1410 Hours

Brother Edgar's revelation brought no immediate reaction among the busy crew. Roadkill wanted to get on the road, but understood without any guards he would be dead meat on the roads. Like Peter, he was reduced to waiting and watching. Smoker kept watch as well from the roof of the trailer.

Everyone else who was there helped with the removal and burial of Law Dog Mendoza, his wife and one of their children, his deputies and the rest. With the added help this unpleasant task took a couple more hours.

The sun rode high in the sky when they were done. Col Schaeffer returned at that time. He reported that he had followed the tracks across the Shalam Colony Trail bridge across the Rio Grande. He'd abandoned the trail when it started to climb into the mountains. The other buildings had been recently occupied but abandoned. unlike the main building, there were no fires here nor signs of a fight. He was unable to find supplies, so he returned to the main compound.

When they were about done, they broke and took a break. After helping dig the graves, Rowan brought cool well water for people to drink. Dakota, Arthur, Brother Edgar and Michaela drank and washed up as best they could. Rowan also reported that her bird friends said the watchers were still to the north.

Roadkill wandered over and lit a cigarette, then stuck his hands in his jean pockets. "Well, if we're all done then let's hit the trail to St. Louis. I see it this way: there's someone waiting for us to the north. East through central New Mexico is out, there were a lot of nukes that went off around White Sands and Alamgordo. Road's crap, I hear there's lots of mutie Road Gangs that way. That leaves south on I-10, then East through central Texas, then north. We'll go through some nuked areas but I been that way and the roads go through."

With the bodies gone, the circling scavengers dispersed. As the others were mulling their options, Rowan wandered over to her Raven friend and said goodbye.

Jane responded trying to convince the group that it was a bad idea to leave the doomsayers behind them. "This is an opportunity that won't happen twice. We know where they are. We know they are waiting for us. If we use this to our advantage we may be able to flank them. As I said earlier, they will find us eventually but the longer we leave them out here, the more villages they will destroy. "

Brother Edgar, having taken an opportunity to rest and wash a bit, returned to the others.  Roadkill's obvious desire to avoid taking on the misguided Doomsayers was not what he had hoped to hear.  Though, he could understand the Convoy-man not wanting to risk his truck and crew.

But, the Doomsayer found some hope in Jane's argument against leaving these men behind.  He offered his agreement to hers, "She is right.  The opportunity is too valuable.  We can end this."

Shaeffer refilled his suit's hydration bladder and took another drink of water. Right at this moment, he was willing to kill someone for a nice, long shower. Hell, a cold short one would do as well. Thinking of killing, he chimed in.

"I agree. There#s no point in leaving such a threat behind us. Aside from out own safety, something like this should not be allowed to happen again."

He knew about Virginia City and what had happened there. Added to that, the crosses made him uneasy and while he tried to avoid looking at them by standing with his back to them, he had a nearly ohysical feeling of the looming behind him, waiting...
Apart from the innocents killed, the Colonel wanted some payback for that as well.

Jack nodded.  "Hans 'n Glowy got the right of it."  The usual humorous quality in his voice is gone as he replaces his tattered garment.  "Everyone dies.  I say today, we make it their turn.  'Sides, both God 'n th' Devil get pissed at me if'n I don't fill my quota."

Arthur walked up to where the others were, and leaned in as he heard them talking, making sure that he was standing where the Colonel was to be certain he would be able to hear him properly.  He didn't need to, of course, because of his naturally excellent hearing, but he thought it improper to eavesdrop from a distance.

He couldn't help but crack a smile at what Dakota Jack said.  "We're with you four," he said pointing to Jane, the Colonel, Brother Edgar, and Dakota Jack.  "A worthy cause to lend our swords to, if ever there was one.  What do you say, Michaela?" he asked his squire, to gauge how eager and ready she was for battle.

In reply to Arthur Dayne (msg #6):

"What do I think? No retreat, no surrender. My dad may not have been a Templar like you, but he's a US Marine, which I figure is close enough." She brushed some hair out of her eyes and took a sip of water.

Her father hadn't wanted her to become a warrior like him. The New Bushido code he now lived by wasn't as sexist as the original it was based on, so he probably just didn't want her to become a warrior like he was. The trouble was, it ran in the family. Her mother had been her father's CO during the war and when their unit disintegrated they stuck together and fell in love, starting a family outside Portland.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Mon 19 July 2010.

"If people want to fight, then I can do no less. I'm not a Christian but what happened here is a travesty, a sacrilege. I'm sure my friends can help, and I've had the birds scouting the area for the last couple hours while we worked. They should be reporting back on anything within 10-15 miles of here."

Rowan used the dipper in the bucket of water she'd brought to wash her hands and pour over her head.

"Ah! Much better. I'll lend my rifle to stop this madness."

Peter winced slightly as he listened to the others "debate" about the next course of action. Going after Green Robes? He'd rather tie the rope that was going to be used to hang himself with. He stared at Jane for several moments silently. Then he sighed softly and spoke up. "Well, Jane is my gunner so I cannot easily leave her behind." He paused. "We need to get more information and formulate a plan first, though."

Brother Edgar looks around to each as they speak up with approval.  These people do seem to be decent, good people.  People willing to try and make this world better than they found it.  Just the sort of people that can bring about the hoped for Utopia.  Closing his eyes for a moment, he offers a quiet prayer to the Glow and its mysterious ways.

Finally, he turns back to the Driver and inquires, with lifted brow, "What say you, Mr. Colby?  Will you help us stop these marauders?"

"Don't call me Hans, Jack. It was my father's name and it makes me feel even older."

Though the Colonel knew that he'd be able to take out the Greenies by himself as his rifle had a surperior range, he was willing to wait to get more intelligence and some close in support. Though thanks to the M4 he carried he could do very well at close range as well.

While it irked him, Shaeffer knew that the rest of the posse would most likely not be willing to let him fight his way, in the dark and from a save distance.
The Templars were cqb people and Jack's pistols put him in the same range bracket.

He sighed.

Dakota Jack couldn't help but laugh.  "Seriously I was that close?  I was jus' making that shit up.  I always thought some dumbass done come up with that 'All Germans are named Hans' bull shit.  Hell I figgered you didn't even know nobody even named Hans!  I'll hafta tell ya'll why they call me Dakota Jack sometime..."

Having made up his mind, whether they called the Colonel Hans or Franz made absolutely no difference to him.  However, this new topic did catch his interest.  He turned to Dakota Jack and fixed him with a very serious, steely look - which was pretty much the only look that Arthur Dayne was capable of fixing people with.  "Why do they call you Dakota Jack?"

"Because..." Jack started before he paused, letting the gravelly tone of his voice play up for maximum theatrical benefit.  "...I'm from Texas.  Ask me again sometime, I got a million of these."

Jane looks towards Peter feeling slightly guilty. After all, the man had given her a job even in this godforsaken world they now lived in. "Sorry Pete. I believe that fighting them now will be better in the long run."

She then added another argument. " Anyway, if they go around killing all your clients it won't be good for business."

Despite the fact that he owned a rifle and a pistol and was a decent shot, with the rifle at least, Nix didn't really like shooting people.  His natural inclination was to avoid combat wherever possible but now seemed like one of those times where he was going to have to get involved.

"Shit!" he muttered to himself quietly before addressing the others more loudly.  "If we're going hunting then I guess that I'm in as well.  I'm much better shooting stuff from distance though."

He flashed a grin a Arthur and Michaela and patted the worn machete on his left hip.  "I'll leave all the Conan the Barbarian close in stuff to you if that's alright!"

Peter walked over to Jane and stood next to her and said something very quietly to her.  He stepped away from her after a moment.

