2, if one counts, "Brodkil can see in darkness"): namely, that when enough laser fire is headed in your direction, things can turn ugly quickly, as several blasts strike home....

OOC Comments

So, yeah... That happened. It would take at least 2 Bennies, and some solid rolls, to get the numbers to the point where she won't need to roll Incap at all. If someone has Common Bond, or cards to play, this is the time to do it.

If none of the wounds are prevented, she will need to roll for Incapacitation twice, at -3 both times.

• Total of 1 or Less: The character dies. Roll on Death & Defeat (or declare Blaze of Glory, of course).
• Failure: Roll on the Injury Table. The Injury is permanent and the victim is Bleeding Out (see below).
• Success: Roll on the Injury Table. The Injury goes away when all wounds are healed.
• Raise: Roll on the Injury Table. The Injury goes away in 24 hours, or when all wounds are healed.

Injury Table is in SWD, page 69. Death & Defeat is TLPG, page 122

Fox comes down deep in enemy territory

X = [dice]15[/dice] = 57
Y = [dice]16[/dice] = 30
Green E 30--not far from Cray-Cray and the boss Brodkil and his 'screen' minions (including the ones who just shot Zakkael, for the record).

Fox hears Echo's anguished cry over the radio and descends to find himself deep in enemy territory. Kutter has a stowaway slasher movie reject on his Mark V. And Zakkael hears his ally's anguished screams from within that cloud of darkness as a laser blast also strikes him.

OOC Comments

Okay, you three are up--bring this home, be amazing. If no card-play keeps Echo from going Incapacitated, she'll assume her natural form and the darkness effect lifts.

[Peta Chante]

Adventure Card for Echo

Seize the Day "The character acts as if he had drawn a Joker this combat round."

[Echo]

Edited Damage Rolls

Echo: 3 hits, 1 Raise
Hit [dice]27094:0[/dice] Ace [dice]27094:11[/dice], 20 AP 2 (2 Wounds)
Hit [dice]27094:1[/dice] Ace [dice]27094:12[/dice], 18 AP 2 (1 Wound) AP makes this 2 wounds First roll of Incapacitation for this one
Hit [dice]27094:2[/dice] Ace [dice]27094:13[/dice], 17 AP 2 (1 Wound) AP makes this 2 wounds Second roll of Incapacitation for this one
Raise [dice]27094:3[/dice], 20 AP 2 (2 Wounds) Third roll of Incapacitation for this one
.

Thinking she was safe in her attempts to use use stealth Echo has time for nothing but a stream of pain as the fire from multiple locations sink into her. Her body shakes violently before sliding off the vehicle limp and unconscious.

Vigor

Vigor d6, Ignores -2 in penalties from Improved Nerves of Steel, Joker Adventure Card from Herra grans +2 for total roll of d6+1.

Second Hit - 12, No injury

• Vigor [dice]0[/dice] Aced [dice]6[/dice]
  Vigor Wild [dice]1[/dice] Aced [dice]7[/dice]

Third Hit - 6, temporary injury, goes away when wounds healed

• Vigor [dice]2[/dice]
  Vigor Wild [dice]3[/dice]
  Roll [dice]8[/dice] For Temporary Injury

Fourth Hit - 5, temporary injury, goes away when wounds healed

• Vigor [dice]4[/dice]
  Vigor Wild [dice]5[/dice]
  Roll [dice]9[/dice] For Temporary Injury

[Freemage]

OOC: Posting the map with the new positions of the mooks who advanced.

[Zakkael]

Greater Healing

Greater Healing with Gift of Life trapping; -3 for wounds, +2 for trapping, +1 for staff, net zero bonus
[dice]0[/dice]

WD GH
[dice]1[/dice]

Ace WD with prior result
[dice]2[/dice]

Playing Extra Effort adventure card
[dice]3[/dice]

In a flash, Zakkael banks right, speeding back towards the Mark V and his wounded companion. "Echo! Hold on! I'm on my way! Fear not, for there is healing in the Light!"
Alighting on the top of the APC, he proceeds to cover Echo with the Shield of Faith to prevent any further attacks, and lays his hands on the wounded spell. "Merciful Light, I am forever grateful for the grace extended towards Your creations, including this most amazing creature, Echo. May the blessing and power of Heaven envelop Echo, and may these wounds, dealt by vicious demons, be healed, showing the awesome power of the Light of Heaven, which stands forever steadfast against the darkness. Let all who witness this miracle see this deed done in the name and for the glory of the Light, and come to a knowledge of true mercy." As he continues praying and preaching, the wounds seal wholly, leaving no visible marks or evidence that there was ever an injury. Zakkael exhales and slumps a bit, then straightens up.