He looked at the others and crossed his arms slightly, but looking very non-threatening. "So. We scout first, from a distance and then formulate a plan, hopefully one that involves as little as possible of us getting very close to the green robes? Is that about right?"

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg #17):

A few birds still circled overhead, but one spiraled down. There was a loud squawking as huge crow landed on the dusty ground near Rowan. She fed it some corn and it accepted the offering, cawing at her.

She looked taken aback, obviously dismayed by the news. "Oh no, she says that the Green ones are on the move now, coming this way. On "shiny things". About six miles out in our terms, on what sounds like the main road, the Interstat. She counted five of them. Like the ones from this morning!"

http://tinyurl.com/33zbttl

Unfortunately, it seemed the Greenies weren't going to let them develop a plan or even carry out a reconnaissance. They were making their move first!
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:02, Wed 21 July 2010.

Leaving Roadkill to continue weighing out his pros and cons, Brother Edgar turned to regard Rowan as she offered this newest bit of bad news.  Raising a hand, to try and stem any rise in confusion, he says quickly, "Most likely they have no way of knowing who is here.  So, they are returning to finish what they started or heading back towards the Chance City settlement because they realized their mistake."  Turning towards the Colonel, he says, "Can you tell us how best to tactically engage them from the highway approaches?  We need to keep them from following the survivors here and be ready to follow them should they head on towards Chance City."  Not a military strategist, but a person who knows the value of keeping a group organized even in an emergency.

"I like the way you think Glowy... sumtimes."  Jack also looks at the Colonel and everyone else.  "Crazy thought here, say we set us up a nasty little surprise for these vatos real quick like.  Can you folks with the right proper shootin' irons pick off the one or two or three  bringing up the rear of the pack just in time for th' rest of 'em not to be able to jus' run away?  An mebbe Glowy here can give 'em a right nasty surprise right after that.  It'd be real nice to sandwich 'em between precision firin' at their rear position, 'n this here Ma Deuce at thar front, an th' rest of us who are practically gonna have to be within kissin' range at th' sides."

After clearing a patch of ground with a boot, Shaeffer pulled his bayonet and quickly sketched out a L-shaped ambush.

"Only on one side, other wise the cross-fire will endanger us.. We should do this in a classic L-shaped ambush. Use the pick-up with the .50cal as the short arm across the road. With some support...probably Rowan and Smoker and Jack. The rest take covered position on one side only. Five meters from one person to the next. If they run, we want them to run across open fields where we can see them...and hit them.

The Colonel shrugged. If wishes were horses...

"None of you have any claymores or other mines, do you? We'll set up a kill-zone. As soon as they've entered it in full, the pick-up drives on the road to block it and opens fire. I'll take the last position on the long arm of the L. Best place for me to provide cover fire."

He got to his feet and looked at the others.

"All we need now is a good place to set up quickly. Especially one where we can hide the pick-up and get enough cover for us."

Surveying the area, the Colonel quickly looked for a good place to pull of his plan.

While the Templar preferred hand to hand combat rather than shooting from a hidden spot, he had to acknowledge that the Colonel's suggestion was strategically sound.  Ultimately what mattered was whether or not they were able take down the villains responsible for these heinous acts.  There was no one waiting to hand out prizes for bravery.

"I think the Colonel speaks sense, and we would be wise to follow such a plan."   He drew out his broadsword, enjoying the feeling of its weight in his hand, moving his second hand to also grip it to give it extra power with a swing.  He slowly brought the blade down towards the ground so that no one nearby him would feel threatened or in danger.

"I believe if we are taking cover, Michaela and I should take cover with the gunners, so that if...they...come in close, we will be ready to fight them hand to hand."

Nix listened to the Colonel's plan and looked at the drawing he'd sketched in the dirt.

"Colonel, do I go in the pick-up or just near it behind a rock?" he asked, slight confusion apparent in his voice.  "Either's fine by me but I'd appreciate knowing."

Nix will happily follow the Colonel's instructions, positioning himself where he is told to go.  He will ensure that wherever he's placed he has worked out where to run to if things go wrong!

"Claymores?  Shoot fellah, most of us don't even got socks.  I wouldn't even have these peashooters if Smokey hadn't popped the evidence locker open.  Anyway it works for me.  I'm used to killing people one at a time, this ain't my game..."  Jack doesn't hesitate or waste any more time and gets in the suggested position, as it seems good as any.  He looks for a way to improvise a rest to take the most accurate initial shot possible.

"Do you know how to use the .50? If yes, then into the truck you go as backup if something should happen to Jane.  If not, a rock or ditch will fine. Does anyone apart from Jane know how to use a machine-gun?"

The Doomsayer seems perfectly in agreement with the plans progression and layout.  Following as each companion offers their adjustments and inquiries.  As an opportunity presents itself, Edgar will offer to the Colonel, "I have no mines.  But, the Glow has provided me with a measure of the Power of the Bomb.  If you will direct the placement and timing, I will release that power to what effect you wish."  To the others, he adds, hoping to help bolster their courage, "The Glow has also gifted me with some ability to hinder the powers of these misguided Chosen.  It should offer some measure of protection to you all."  Other than this, Brother Edgar will go where he is directed and prepare as he is directed.

"Na, I ain't never anything like that big cannon Colonel," replied Nix in reference to the Browning .50 Cal.  "I'll find meself a rock or something and shoot from there."

Peter raised an eyebrow. He stopped himself from shaking his head or sighing. Rash plans. Ambushes. This was moving quickly and that was often dangerous. Proper ambushes took careful planning and time to prepare.

At the question about the machinegun, Peter nodded. "Of course. I would not have it in my truck if I was unable to use it. Though I freely admit that Jane is better skilled with it than I am."

Roadkill was pretty pleased with the way things were turning out. Blindly blundering around looking for doomsayers on the road had sounded like suicide to him. Now that they had an eye in the sky bringing them information it seemed that the roles were reversed and a hasty ambush was just what the situation called for.

"Great, so we get Jane on her SAW, Peter on the 50 and I'll drive the pickup. Let's rock n roll."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:55, Thu 22 July 2010.

"Hey guys, we've got a fuckin' army!" Nix added with a grin.

"When we get where we're going, I can do something to protect people as well."

She held out her arm, and the crow flapped over.

"Yes, you're going to help us, right? There's a good girl."

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #31):

"We got an army indeed! So, where we gonna take 'em? on the Interstate or if they get off? Maybe have some kind of decoy, like let them see the technical, and when they chase it then go into a kill zone?"

She looked nervous, unsure but putting on a brave face.

Jane nodded as Peter stepped away.

As the group was planning, Jane remained silent letting the others come up with the plan. Due to her military training, she knew about the importance of tactical planning and even knew a few methods the others probably wouldn't think off. However, they were pressed for time and an extra person in the conversation would only delay things.

Instead, the woman headed to her post behind the car ready to fire the Ma-Deuce when their enemy was in range.

1412 Hours
Shalam Colony, Las Cruces NM

Time was ticking; every two minutes brought the marauding Doomsayers another mile closer on the Interstate.

The Interestate was one choice: the riders would be traveling quickly and less likely to notice an ambush, and they would be slowing down to take the off-ramp. The problem was there was little cover to hide other than buildings alongside the roadway, and they were set back.

Somewhere on an approaching surface road was another. There would be more cover, and at least some places where the MGs could be set up to take advantage of grazing and defilade fire. However, the Doomsayers couldn't be counted on to exit the freeway at all, although if they did their route probably would be along West Thorpe Road.

As they were deciding on the details of the rough plan even as it was being put into motion, Michaela put in her 2-cents worth.

"We need a decoy but can't sacrifice firepower. How about I ride Arthur's horse where they can see me, maybe coming down the on-ramp wrong way from the south (to the west of the Interstate). When the bikers come into sight I'll "panic and make a run for it", leading them west past the Circle-K. The MGs open up from behind them to the east from under the Interstate, as they're passing the Circle-K. Kind of a reverse L."

She also checked her lever-action rifle to make sure it was fully loaded.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Sat 24 July 2010.

"I reckon we need get them to slow their bikes," contributed Nix.  "If we get them to slow at a good point and can shoot them at that point then we should be able to take them easy!"  Do ya reckon the Circle-K will make them slow down?

A crow landed and reported to Rowan that the bikers were closing fast, would be there in a minute or two.

They would barely have time to get set up.

Peter looked around. "I like the plan but am not...fond of putting Michaela in danger. And being rushed but.." He gave a shrug, however. "Do we have any thin rope or wire we can stretch across the highway?" He smirked at the thought. "Nevermind, I don't think we have enough time. Shall we just set up and hope that...bait..." and his mouth seemed to twist around that word as if he didn't like it, "is enough to get their attention and slow them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Mon 26 July 2010.

Brother Edgar has, much like Jane, has been staying quiet to keep things moving.  Too many cooks, spoiling pots.  Etcetera.  He rode along with the others to the destination, quietly giving prayer to the Glow for the success of their mission.

But Michaela volunteering as bait is just too much.  He has to speak up.

"There would be no greater bait for these Doomsayers than myself.  If a lure is required...  I'll do it."  Considering for a moment, he adds, "I can attract their attention from the roof of the gas station.  Draw them down the ramp."

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #39):

For her part, Michaela looked skeptical at the desire to protect her. She wasn't a child, and at least Arthur knew while she wasn't anywhere as good as he was in a fight she didn't expect to be treated differently.

"C'mon, guys, I am in training to become a Templar for crying out loud! I don't expect any different treatment. Now, I like the idea of using Brother Edgar as bait, but it's got to be more believable than him just waving at them from the Circle-K below and to the right as they pass, right?"

She was feeling nervous and apprehensive, but trying to keep a brave front.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:37, Mon 26 July 2010.

The Doomsayer doesn't look up as he continues, "I don't intend to wave at them.  I intend to show them the power of true faith in the Glow.  That and a glimpse of my robes will be enough to enrage them."  Edgar attempts to remain stoic about his decision, but his thoughts and feelings are roiling through his mind.  Fear, certainly, volunteering to stand before monsters will do that.  Fear, but do it anyway.  Strength of purpose, the act of bringing the justice of the Glow to these madmen is an empowering thought.  He even feels a little bad for taking the heroic role from the young squire.  He would have done the same against anyone volunteering.  The Doomsayer feels that this is his fight.  His "brothers" caused this devastation.  If any should take the most risk, it should be him.

Nix grinned as Brother Edgar and Michaela debated who was the bravest, or the most expendable or whatever it was that made them choose to put themselves in the line of fire.  All that Nix cared about was that it wasn't him!  There was no way that he was going to make himself the focal point of the approaching riders!  He was much happier behind a rock taking pot-shots at them!

And as far as the approaching riders were concerned Nix's logic was fairly simple.  Green robes equalled bad and scary, purple robes equalled unsure and scary!  Shooting the green robes until they were dead seemed like the best idea!

Jack tries another tactic to win Micheala over.  "Look it don't have to believable, it jus' has to get their attention an' throw 'em off their game.  Now if'n it were me ya'll were gonna whoop up on, you'd be the best bait.  But these fellers are a little diff'rent an' I think Glowy's right.  'Sides, if'n we rush their flank, ain't you better there darlin'?"

Time was running out.

A kill zone and positions needed to be taken! The original idea was to form an "L", but that seemed to be going by the wayside as people naturally gravitated towards the natural cover of the buildings by the offramp. This made sense, as there wasn't any chance to dig in.

There was still the issue of dismounting and setting up the Ma-Deuce, and hiding the vehicles.

Anyone approaching down the offramp would get a great view of the rear and both sides, and if/when they turned onto East Thorpe they would see the front, too. The southern gas station could probably hide the rig and pickup along the southern side.

At this point, they had enough time to decide on positions and some kind of signal, and then disperse. A black speck circled the interstate to the north. Another crow landed by Rowan and squawked at her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:08, Tue 27 July 2010.

Rowan listened to the crow, thanked it. Matters were coming to a head, very very soon!

"He says that the bikers are coming. I think maybe five minutes at most. We have just enough time to prepare."

He bag clinked, indicating she had some Spook Juice cocktails, courtesy of the dregs from the hidden tank back at Shalam Colony.

"I have five bottles, who wants one? You better hit them, it's not like the movies where they drive through the flames and catch on fire!"

As Rowan offered the explosives, Jane shook her head. "The others will need them more than me." The soldier wasn't expecting to fight at close combat and if things came to that, she had a spare grenade.

Jane dismounted the Ma-Deuce and helped peter set it up in his chosen spot. There was little time and she knew they would set things up faster together. She then searched for an elevated yet hidden position for herself. Crouching behind a half destroyed building, Jane took out her weapon and aimed it in the bikers general direction. She was doing her best to focus on the terrain ahead and prepare to shoot as their enemies got into range.
This message was last edited by unknown at 00:17, Wed 28 July 2010.

"Michaela, I agree with Dakota Jack and Brother Edgar that Brother Edgar himself would make a better target.  For the others, but we must stand ready to protect him and the others.  I say this not to protect you, but because I believe it is the wisest course of action and one that would enhance our abilities to fight them."

He continued to speak to his Squire.  "Do you wish to fight beside me?  I had a thought that perhaps we should split up so that one of us will be able to help the gunners in case trouble should find them.  My plan is to wait until they have directed their attentions towards us, and then to engage the enemy directly, perhaps taking them by surprise.  I will then ride into their midst and carve them down.  Your choice is yours, though, as it has always been."

In reply to Arthur Dayne (msg #47):

"Thank you, Arthur, I appreciate that. I have a rifle, I'm needed with the other ambushers. I don't think my place is in a 1-horse cavalry charge!"

She looked concerned as Rowan said time was running out. "Where the heck are we going to be?"

Nix helped Jane and Peter dismount the Browning .50 Cal and set it up by lugging the ammo from the vehicle to their chosen position.  When Jane went off to find an elevated position Nix went off to find his own rock to hide behind.  He made sure that he was nowhere near the Peter and the Browning as they were bound to be a target for the bikers.  In fact he made sure that he was nowhere near Jane or Kurt either as they were also likely to make themselves targets.

He tried to find himself a rock or bit of wall to crouch behind which would provide him with some cover when he engaged.  He checked his mags, ensuring he remembered which ones actually had bullets in them by taking them out of his improvised webbing belt, holding them upside down and then tapping any sprites out of them.  Happy that the sprites now wouldn't jam his rifle he pulled his goggles down and peered over the edge of his cover, keeping his rifle ready but out of sight.

The Colonel had taken some time to check out the lay of the land and to think.

He realised two things:
First, he was working with civillians, not a team of soldiers. When he'd been the leader of his own team it had been enough to say what he wanted done as everyone knew their place. This was no longer the case and somebody needed to take control of the situation.
Second, the off-ramp was the better place for an ambush as it would channel the opposition and force them into a place that provided a good field of fire for the good guys and gave the greenied only two good ways to move, forward or back.