"All praise be unto the Light, who is merciful, and faithful, and true. Rise, Echo, and resume the good fight. But resume it behind me for the time being, and allow me to be your protection. None of these foes can breach the Breastplate of Righteousness, nor strike where the hand of the Light brushes aside their flaming darts."

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Incoming Fox

Fox's coordinates put him in the middle (North/South) with three Brodkil groups North of his position and two South of it. Cyber legs are one of the groups north. (Green E and 30)

Fox believes he is still traveling in an eastward direction when he drops from the canopy. Opening the intakes on the jet thrusters and trimming the outlfows, Fox comes roaring through the canopies, screeching and shrieking, if he knew what a pterodactyl was, that would be what he might latter compare it to. The engines suck down air in larges gasps that sound like something dieing but SAMAS holds true to her build and rushes the brodkil groups to the north.

Echo's painful cries fill the headset that Fox wears inside SAMAS. Having left the locks off the weapon systems for the rockets, Fox drops target locks on the fading heat signatures of energy weapons and empty missile tubes. Making a mental note to make sure he gets SAMAS's wings retrofitted with dual rocket tubes, he fires off the left shoulder mounted twin rockets. Both rockets are fired into the southern flanks of clustered units of two different brodkil groups (Ice 1, Black 3).

Anti-Vehicle Rockets

• Target Ice 1, Shooting 6, Damage 17, AP 6
• Shooting [dice]0[/dice] (MAP -2, PA Jock)
• Wild Shooting [dice]1[/dice]
• EE Shooting [dice]4[/dice]
• Damage 5 = (17)

• Target Black 3, Shooting 5, Damage 30, AP 6
• Shooting [dice]2[/dice] (MAP -2, PA Jock)
• Wild Shooting [dice]3[/dice]
• Damage 6 = (25)
• Aced Damage 7 = (5)

Piloting a Fly By

• Piloting 10
• Piloting [dice]8[/dice](+2 for Ace)
• Wild Pilot [dice]9[/dice]

The rockets hit their designated targets and Fox is glad, but regretably Anti-Vehicular Rockets are precision weapons and there is insufficent enough damage to catch other brodkil in their burst radii. Continuing at full throttle on his thrusters, Fox finds a break in the canopy and breaks into the upper levels.

Attracting Attention

• Notice 10
• Notice [dice]10[/dice]
• Wild Notice [dice]11[/dice]
• Aced Wild [dice]12[/dice]

"This is Seven-One-Seven. Just buzz bombed a couple of brodkil. Back above the foliage."

[Kutter]

Vroom Vroom

Drive to R29

Seeing all hell break loose in front of him, behind him, above him, and hell, probably below him to at some point soon, he cuts the wheel to the left, and then in a flash of fingers and hands, lines up a mini-missile targeting the group of brodkil with crazy metal can opener arms of doom.

Mini-Missile

Targeting Purple #1 -

Purple #5 w/i Blast Radius -


-2 MAP
Shooting
[dice]0[/dice]
Wild Dice
[dice]1[/dice]

Using Benny For Re-Roll

[dice]2[/dice]
WD
[dice]3[/dice]

5 - Simple Success

Damage - [dice]4[/dice] AP:6

Aced Damage Dice - [dice]5[/dice]

Aced Ace Damage Dice - [dice]6[/dice]

Triple Ace - [dice]7[/dice]

37 Damage total - AP 6 - Armor 6 - Toughness 15

37-15 = 22 = 5 Wounds

As the missile streaks out of its casing, flying like an arrow towards the tin can armed bastards, the next sequence begins...Kutter rolls the heavy laser in line with Seven of Nine's Seven of Face, and let it loose...

Heavy Laser

Shooting -2 MAP, -2 Crazy Ability

[dice]8[/dice]

Wild Dice
[dice]9[/dice]

EXTRA EFFORT - Benny Adds - [dice]10[/dice]
2+3=5

Simple Success - Damage -[dice]11[/dice]

Armor After Ap - 0

Target Toughness - 16
Damage 19 - Shaken -

The missile barely beats the laser to their separate targets, and hits like meteorite, blasting two of the Brodkil into clouds of red dirt, leaving the burnt cloud as the only remnant of the two demons. The laser slices across the sky and into the shoulder of Seven of Nine. Turning away from the blast, she almost drops to one knee as she stops for a split second to catch herself after narrowly missing the bulk of the damage.

"TAKE THAT YOU SUNNSABECHES!!!!"

SOMEONE GET THIS CRAZY OUT MY RIDE!

[Freemage]

Brodkil Boogaloo, Round 2

A brutal exchange of fire has left several of the Brodkil dead by missile fire; Juicy is looking a bit stressed out, and Big Boss is checking his Particle Cannon to make sure it shoots next time. Cray-Cray, on the other hand, howls in excitement as Kutter brings the vehicle to the north, and Sevenof is staggered by the Mark V's heavy laser. The lesser Brodkils' blood is up, and they seem ready to rush the Legionnaires. But a calm has settled over SnackHappy. This is his command; this is his moment.

Initiative Round 2

Round 2 Initiative breakdown:

SnackHappy/Sasha: Joker! +2 to all Snackhappy actions and damage rolls, and everyone gets a bennie! (Also, I'll be reshuffling after this round, but cards held by Tacticians will still be ineligible to be played again.)

Mook Brodkil (Black, Blue, Red)--all invisible, -4 to notice/target: AS

Fox: AH

Cyber-Mook Brodkil (Ice, Purple): AD

Kutter: KS
Calyx: 10S
Herra: 9H

Cray-Cray: 8H

(Fox could use 8C Tactician to insert any allies below this mark here--really only worth it if one of them is either going to take cover or attack Juicy; I will note that Juicy could shoot a Rocket and catch both Echo and Zakk, while still hitting the Mark V--making it a very tempting target.)

Juicy: 7D

Zakk: 6S
Growler: 6C
Echo: 3S

B4: 2H
Sevenof (Shaken): 2D

Tactical Notes

As mentioned, Sevenof is Shaken for pretty much the entire round. And Juicy could target two of you and the MarkV unless Fox uses the 8 of Clubs to give one of them a boost. Invisible Brodkil still are at a -4 to Notice to locate or target.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Up above the foliage, hovering above a tree top, Fox's sensors and scanners are running. He flips his comms to open, "To the Seventh, this is Seven-One-Seven. Lost visual on the rear guard unit of brodkil, though The Big Ugly and I mean U_G_L_Y is completely visible with a vehicular particle cannon most likely lined up for either the Gunwolf or the Mark V. I am in a position that I could strafe almost any target. Please advise over."

[Peta Chante]

Notice

[dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Seeing the crazy enter the APC annoys Herra to no end, turning in her seat she scolds him like a mother who's children are misbehaving in the back seat of the car. However, her voice is much colder than a mother's could ever be.

"Cease what you are doing," she commands with icy coolness.

Psionics-Puppet 17

Psionics [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

Benny!
[dice]4[/dice]
[dice]5[/dice]
+2 Elan
+4 RFT EP gift

If he falls under her command she doesn't pull any punches and commands him stab himself with his fancy vibro-vambraces.

"You are not worth the air air you breathe. End your life and be done with your sniveling."

Psionics-Opposed 17

Psionics [dice]6[/dice]
Wild [dice]7[/dice]

Benny!
Psionics [dice]8[/dice]
Wild [dice]9[/dice]
+2 Elan, +4 RFT EP Gift

[Kutter]

Hearing Fox come in over the battle comm, Kutter flips on his mic,

"Give me a good spot on Mr. Ugly and I will send him some face paint!"

Kutter was on the edge, and he liked it. A horde of demons at his front, a great pack, i mean, squad, surrounding him. He smiled wildly as his tongue wagged freely as he panted with the rush of combat. Each explosion, laser blast, and cry of agony was like a chaotic symphony in his chest.

This is like the old day almost...cept its dees Brodkils instead of them Skull heads...Gotta get that laser on target again...

Kutter worked the weapons with his right hand, as he effortless drove through the brush with his left hand, each working independently and yet seamlessly together at the same time.

[SnackHappy]

"Boy you strafe what you need to, I'm bout to show these brodkill what real shootin' looks like. Hopefully make the juiced one stay down this time. Keeping kickin' ass Jokers! Man I love this stuff"
With that Sasha's weapons spin up again each railgun firing down at its own target. On the loudspeaker the next song from his playlist begins to play. Jacob rocks on in the cockpit.