"Allright, listen up. Here's what we'll do. Peter and the .50 will set up in the gas station's ruins to the south. Jane, there's some tumbleweeds on the corner of the underpass that should do pretty good as camouflage for you and the SAW.
Brother Edgar, though I compliment your bravery and your willingness to serve as bait, you won't. You'll take position on the Circle-K's roof and will wait for the signal to attack. Either they will ride into the killing zone or they will pass us by, im which case we'll come up with another plan.
Michaela, you'll be in the pick-up and you'll honk the horn as soon as I radio you, That will be the signal to attack.
The rest of us will form an ambush line form north to south with me on the northernmost position followed by Rowan, Smoker, Dakota, Roadkill.
Arthur, as the cavalry you'll hide behind the Circle-K and you'll charge in to mop up.
Any questions? If not, then lets hustle!"

Shaeffer took the time to point out everyone's position and to check their cover which barely left him enough time to get into position himself. Under the protection of his ghillie, he readied his M-4 and his Mauser pistol. The fight would be pretty close-range, so there was no need to use any of his precious .338 ammo.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:16, Sat 31 July 2010.

Peter thanked both Jane and Nix, giving them a small smile. His eyes watched Jane leave, not staring at her butt or anything pervy, just offering a small wish or possibly prayer that she wouldn't get hurt in the upcoming battle. Then he turned to the machinegun and gave a small laugh, offering the same wish or prayer up for himself as well.

He listened to the Colonel impassively and then went to his position.

Roadkill nods in agreement and moves into the brush to find a good spot to laydown and conceal himself at the south end of their line as close to the off ramp as possible. With the loose brush pulled up around him, Roadkill lays low with his shotgun in his hands to wait for the rumble of the approaching motorcycles.

"Sounds good to me," said the Templar.  Reaching a hand over his back, he carefully unsheathed his sword, the sunlight glinting brightly on the surface of the well polished and sharp metal.  "Today is a good day to die, but let us hope it is their deaths and not ours that come to pass."  Turning his horse, he moved into the position that the Colonel had indicated, showing only so much of himself as he needed to see, and none of the horse.

"Don't worry, if they pass us by then my friends will keep an eye on them!"

With that, she dashed off to where Schaeffer indicated, concealing herself as best she could under a bush and behind a rock.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:18, Thu 29 July 2010.

Quickly and efficiently, Schaeffer counted off where he wanted people, keeping an 8-10m spacing. Fortunately, there was something of a ditch running along the side of the offramp that offered minimal cover, and the bushes that dotted the area sufficient concealment. He had one last piece of advice.

"This is very important... When the signal is given, raise up and kill any survivors. But do not raise your head before then or you will lose it, understand? If we get scattered or overrun, head back to where we left Roadkill's truck. If I die then Roadkill is in command. Good luck and may God protect you all."

Once everyone was hidden, he surveyed their positions and was satisfied that unless they dismounted and walked the route, or were traveling very slow, the riders would not spot them. Jane was a little exposed, although the overpass embankment would give her some cover. He picked his own ground, and dropped down.

Smoker thought he smelled burning Ghost Rock, although the scent was soon gone. A fly buzzed around Roadkill's face. Jack made sure he was loaded and locked. Looking up at the sky, Rowan spotted the crow that was shadowing the pack of Doomsayers, judging where they were. She got ready as well, making sure her medical bag was well-hidden behind her.

It was silent save for the insects. Then everyone heard the far-off purring of motorcycle engines. From where he lay on the Circle-K's roof, Brother Edgar could see something shiny approaching from the north. "I see them! From the North!" He could make out the chrome of the bikes, and a flash of green from their flapping robes.

In the burned-out ruins of the southern station Peter tightened, then loosened his grip in the spade-grips of the Ma-Deuce, keeping his thumbs off the butterfly triggers. He couldn't even see them yet, no need to get spooked and let rip with a burst. Peter was somewhat comforted by the fact he could easily see Jane from his position. She was lying under some drifted tumbleweed at the entrance to the underpass. Her nose tickled from the dust in the air, and she fought the urge to sneeze.

From their positions, both Brother Edgar and Col Schaeffer tracked the incoming marauders as they rode south along the Interstate. Finally, as if on schedule, the bikers slowed imperceptively, taking the exit and falling into the trap.

They were traveling in a kind of loose diamond: two abreast in front, then one in the middle on a hoverbike, then two abreast in the rear. Preparing to engage them, Brother Edgar's blood went cold. The one in the middle looked different, somehow. It was not just wearing robes but a hood. That possibly they were facing one of Silas' most feared minions... a Doombringer.

1st Round Marshall's Notes:

1) Post any last-minute adjustments.
2) Roll Quickness and post the results in the Dice Rolls/Cards thread. I will then draw cards and PM you the results in your own post on that thread, so check back to that thread.
3) Everyone that's holding a card state it via PM in the thread after the cards have been drawn.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:17, Sat 31 July 2010.

In the truck, Michaela listened to the CB for the signal to honk the horn. Nearby in the ruined gas station, Peter pulled back the Ma-Deuce's charging handle and it slammed forward with a metallic "ka-KLACK!". The heavy MG was secured as much as possible: to prevent sliding along the linoleum floor. Sandbags from the truck and debris had been piled on the rear legs of the tripod. Peter's own legs were over the 2 rear legs, locking them in place. He hoped. At the underpass, Jane turned the cocking knob on her Hellfire, loading the first 12mm caseless shell into the breach. Shiny machines and green riders drifted into the iron sights of both weapons.

On the ambush line to the north, people tried not to shift nervously, checking to make sure weapons were chambered and safeties were off. The bikers were entering the kill zone and any second the order would be given.

Behind the ruins of the Circle-K, Arthur slowly moved his horse forward to be as close to possible when it came time to charge. Brother Egar had gotten onto the roof by simply jumping over from the top of Roadkill's rig. (The rig had been moved to its current laager after.) Once he was there, he began to regret the decision; the roof of the station was weak and full of holes. Gaps yawned everywhere, lined with charred timbres like blackened teeth. He crouched behind an AC unit for cover.

The world filled with the rumble of the bikes as they began to slow down on the offramp. Those closest could not only hear but feel the rumble of unmuffled engines, including the whine of ducted fans from the hoverbike in the middle of the formation.

Suddenly, Brother Edgar realised that the rumbling he heard and felt wasn't all from the bikes. The battered roof of the Circle-K was starting to cave in under him!

Out on the ambush line, Schaeffer got ready to make the call.



This message was last edited by the GM at 11:15, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar managed to contain his panic as the roof began to crumble out from under him.   Even keeping the presence of mind enough to no jump up from cover.  Instead, he remained laid out on the roof and simply rolled to a new spot.  Keeping his weight spread out to hopefully mitigate any further collapse for a while.

But his distraction prevents him from being able to note the signal call...

The Colonel had been tracking the approaching Doomsayers for some time from below his Ghillie suit. Now, as they were nearing the ambush line he took aim at the one riding on the left end of the diamond. At his head to be precise.
Then, it was time.

"Go!"

Just a single word to give the signal. A second later, he pulled the trigger.



The Colonel
7.62x39 M4 (19/20)
On norhtern end of ambush line
Using Jack of Spades as hole card
Simple Action: Giving the command to attack on 5.
Action: Called head-shot (singel shot) on Biker #5
10:58, Today: COL Kurt L. Schaeffer rolled 12 using 7d12-4, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(12+3)15,(12+4)16,9,8,8,8. head-shot at biker #5.
10:59, Today: COL Kurt L. Schaeffer rolled 39 using 6d8, rerolling max with rolls of 4,6,(8+2)10,(8+7)15,2,2. damage if hit.

In reply to COL Kurt L. Schaeffer (msg #58):

In the cab of Roadkill's truck, the CB radio crackled with Schaeffer's command.