Welcome to the Jungle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr8-E8may2Y

Dakka Dakka

Dual-Linked Railgun 1, targeting Juicy
Shooting rolls:
Bonuses: +2 Joker, +2 targeting sensors, natural from skill +2, +1 from twin linked
Penalties: -2 MAP, -2 obscure, recoil -2, -2 juicer reflexes
Shot 1: [dice]0[/dice]
Shot 2: [dice]1[/dice]
Shot 3: [dice]2[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]3[/dice]
Damage rolls:
Bonus: +2 Joker, +2 Twin-Linked
1st Damage: [dice]4[/dice]
2nd Damage: [dice]5[/dice] Raise: [dice]21[/dice] Ace: [dice]22[/dice]
3rd Damage: [dice]6[/dice]
Summary of effects:
1st 20 Damage AP 14 = 2 Wounds
2nd 31 Damage AP 14 = 4 Wounds

Dual-Linked Railgun 2, targeting Seven
Shooting rolls:
Bonuses: +2 Joker, +2 targeting sensors, natural from skill +2, +1 from twin linked
Penalties: -2 MAP, -2 obscure, recoil -2
Shot 1: [dice]7[/dice]
Shot 2: [dice]8[/dice]
Shot 3: [dice]9[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]10[/dice]
Damage rolls:
Bonus: +2 Joker, +2 Twin-Linked
1st Damage: [dice]11[/dice] Raise: [dice]23[/dice]
2nd Damage: [dice]12[/dice] Raise: [dice]24[/dice] Ace: [dice]25[/dice]
3rd Damage: [dice]13[/dice] Raise: [dice]26[/dice] Ace: [dice]27[/dice] Raise Ace: [dice]30[/dice]
Summary of effects:
1st 31 Damage AP 14 = 5 Wounds
2nd 44 Damage AP 14 = 8 Wounds
3rd 45 Damage AP 14 = 8 Wounds

Chest Railgun Targeting Big Boss
Shooting rolls:
Bonuses: +2 Joker, +2 targeting sensors, natural from skill +2,
Penalties: -2 MAP, -2 obscure, recoil -2
Shot 1: [dice]14[/dice]
Shot 2: [dice]15[/dice]
Shot 3: [dice]16[/dice]
Wild Die: [dice]17[/dice]
Damage rolls:
Bonus: +2 Joker
1st Damage: [dice]18[/dice] Raise: [dice]28[/dice]
2nd Damage: [dice]19[/dice] Ace: [dice]29[/dice]
3rd Damage: [dice]20[/dice] Benny to Reroll Damage: [dice]31[/dice] Ace: [dice]32[/dice]
Summary of effects:
1st 22 Damage AP 14 = 3 Wounds
2nd 32 Damage AP 14 = 5 Wounds
3rd 30 Damage AP 14 = 5 wounds

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Dayum....

Even with lucky rolls, Juicy has no bennies, and Sevenof and Big Boss both only have 2. So three lethal shots to both of them means they are instantly Incapacitated, probably dead.

Cray-Cray Spirit [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Cray-Cray Spirit [dice]1[/dice]

Suicide Order Cray-Cray Spirit [dice]2[/dice]
Ace Spirit [dice]4[/dice]
Ace Spirit [dice]5[/dice]
EE Bennie [dice]6[/dice]
Suicide Order Wild Cray-Cray Spirit [dice]3[/dice]

Ouch, so close. But yeah, with the Raise, the Crazy breaks free. At least Herra soaked one of her two Bennies.
.

Sasha's guns bark out death and destruction upon the uppity sub-demons, and suddenly their leadership lies broken and beaten, all three taken down by the big Robot. Seeing even their great boss go down like a chump before SnackHappy's guns, the invisible Brodkil (still easily perceived by Echo) begin to scatter into the jungle, fleeing the obviously superior Legion forces. It looks like the cybernetically enhanced minions are planning on following suit, but Fox does come down in time to object to that plan, if he wishes.

Inside the vehicle, Herra's power floods through the broken mind of the female Brokil, apparently managing to drown out the M.O.M. unit enough to bring her to heel. Then Herra orders her to kill herself with the blades, and she brings them to within an inch of her throat--before stopping and smiling at the Mind Melter. "Ooh, so close. But I'm afraid that you made a mistake; these blades won't kill right now, they just hurt a lot. After I finish with your pet, here, I'll show you what I mean." The insane Brodkil adds a leer at Herra. "Mind you, that was a very nasssty little idea you had there. I like you...."