Even before Schaeffer's finger tightened on the trigger, everyone heard the truck horn blast as Michaela jammed her thumbs down on the steering wheel.


Michaela
Lever-Action Winchester .30-30 (15/15)
In Firecrow's technical behind southern gas station.
Keeping Jack up her sleeve.
Using held Red Joker for Simple Action.

Schaeffer's command and the sound of the truck horn were almost simultaneous.

"YAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

With a yell, Rowan pulled the trigger on her Kalashnikov, firing full-auto at the last two bikers. She assumed that Schaeffer was firing at the one nearest him but decided to spray them both anyways. Hot brass spewed into her brass-catcher.

With the aid of the laser sight she walked both bursts neatly up and down the targets, striking both of them several times with bullets in their right legs and chests.


Rowan
AK-47 (24/30)
Ambush line, 2nd from left.
Holding Nine, using hole card.

Modifiers: Target Moving Fast (-4), Drawing a Bead (+2), Laser Sight (+2). Second target -1 due to recoil.
Firing 1st burst at Biker #4: Rolled 15: 3 hits (Upper Guts: 12, Upper Guts: 21, Right Leg: 16 damage.)
Firing 2nd burst at Biker #5: Rolled 15: 3 hits (Right Leg: 20, Upper Guts: 26, Upper Guts: 10 damage.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:27, Sat 31 July 2010.

Peter waits until he sees the signal and then all hell starts to break loose and he can't hear anything anymore. He lines up on the lead biker and squeezes the trigger gently, but it's hard to see how well the burst did at first.

OOC:
Sleeving the Ten, discarding the Six. Going on Five with held card.

Also, that is crazy to me that an AK-47 has more bursts capability than a Machinegun but oh well. I don't even need a recoil brace since I can only fire 1 burst of 3 in a single action.

M2HB
In position with the Ma-Duece looks like square on almost with the bikers
Modifiers: Target Moving Fast (-4), Drawing a Bead (+2).
Burst: Rolled a 7, so no raise.
Location: 16 (Upper Guts).
Damage: 23 if it hits.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:57, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Upon hearing the commencement of the action, Arthur looked out ahead, cursing himself for being so far silently.  He rode out at a steady but fast pace, but he suspected he would only be able to make it so far.

OOC:  That's 40 yards (entire pace of the horse for these three actions) on the Ace of Spades and I'm sleeving the second Ace depending on how far I get, and the resolution of the other combat rolls.

As Peter started firing, Jane squeezed the trigger releasing even more bullets in the bikers' direction. With any luck, they would all be down under the accumulated pressure from the cumulative attacks launched at them. She was on the side of the ambush and decided to fire at the second, third and fourth bikers as they came in range. She quickly released a 3 round burst at each one.


Jane Guin
12mm HI Hellfire (51/60)
At the underpass on East
Firing 3 bursts (9 rounds) centred at Bikers #2, #3, #4.
Modifiers: -4 Range, +2 Drawing a Bead = -2 for first burst, -4 for second and third bursts (integral bipod negates all recoil).

Burst #1: rolled 18 (3 hits), Damage 25 to #1 (R. Arm), 26 to #2 (R. Leg), 33 to #3 (L. Arm).
Burst #2: rolled 16 (3 hits), Damage 20 to #2 (L. Arm), 28 to #3 (U. Guts), 29 to #4 (L. Leg).
Burst #3: rolled 04 (0 hits).
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:25, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Jack kept his steely eyes focused on the blade of his front sight, and led the target.  He'd picked his shot as soon as he could see the target, even if he'd waited to take it.  Normally he'd shoot at the center of mass, but these bikers were going so fast it was better to center on their leading edge.  A hit with a .22 beats a miss with a .50, he reminded himself.  His target was the center rider in the middle of the diamond.



Dakota Jack
Police Pistol (8/9)
Ambush line, right in the center it appears
Sleeved Ten, Aiming on Eight, using hole card (Ten) to fire on Five.

Modifiers: Target Moving Fast (-4), Drawing a Bead (+4, due to using sleeved Eight to aim and firing on Five using hole card).

Firing One shot at center rider: Shootin' roll is 11 after modifiers.
Location: 20 - Noggin, Damage if it hits - 13 from the pistol, 5 from two bonus dice for a noggin shot, 18 total if it hits
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:01, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Roadkill doesn't actually fire IMMEDIATELY upon hearing the honk of the horn. His sawed off shotgun was nice up close, but it's range was less than impressive. Instead Roadkill continues to aim in on his target and wait for the bikers to move further along the line to where he can be more effective.



Roadkill
Shotgun (2/2)
South End of Ambush Line
Drawing a further bead with my held card then sleeving my 5. Roadkill will wait until they get perpindicular to him before firing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:04, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Summary: Round 1, Five Card:

An order was given, a horn honked and a hail of lead met the unsuspecting Doomsayers as they rode down the offramp.

There was a Hellish muzzle flash and report from the cut-down barrel of Schaeffer's M4 carbine, along with the pop of Dakota's 10mm. Rowan's AK chattered with a distinctive crack from alongside their route of travel. The inside of the ruined southern gas station was lit up from the muzzle flash of the Ma-Deuce. Peter was deafened by the crash of the machinegun in the confined space and clang of spent rounds into the brass-catcher mounted on the side of the receiver. The 12mm Hellfire's muzzle flash was almost completely hidden and all that could be seen of Jane firing her SAW was the tumbleweed she was under shuddering and a high-pitched chattering whine of the caseless autofeed.

The first two bikers flopped over as they rode into the converging "V" of tracers from Peter and Jane, their bikes falling to either side and spinning on the pavement in a shower of sparks and scream of metal.

Several rounds converged on the green-robed middle Doomsayer on the hoverbike at the same time and small holes appeared across the Doomsayer symbol on his chest and another went through his arm. Dakota Jack held his 10mm in a two-handed grip as he lay on the ground, and the rider's head filled the sight dead-bang. He coolly squeezed the trigger and the full metal jacket bullet hit the hood dead centre on the right side, jerking it to the left. The rider's arms flew up in the air like he was praying for Jesus to take him home, but some trick of balance or automatic reflexes kept his body upright on the hoverbike and the hoverbike moving forward.

In another masterful shot, Schaeffer placed a single round through the right eye-goggle strap and into the temple of the last biker as he passed by, while Jane and Rowan's bullets also smashed into the last two bikers. One flopped bonelessly forward while his bike remained upright, as the last rider and his bike fell and began cartwheeling together across the pavement.

Both Roadkill and Smoker could see that all the bikers were hit and most of the bikes were going down. Roadkill saw one Offroad bike in the rear "endo-ing" into a mangled wreck combining rider and machine. Bikes and bodies littered the pavement, still in motion. The air was filled with gunshots, crashes and snapping bones.

Roadkill wasn't very surprised to see a sport bike in the back with the rider slumped over the front fairing keeping upright for an instant and the hoverbike continue along unaffected despite an obviously dead rider. As an experienced biker he knew that the centrifugal momentum of the wheels and engine could keep a fast-moving bike balanced on its own for several seconds or more, even without a rider. (Trick riders would stand on seats or handlebars by exploiting this effect.) Hoverbikes were extremely stable and would continue along on their air cushion as long as the throttle was on.

He and Dakota noted with concern that the front right bike wobbled and then pancaked onto it's left side, skidding in a shower of sparks along the pavement then over the gravel shoulder directly towards where they lay!