Fortunately, Kutter and Calyx both seem to have gotten the drop on her--perhaps one of them can do something to stop her from trying to carve her initials on Growler's heart....

[Kutter]

Watching the sheer level of obliteration caused by the Gunwolf in action, Kutter whistled and shook his head.

"Well, so much for that missile...Waitaminute..."

Switching back to his internal monologue, he remembered the Crazy bouncing around the cab behind him, trying to wreck up the place. From the sound of it, Herra had not been successful in her mental chicanery. Kutter shook his head, reached for his pistol, and then...slammed on the brake, bringing Sally to a screeching halt. He snapped around and lined up the pistol with the Crazy as she ranted on and on...and clicked the three round burst dial...

Wilks 227

-2 MAP, -2 Crazy , + 2 Hit 3RB, +2 Damage 3RB

[dice]0[/dice]


Wild Die
[dice]1[/dice]

Benny For Extra Effort Shooting Roll - Adding [dice]2[/dice]- Aced = 6 + [dice]3[/dice]

2+9 = 11 = Hit with Raise -

Damage =[dice]4[/dice] + [dice]5[/dice]

2 Aces = + [dice]6[/dice]

27 Total -

Toughness 15(5) - 13 After AP = 27 - 13 = 14 = 3 Wounds

The quick laser pulses connect with the nape of the Crazies neck, leaving three dot of searing flesh. The crazy winced and gave pause...it inhaled...and Kutter wasn't sure if he just killed or just pissed it off...

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Spend last Brodkil Benny to Soak:
No Wound Penalties because yeah, she Lost It the moment she entered the truck:

Vigor [dice]0[/dice]
Wild Vigor [dice]1[/dice]
Ace [dice]2[/dice]

And this is why you should always give your villains Elan. Ah, well, she's Shaken and at 1 Wound, with no bennies left. Calyx, FINISH HER.

The Crazy staggers under the laser barrage to her throat, but amazingly, she shrugs off most of it, as her tough hide just shows a nasty scorch-mark. She whips her head around at Kutter. "Too many mutts on this barge!"

[Calyx]

Calyx turned and looked at the Brodkil Crazy who was spouting off like a...well, like a crazy. Lightning danced around in his eyes and then spread across his body as he stepped forward. "See, what's funny is....YOU think we're trapped in here with you....truth is?" A grin spread across his face as he stabbed out with his vambraces, not lit up with electricity. "You're trapped in here with US!"

But, of course, as per usual, he couldn't actually back up his words. He swung out one of the vibro-blade vambraces on his arm and totally missed.

Notice 5

Notice die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

Fighting 4

Turning on Electrical Aura, spending 3 ISP to make it MDC, because I can.
Stabbing Brodkil with electrified Vibro-Blade Vambraces.
-2 MAP, +1 for gang up.
Fighting die [dice]2[/dice]
Wild die [dice]3[/dice]

Spending Benny for re-roll.
Fighting die [dice]4[/dice]
Wild die [dice]5[/dice]

[Freemage]

OOC Comments

Crazy Not Stupid [dice]0[/dice]
Ace [dice]2[/dice]
Ace [dice]3[/dice]
Wild Crazy Not Stupid [dice]1[/dice]

Growler: Parry 8, Toughness 13 (4)

Fight Left [dice]4[/dice]
Wild Left [dice]5[/dice]
Hit Damage: [dice]8[/dice] AP 2 = 1 Wound, non-lethal, plus Pain Smite

Fight Right [dice]6[/dice]
Wild Right [dice]7[/dice]
Aren't you glad she's out of bennies?

Psionics [dice]9[/dice]
Ace [dice]11[/dice]
Wild Psionics [dice]10[/dice]
Raise and she is outta here!
.

Laughing at the efforts of the Mark V crew to stop her, the Crazy Brodkil swings her vicious vambraces twice at Growler, one of them striking him solidly (though not as strongly as before), again setting his nerves aflame in pain. Then she grins at him. "Time to fly. Do try to remember me in your dreams, until we come again--and don't die, hero-boy. I want to play with you some more."

And with that, the space she was in is empty, with nothing more than a faint whisper of rushing air.

OOC Comments

Okay, fight's over. You guys can round up a mook Brodkil easily enough for questioning, as you like (since that was part of The Plan, I've incorporated a capture below). There's also plenty of loot to be had (though obviously the Pain-Vambraces are still out there, somewhere, waiting...). I'll post a list in the OOC section later today.

Eventually, you will learn that this area of 'jungle' was once a city, now completely overrun by vegetation. However, the concrete storm-drain tunnels beneath still exist, and that's where Cray-Cray vorped to. By the time you get there, however, she's LONG gone. You could follow and track her, but that'd be a definite derail from your mission.

BTW, technically on that last hit, Growler took a non-lethal Wound and would also have to roll Spirit or take a level of Fatigue. However, it would be a real dick move for me to take a Soak bennie and then announce, Fight's over. Let regeneration and succor take care of the effects of her parting attack.

Zakk might want to use Greater Healing to fix Echo's remaining wound, just to be on the safe side.

The Crazy's disappearance, of course, is frustrating, but the other Brodkil are dead or running (and all the truly dangerous ones have been dealt with--again, excepting the one with the M.O.M. in her head). Fox has no trouble cornering one of them in a low ditch, thumping him over the head solidly with an enhanced fist to render the vile creature unconscious and drag him back to the others.

A bit later, the Brodkil, now secured, comes around. "Wha-what? Chok'lat not dead? Why not finish hunt?" The Brodkil, apparently called Chok'lat, looks around at you all suspiciously.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox is used to herding cats with his time in the CS. Not so much so with the Clone Troopers that were under his command before. When the brodkil scattered after Snackhappy derailed the heirarchy, Fox new he had come to a new level of "Cluster F**k". Holy Hell those brodkil were going everywhere.

Remembering the plan to grab one alive, Fox powered down his railgun and went quietly along tailing one particular brodkil that decided to duck into a ditch. A hulking mass of ugly, trying to hide in a 1 foot deep ditch. Man brains were on short supply with these guys. Hovering above it, Fox waited for it to relax.

When the signs indicated it was relaxed, Fox cut the hovers and let the weight of the SAMAS take him to the ground. This allowed Fox the ability to use gravity and the short distance of 20 feet to lessen a knockout blow with his armored fist. With the amped up SAMAS suit, one hit would have made brain soup. As it was Fox reveresed thrusters a few feet from the brodkil, drawing its attention to the armored fist that struck it squarely on the head. Then Fox just picked up the brodkil and retrned to the rally point.

When he rejoined the Jokers he addressed Snackhappy. Jokingly, "You don't share very often, do you?" Setting the brodkil down, Fox took back to the air to pull sentry and security duty. He wouldn't be much help to Echo.

[Echo]

Notice 15, ignores all concealment, Danger Sense

Echo Notice Roll: [dice]0[/dice] Ace [dice]2[/dice]
Notice Wild Die: [dice]1[/dice]

Getting back into the safety of the vehicle and looking over the damage caused from the lightning sheath and the crazy Echo looks at Fox. "I am hurting pretty bad, do you think you could fly up and spot a Ley Line for us. I need to eat pretty badly." turning to SnackHappy she says. "While he looks for a Ley Line the rest of us can gather up resources and spoils. Perhaps take the prisoner with us? What do you think Boss?"

[SnackHappy]

"Well Fox, if it makes you feel better you can drop this guy from the canopy when we are done with him. I just figured we take out the heavies then our heavies run amok. It definitely deterred them from continuing their attack." He lefts out a laugh and pats Fox on the shoulder.

"Sounds good Echo. Lets find a ley line and load up our stuff to include the spoils."

"So which one you guys wants do do the interrogating? I am going to go play with that Hellfire launcher." He picks up the launcher and inspects it for any damage and begins cleaning some of the brodkil and coalition grime off of the weapon.

OOC Comments

Notice: [dice]0[/dice]
Wild [dice]1[/dice]

Repair: [dice]2[/dice]
Wild [dice]3[/dice]

[Echo]

"So which one you guys wants do do the interrogating? I am going to go play with that Hellfire launcher." He picks up the launcher and inspects it for any damage and begins cleaning some of the brodkil and coalition grime off of the weapon.

"I can ask him some questions. Are there any specifics you want to know before I go to work?"

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Fox takes SAMAS to her full flight height and reaches her ceiling in under a minute or so. From this elevation he begins running scans and disgnostics to evaluate possible ley lines and respective ley line activity. Using the suit's hovering capabilities, Fox performs his scans in the 180 degrees in the direction they were traveling before coming after the Brodkil ambush.