---

Next Action: Three Card (Rowan, Smoker, Peter)

Updated Map:

http://tinyurl.com/3yymxno

Friendly Actions:

• Schaeffer uses Five card to fire single shot at #5 and give command. Holding Jack.
• Michaela uses held Red Joker to honk horn. Holding a Jack.
• Rowan uses held Nine to fire one burst each at #4 and #5. No hole card.
• Peter fires one burst at #1 using held Ten. No hole card.
• Arthur uses held Ace to move. No hole card.
• Jane fires 3 bursts at #2, #3, #4 using a Five. Holding a Seven card.
• Dakota Aims on Eight, uses held Ten to fire on Five. No hole card.
• Roadkill uses held Eight to Draw a further Bead (+4). Holding a Five card.
• Smoker waiting for initiative. No hole card.
• Brother Edgar has no initiative.

Enemy Actions:

• The bikers are (or were) traveling at 20 MPH, or 10 yards each on Ace, Queen, Nine and Five. Vehicles will take a further phase of movement on Deuce (if still upright).
• 3 of 5 bikers (#1, #2, #5) are down and they and their bikes tumbling to a stop.
• Two bikes are still upright (the hoverbike and a sport/racing bike) but their riders appear dead (one slumped over the handlebars, the other shot through the head.) They will move 10 more yards on Deuce but decelerate as the throttles roll off automatically.

This message was last edited by the GM at 11:22, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Nix raised his rifle to his shoulder as he stood from his concealed position in an effort to shoot at the Doomsayers.  He looked at the scene of carnage and realised that firing his rifle was a waste of very valuable bullets!  The extent of the damage the others had inflicted was frankly scary and Nix thought back to the joke he had made about them being an army now!

There were, however, very significant scavenging opportunities about to present themselves and that was something Nix wasn't going to miss out on!  He slung his rifle over his shoulder on its sling and started to scramble out of the ditch he was in.  As he moved however he caught sight of the smashed face of one of the Doomsayers and the mangled state it was in caused him to freeze and stare at it in fascinated horror.  Something in the way the bodies and bikes tumbled in unison just freaked him out!


OOC
Failed Guts check - lost next action as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:45, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

All Rowan could do was stare in horror at the scene. It was over so quick! In a second the pack of biker Doomsayers had been transformed into dead meat, they and their machines shattered and bouncing along the pavement.

"May the Gods protect us!"

The Kalashnokov, an instrument of death, was warm and content in her hands where she lay in the gravel.


Rowan
AK-47 (24/30)
Lying near north end of ambush line
Holding action (sleeving card).

Roadkill's eyes widened as several hundred pounds of rubber and steel came skidding towards him. Given the circumstances, there was really only one choice and that was to do his best to get out of the way.

ooc: Use my sleeved card to get out of the way in whatever the most feasible manner would be for the situation, be it rolling out of the way or coming to a crouch and diving for safety.

OOC: Actually, since my original intention was to sleeve a card, Peter is sleeving one of the cards so...I'm good. =D

Peter, not wanting to damage any bikes, decides to wait a moment and see what happens. So far the bikers hadn't reacted at all but that could change in an instant, though several of them seemed to have been downed. Bullets were expensive, however, so he waited a few seconds to see if either of the still-upright bikers started to do anything...then he would open up some more...
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Summary: Round One (Three Card)

Roadkill rolled safely out of the way of the spinning Harley, dirt and gravel shooting down his pants and up his shirt. It completely missed Dakota, who was looking wordlessly at the spectacle of death in front of him. A pall of dust hung in the air.

Standing up, Smoker started to move forward. The wrecked off-road motorcycle tumbled towards him along the road, the rider rolling along with it. His hollowed-out head left a long greasy splatter of whitish tissue along the road. Smoker suddenly realised with horror why the brain was also nicknamed "your noodle". Along with the crumpling of metal was the snapping of bones. Blood sprayed from skin that had been sanded down by the merciless pavement. The gory corpse and the bike stopped short of him.

The sport bike slowed, wobbled and fell over with a smack of plastic (from the fairing) not to far from Smoker, the dead rider tumbling off. The hoverbike also slowed to a stop with a sigh a few yards down, the hooded rider slumped forward. The sportbike's engine still purred, as did the hoverbike's.

Marshall's Note: Combat is now ended, all cards go back into the action deck.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:13, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

The Colonel reloaded his M4 before standing up. He looked the scene over, a satisfied look on his face.

"Everyon ewho fired a shot, reload your weapons now, please. Otherwise this is what an ambush should look like. Great work everyone."

"Zivillisten..."

He thought about talking to Rowan about her firing on rock'n'roll and to Smoker about standing up, but that could be done later. Now other things were more important.

Pulling his geiger counter with his left and his pistol with his right, Shaeffer began to check the corpses and vehicles to make sure they were dead and for radiation. These days, one couldn't be too careful.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:14, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

There was a brief flurry of shooting, then relative quiet.

Michaela transmitted over the CB (which Schaeffer, Smoker and Peter could hear), "what's happening, did we win? Did Arthur survive? Can I come out?"

She was curious about what was going on but didn't want to leave her position in the truck behind the ruined filling station.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:19, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Gathering herself, Rowan slowly stood up.

"Ye Gods..." she said, surveying the carnage.

With shaking hands, she changed magazines on the AK.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:16, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar stood as carefully as he could as the sounds of machinegun fire tapered off.  He steeled himself to do what was necessary to end the depredations of these marauders...  And was greeted with the sight of carnage on the roadway.  The shattered bodies of the misguided brothers strewn down the interstate off-ramp.  The twisted remains of their motorcycles.  It was ended.

He didn't feel as glad as he might to see them so destroyed.  But, you reap what you sow.  They sowed much pain and devastation, thus they would reap the same.

Bowing his head slightly, he began to murmur softly to himself as the others came out of their ambush spots, "In the name of the Twisted, in the Image of the Deformed, in the Fury of the Atom, in the Glow of the Bomb...a New Age arose.  Let this battle have meaning in the Glow.  The Future be protected."

Jack, not even meaning to, released the magazine, holstered the pistol, reloaded the spent round, and reloaded same with such aplomb one might have missed it.  He compromised between being prepared for more of the same and the unexpected by keeping one weapon in his left hand and his right empty.

"Remind me to never get shot while I'm riding a motorcycle, least of all by a Ma Deuce.  That's the worst case of road rash I ever done seen.  Smokey, you think you can make their wrecked iron horses run again?"

Peter let out a long sigh. Then he activated his helmet's radio. "Calm yourself, Michaela. Arthur is fine. It...appears as though all the bikers are either dead or down for the moment. I believe it is safe for you to emerge, though I do not wish to step on Arthur's toes in saying so."

He turned off his radio and turned to Jane. "Excellent shooting, as always, Jane."

Arthur rode up to the scene, sword still in hand, silently surveying the chaos for a few moments.  He had seen enough carnage in his time to not be bothered by it, but also to know that he was not interested in making an incredibly close examination of the scene.  He did not relish such things such as death.

They should have been given a chance to be taken in front of the law.  Not that they deserved it, but that's how its done all the same, he thought.

So saying, he took his horse into a walk, searching for Michaela.  "Michaela?" he called out loudly.

She was relieved she didn't have to find another Templar yet puzzled why she was being asked to calm down for no reason, Michaela replied, "no need for you to yell like that but I am glad to hear Arthur's okay. I'm going to give Brother Edgar a hand."

Michaela started the truck and drove to where Brother Edgar stood on the roof of the Circle-K.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

After the bikes stopped moving there was relative quiet, save for the whining of the hoverbike's MHD powerplant. The pavement and gravel shoulder was littered with debris, motorcycle parts, and dead bodies. A pungent ghastly smell of blood, motor oil, feces/urine and leaking Spook Juice turned the stomachs of all who approached.