Gathering Information

• Notice 8
• Notice [dice]0[/dice] (+2 gathering details)
• Wild Notice [dice]1[/dice]

• Investigation 5
• Investigation [dice]2[/dice] (+2 gathering details)
• Wild Investigation [dice]3[/dice]

• Common Knowledge 4
• K/Common [dice]4[/dice]

[Calyx]

Calyx watched helplessly as the Brodkil hurt Growler again before laughingly disappeared. He let out an angry sigh, the frustration plainly visible on his face....and in the fact that he couldn't seem to turn off the electrical aura arcing across his body as he whirled around and went look outside once more. But the battle was over, and he'd done nothing.

He was sure he would re-assigned from the team to a desk job or library or janitorial position after the mission was over. His face scrunched up as he stared out the firing port for a long time.

The emotions were still bubbling inside him when Snackhappy asked who wanted to interrogate the Brodkil. Calyx, unfortunately, didn't stop to think, he just reacted, his emotions boiling over in him. He got in the Brodkil's face, yelling, almost screaming, lightning sparking all over him, mere inches from the demon, hands up and poised near the Brodkil's eyes.

"YOU'RE FRIENDS RAN AWAY AND LEFT YOU HERE! YOU BETTER START TALKIN' OR I'M GONNA FRY YOU LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT!"

He was easily pulled back however and sounded more frustrated than intimidating.

Intimidation

Intimidation die [dice]0[/dice]
Wild die [dice]1[/dice]

[Kutter]

Kutter comes over to Calyx and the prisoner.

"Whoa now, Whoaaaa now big dog...It don't have to go that way...

Kutter gently puts his hand on Calyx's shoulder.

"Let ole Kutt Man take a dance with our new buddy here...

Throwing Calyx a wink, Kutter prepared to display his country fried mastery in the time honored arts of persuasion...

Leaning in close, Kutter talks to the Brodkil in a calm even tone, effectively trying to take the role of "good cop."

"Listen here....There are only two ways this is gonna go...and neither one of them is good...I be honest wit cha...BUT...one of dem is a lot better than the other...so...howzabout you tell my friend here what he want to know, and we can keep this civil like...Not to rub it in, but yall just got your butts whupped...your "friends" are running like rabbits...they ain't coming back fer ya...so now its up to you....something bad probly gonna happen if you help us, and something worse is gunna happen if ya don't....So whatalit be cowboy?

Persuasion 7

[dice]0[/dice]
Aced + [dice]2[/dice]
WD
[dice]1[/dice]
Aced + [dice]3[/dice]

7 = Simple Success

For a brief moment, the look of "thought" appears on the Brodkil's face...

[Freemage]

Fox does indeed see signs of a Ley Line in the direction of their travel. He figures it'll be about 2 hours before they get to it.

Meanwhile, down on the ground, the Brodkil Chok'lat grins at Calyx. "Next time, mebbe try it with less shouty. You got the right idea, just gotta work on deliv'ry." Then he nods at Kutter. "Oh, hey, yeah. I kin answer, but 'somethn bad happen anyway' ain't really all dat convincin'. I mean, killing's killing, yeah? But now, you bring up good point 'bout da boss. Brodkil way to follow strongest. Big Boss dead, that mean you the strongest. I follow you, do what you all say, I mebbe keep breathin', yeah?"

[Kutter]

Kutter snickers as the Brodkil starts to negotiate with him and Cal...

Man these demons ain't too bright but they are devious basterds...

"Killing is killing, that is true as the sun will rise tomorrow. It's not the killin part ta be worried bout. It's the dying part that is rough...Dying slow, now that's a rough way to end...see i bet you demon types and monster assholes get off on all this violents and suffrin, but I see you ain't to keen on it happenin to ya...You spect us ta trust you after you and your buddies tried to take us apart? That's kinda hard to do just standing here...now, maybe if you gave us more of a reason ta trust ya...we might be able to think about trusting ya...otherwise, we gotta come up with a slow, painful death for ya, since yer a demon en all, I'm sure we ain't losin much sleep over what happens to ya...in fact we don't even have ta kill ya...we can just take off yer arms and legs...then fix you up, stop ya from bleeding out, and hang ya from a tree like a piece of fruit en let one o' these dinosaucers have ya for a snack! Or you jus hang there fer a week or two til ya starve an the buzzerds eat cha....Dying ain't always easy, specially if you gettin eatin up!"