There was the sound of a truck starting. Michaela pulled up from behind the southern filling station to give Brother Edgar an easier way to get down from the ruined Circle-K. Arthur was close enough to see that she was all right.

Moving up to the shoulder, Schaeffer pulled out his Geiger counter. He checked and determined that the bodies were not radioactive and the area wasn't contaminated.

Bags and packs lay scattered around where they had been ripped away from the bikes. The Doomsayers were heavily armed but they hadn't had a chance to slap leather. Their weapons remained holstered or strapped to their bodies or the bikes. One rifle, a Fusil-20 (licenced Steyr ACR rechambered for 5.45x39mm) lay on the pavement a little ways back where it was flung from Biker #5.




This message was last edited by the GM at 22:59, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

"What?" replied Nix, apparently still in some kind of shock.  "Yep!  Na!  No idea!  What was question again?"

He stayed stood on the edge of the ditch, apparently frozen in the spot and unwilling to leave the safety it represented.  He stared at the carnage of wrecked bikes and bodies on the road and all the salvage opportunities lying there in front of him.  Uncharacteristically however he didn't seem to want to go and start the looting.

Jack carefully walked out among the wreckage.  He wasn't out to claim a bunch of loot, it wasn't his style, but he was a man who lived off of the principal of the Liberator.  And he was curious just to see what they were packing.

"Need before greed..."  he quipped to no one in particular.  was tempted to examine such an unusual rifle, but he declined for the moment.  A user so careless to not secure a valuable tool like that probably didn't appreciate it, savor it, or take good care of it.  The sling was part of the weapon, not having one mounted to it properly was telling.  He was curious to see what else these wasters were packing.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

Finished with reloading, Rowan slung her rifle across her back. She deliberately avoided looking at the carnage.

"Is anyone injured or hurt?"

She made a visual check of everyone there, making sure no one was injured and bleeding out, unable to answer.

Brother Edgar, after offering his prayer, remained on his roof looking over the scene.  Even thinking to look off down the highway in either direction to see if any more dust clouds approach...

As the truck arrives, if nothing is seen, the Doomsayer will unceremoniously struggle down from the roof.  Which, most likely involves hanging from the roof a moment before dropping to the truck bed.  Standing back up and straightening his robes, Brother Edgar taps the roof of the truck and says his thanks as loud as necessary.  He then takes a firm grip on whatever is handy, so that Michaela can drive on.

As soon as he saw that the Colonel's geiger counter hadn't started clicking, Roadkill was up and heading towards the carnage to begin searching for valuables and salvage as he had so many times in his old ganger days. This time he didn't feel particularly bad about what had happened. Quite the opposite in this case.

"Well that worked like a charm," Roadkill says to nobody in particular as he moves up onto the ramp. "Now let's see what you boys were carrying. You sure were generous the last time I saw you, but I'll bet you kept all the best bits for yourselves."

Roadkill starts his search with the man he presumed to be the leader. That hoverbike had caught his eye. Roadkill had ridden a lot of motorcycles in his day but had never had a crack at a hoverbike.

After he'd checked the radiation count and that the dead were really dead (not always a given in the Wasted West), the Colonel began to search the Doomsayer he'd downed with a head-shot.

The shooting seemed to have stopped which probably indicated their enemies were dead. It was bad idea to waste munitions in the wastes so the soldier stopped shooting... For now at least.

Jane looked around at the dead bodies undisturbed. She had both seen and caused scenes like this many times over her career. Keeping her weapon aimed at the Doomsayers, she started approaching them slowly to check whether they were truly dead.

The hot metal of the motorcycle engines ticked as they cooled. Clopping on his horse over to the near side of the ruined Circle-K, Arthur helped Michaela get Brother Edgar down from the roof.

Back at the scene of carnage, Schaeffer examined the wreck of the off-road bike and picked up the Fusil-20 where it lay. Pulling back the bolt he saw it had been indifferently maintained but hadn't suffered serious damage from being dropped due to the rugged Austrian construction. There was a 2x scope mounted on the carry handle and looking at the translucent plastic magazine he determined there was around 20 or so  rounds left. Taped to that magazine was a second, empty one. The rider didn't have any more spare ammunition but he did have a snub-nosed S&W .38 Special in a leather holster duct-taped to the handlebars.

The Doomsayer bikers had been armed with an eclectic mix of weapons, likely formerly belonging to the defenders of Shalam Colony. Dakota noted a pump-action Mossberg shotgun, a lever-action Winchester .30-30 in a saddle scabbard, micro-Uzi, even a pair of ornately scrolled Colt Dragoon replicas in hand-tooled leather drop-holsters. As he approached the sport bike lying at the rear of the pack, Dakota heard a whimpering and slurred words. "uhhh... uhhhhhhh... h'lp muhhhh... muhhhh... muhhhh...." then a weak bubbling cough.

On the shoulder by the wrecked Harley stood Smoker, transfixed. One part of his mind wrote off at least two of the five bikes, but the sport bike and hoverbike were in running condition. Around 20 yards away, Jane advanced warily up the offramp, Hellfire held at low-ready. Unfortunately, her comrades were in amongst the kill zone now, firing the SAW on full-auto would likely endanger them. Rowan appeared to be lighting a sprig of sage on fire, then blowing it out and waving the smoke around. Peter began removing sandbags and rubble from the legs of the Ma-Deuce's tripod in order to re-mount it on the pintle mount in his truck bed.

The hoverbike's engine idled as Roadkill walked up to it. The Doomsayer's head lolled to the side, dark gore staining the hood around the exit wound in his skull. Everyone could see that Dakota's round had struck true, killing the rider. Other bullets had punctured the front of his robe, leaving more massive exit wounds on the other side of his torso.

Suddenly, the figure came to life and pulled off his hood, exposing blackened decaying skin stretched over a skull. The left side of his head was just fucking gone! Still, his bloodshot eyes burned with a mad glee as he laughed/screamed demonically through blackened lips. No human, nothing living could survive wounds like that and survive. The sheer horror, unexplainable nature and obvious insane malice of this being was enough to shock everyone for a moment...


Marshall's Note: Those in close proximity (Roadkill, Dakota, Schaeffer, Smoker, and Rowan must take a TN 7 Fear check at -4 (roll 3d6 if failing) and a regular Initiative check. Everyone else isn't close enough to need the Fear check and may roll Initiative as per normal, but probably only Jane is in ant position to engage. Post results to the Dice Rolls/Card Draws Thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:02, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

Jane turned towards their opponent, it appeared that the group had been wrong in believing their opponents were defeated. The soldier turned around aiming her gun at the group's enemy. At first, she thought the group had simply made a mistake when they believe they had killed the cultist. However, as the man removed his hood, it became obvious that he should be dead.

Never mind, they may not be able to kill him properly. Nevertheless, if the creature's eyes and ears were damaged enough, it would be rendered harmless. Even if it survived the impact, they simply had to bury it underground to stop it from being able to properly regenerate and come after them again.

Jane shouted out to the group getting ready to fire at their opponent. " Get out of the way. I am going to fire on this M*****F***** until it stays down for good!"

The woman quickly switched the gun to semi-auto. She didn't want to do this since it would affect her aim. However with the group in the way, it would be too dangerous to fire on full burst. She then shot the Doomsayer, aiming for the creature's head.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:58, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

Red Joker, Ace of Diamonds:

Jane had some kind of inkling that something was amiss. That's why when the Doombringer threw back its hood and screamed her finger was already on the trigger. Unfortunately, some of her comrades were in the line of fire, especially Roadkill.

Bringing the heavy SAW up, she fired, aiming at the thing's head. The snap shot went wild.