Persuasion

[dice]0[/dice]
WD
[dice]1[/dice]

Seeing the Brodkil is unmoved by his semantics, Kutter shrugs and smiles at the Brodkil as he turns to walk away...

"Alright, have it your way sonny...Jus member when my buddy is cooking you like a rack of ribs that I tried to help ya out...but you gotta be all difficult and such...ENJOY! And if he don't, she will..."

Kutter motions to Zakael, and whispers to the Brodkil in a taunting tone...."She's an aaaaaaaaaaaaangel brother...yer assssss is grasssss..."

Kutter whistles as he saunters off, confident that the Brodkil is not going to enjoy much in the last few hours of its life. He keeps his ears open in case the Brodkil realizes that he is on the spit.

[PFC Fox Simmons]

Comms crackle to life in the Mark V "Sally-Seven. SAMAS-Seven,over."

Giving the appropriate pause, "Ley Line access available. ETA 2 hours. Return to previous course and heading. Seven-One-Seven out."

Fox and SAMAS descend below the canopy and return to scouting patterns and sweeps until they meet up with the Jokers again.

[Freemage]

The Brodkil listens to Kutter's spiel, then looks to the Lyn-Srial he's been turned over to. "The Sniffer don't get it. I'm Brodkil. We don't die easy, ever, cause we know what comes after. It's all 'bout when, not how. Spend t'ree days tormenting me here, that's t'ree days I ain't dead an in Hell, an' ain't nothin' you can do to me that's worse than where I go then. But if you want Chok'lat to help you all, if that keep me alive longer, that I am willing to do. But that mean that long as Chok'lat do what told, you not kill me, yeah?"

[Zakkael]

Zakkael smiles. "I know you, demon. I know your kind. And you and I both know what awaits you." He leans on the Staff of Justice, while placing a hand on the sheathed handle of the Sword of Vengeance. "Your kind are bought and sold like so much chattel. But you...you can choose a different path. The choice is laid before you. You can refuse to assist us, in which case you WILL be dispatched to your dreaded reward immediately, and without delay. I know full well you do not fear pain in this life. Torture is pointless." He taps the blade-hilt of the sword.
"You can choose to provide us with information as we proceed, and so prolong your existence here. Know that none here are likely to trust you, and your continued existence on this plane depends wholly on your cooperation and honesty. I will not stay the hand of justice if you betray us."
Zakkael glances at the Staff of Justice at his right hands. "Or, demon, you can choose the unexpected path. Repent. Turn from your wicked ways. Submit to the will of the Light of Heaven. Serve goodness, and mercy, and justice. Give your life over wholly to Heaven."
Zakkael stares into the demon's eyes. "Choose wisely, and choose now."

Intimidation 14 and Mind Reading 6

Intimidation less 1 Fatigue
[dice]0[/dice]

WD Intimidation
[dice]1[/dice]

Benny extra effort with Elan and prior result
[dice]4[/dice]

Ace EE with prior
[dice]6[/dice]

Mind Reading less 1 Fatigue
[dice]2[/dice]

Benny extra effort with Elan and prior result -- 2 ISP & 2 PPE used, total 3 ISP
[dice]5[/dice]

WD Mind Reading
[dice]3[/dice]

[Peta Chante]

Herra watches the interrogation with boredom bordering on contempt. She would rather just kill the beast and move, yet, she understands the need to probe its thoughts. He mind turns to her own powers, Perhaps there is a way to compel the truth from someone. It would save much time and posturing. She files that thought as something to add to her future meditations. Anything to save the sound of dogs barking and angels crying.

A slight smile passes her lips at her humorous mental picture...although an outsider might think she is enjoying the interrogation.

[Freemage]

Chok'lat nods to Zakkael. "Don't feel sorry 'bout what I done, so can't ree-pent, but obey orders to keep breathin', yeah, that one I know real well. Let's go with that. Only thing you gotta trust is that I know what happen to me I break ranks, yeah? Can't even run, cause you got two Sniffers wit' you. I give you good info, I do what you say. What you want to know? Can tell you where stash is, and how to avoid Nightblooms."

The scan of his mind shows that he is being truthful--he will obey orders so long as those orders are less likely to get him killed than the nigh-certainty of his death by trying to disobey. His desire for continued existence is paramount. Answering questions honestly is not going to get him killed at all, but getting caught in a lie would, so he'll do so.

He does seem to be slightly more intelligent than the average Brodkil--not a genius, but with a clear ability to reason things out.