Laughing at Jane, the Doombringer shrieked, "you Doomed are all fuckin' PATHETIC! Maybe now you'll SEE THE LIGHT!"

For everyone near the Doombringer, there was a flash of light that somehow seemed brighter than a thousand suns!


Marshall's Notes:

Jane, Roadkill, Schaeffer, Smoker and Dakota must all make Vigor checks with a TN of 12 or be Flashblinded for 1d10 Rounds. Flashblindedness adds a -4 modifier to all rolls involving sight.

Next Cards:

This round is starting on Red Jack. Jane acted first, then the Doombringer (Ace of Diamonds). Next to act will be: Michaela, Rowan and then Arthur on King.

Updated Combat Map:

http://tinyurl.com/23r9hoo
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:15, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

Hearing the shrieking and gunshot, then seeing the reflection of the Flashblind power off the rocks and cacti behind the Circle-K, Michaela knew something was up. Brother Edgar seemed to be in the bed of the truck, so there was no reason to hang around there.

"<Hang on back there Brother, I'm heading over to see what the Hell is going on!"

Spraying gravel from the wheels, the truck took off from around the front of the Circle-K towards the on-ramp.


Michaela
Lever-Action Winchester .30-30 (15/15)
In Firecrow's technical behind the Circle-K.
Starting Continuing Action (Driving towards Doombringer).


Note: Michaela is spending her top card to begin a Continuous Action (Driving). She is accelerating to 10 MPH, traveling 5 yards forward. Brother Edgar is in the bed of the truck and must make a Fair Nimbleness check to hang on and not fall on his ass!
This message was last edited by the player at 12:14, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Deducing (correctly) they were under further attack, Rowan dove to the ground. Once there, she un-slung her rifle and chambered a round. She wasn't Flashblinded but still didn't really know what was going on.


Rowan
AK-47 (30/30)
Off-Ramp shoulder
Hitting the dirt, drawing weapon and chambering a round.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:16, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

"What in the hell..." said the Templar, having ridden away from the scene.  After hearing more gunfire and seeing a faint flash-bang in the distance, he took off at a gallop back towards them.  Most likely it would all be over by the time he arrived, but for whatever it was worth, he would try and help them out.


Arthur
Sword/Police 10mm (9/9)
By Circle-K
Moving 40 (Galloping) towards Doombringer.

[OOC: King - Movement]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:20, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Current Action: King (Michaela, Rowan, Arthur).


Wheeling his horse, Arthur charged back towards the Doombringer, sword in hand. He ended up in front of the hoverbike beside Roadkill, between it and Jane.

Fishtailing as she accelerates, Michaela burned out from in front of the Circle-K, clearly intending to go cross-country directly towards the sound of the action. In the back, Brother Edgar managed to hold on and remain upright.


Next Action: Queen (Smoker)
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:29, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Blinking through the flash of extremely bright list Nix dropped back into the ditch he had originally been hiding in.  Somehow he had been lucky and hadn't been looking straight at it so he could still see clearly!  He quickly pulled the rifle back off his shoulder where he had slung it and brought it to his shoulder, intending on shooting at the monstrosity in front of him!

Though the walking and talking corpse of a Doomsayer in front of him scared the hell out of Nix he had managed to keep his wits about him and wanted simply to shoot it.  Though his mouth was dry, his hands were steady and he hoped his aim would be true!

"What the hell is that!" he yelled.  "Shoot him!  Shoot him!"


Nix
Dropping back into cover and regaining his rifle from his shoulder.
FN-FAL (20/20 rnds - AP2)
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:25, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Current Action: Queen (Smoker).


By some luck of the draw, Smoker was unaffected. He dove into cover and drew his weapon, looking for a clear shot.


Next Action: Jack (Brother Edgar).

Bringing his horse to a stop, he nearly reeled at the sight that greeted him upon his arrival.

"Surrender now, and you won't be hurt!"


Arthur
Sword/Police 10mm (9/9)
Stopped by Doombringer.
[OOC:  Guts 13 w/ Red Chip]
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:10, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar tightens his grip on the side rail and the gun mount, trying to hold steady as Michaela heads "off road."  His hood whips back as he leans out to try and get a look at the scene from around the truck's cab.  A figure in a green robe...  One survived!?




Brother Edgar
Back of the Pickup Truck.
OOC - Brother Edgar sleeving Jack.  On Hold.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:51, Tue 10 Aug 2010.

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #98):


Current Card: Jack (Brother Edgar)


Hanging on as Michaela swerved around the side of the building, Brother Jack counted himself as lucky to merely have held on!

Before his eyes were blinded by the Doombringer's unHoly flash, Roadkill felt a sting along his inner right thigh. Feeling the area he determined he'd not been shot but that a bullet (possibly from Jane) had creased the skin and punched two holes in the inned thigh of his jeans. An inch higher and a little left, and he'd have been singing soprano!


Next Card: Ten (Roadkill, Smoker, Smoker)

Marshal's Note: everyone who's flashblinded is at -4 for All actions involving sight for 8 Rounds (including this one). There is a greenish glowing blob like a retinal afterimage obscuring your sight! Also, don't forget the tac-bloc. Name, weapon (if using one), location, action (even holding an action to sleeve a card) and OOC comments.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:58, Tue 10 Aug 2010.

His heart pounding in his chest Nix managed to continue fighting off the rising terror within him and to see through the blinding flash well enough to focus on his target clearly.  He was so close he went for what someone had once told him was called the Hollywood shot and aimed for the Doomsayer's head.  He had no idea who or what Hollywood was but with more luck than trained marksmanship Nix levelled the rifle at the Doomsayer and fired twice, hitting him twice in his chosen location.

He knew that both rounds hat hit their mark but this Doomsayer seemed possessed of some power from beyond, some power granted him by the Holy Atom, as Brother Edgar was likely to say, and Nix was terrified that his shots would have little effect.  He had wanted to scream in terror as he fired but somehow just grunted unintelligibly instead.


Nix
Two actions on 10
In the ditch to the side of the road.
Firing a single shot on each action with his rifle - both are called shots to the head (TN11).
Both shots successful hits, 46 damage on the 1st shot and 24 damage on the 2nd (both to the head obviously! <G>)
1 Red chip expended and accounted for on Nix's character sheet.
FN-FAL (18/20 rnds - AP2) - ammo expenditure accounted for.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Tue 10 Aug 2010.

Roadkill's heart had leapt into his throat when the doomsayer suddenly came back to life in front of him. On the outside he looked cool as a cucumber but on the inside he was going, "yee-aahh-ahh-ah!".

The blinding flash and the bullet whizzing by him coupled by the supernatural horror in front of him made him start backpedaling away while scrambling to draw his SMG up and ready.


Roadkill
SA Commando SMG (20/20)
Off-Ramp
action: Backing up. Quickdraw SMG. Draw a bead if the quickdraw worked.

21:54, Today: Ian Roadkill Colby rolled 6 using 2d8, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 2,6. Quickdraw.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:58, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

Current Card: Ten (Roadkill, Smoker, Smoker)


Stumbling back, Roadkill drew and cocked his 12.7mm Commando SMG, bringing it up but not quite quick enough to draw a bead. From behind him where he lay, Smoker fired twice, both rounds whizzing by the Doombringer's head.


Next Action: Nine (Arthur x2)
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:05, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

The Templar first called upon the blessings of Saint Wyatt Earp, and then drew his mount closer to the unrepentant murderer, the light of the day reflecting on his polished blade as he swung it down towards the man, bringing his blade back around for another swing.


Arthur
Sword/Police 10mm (9/9)
Stopped by Doombringer.

- Blessing of Saint Earp: Blue Chip ability - Avoid ranged damage
- Attack:  Fightin' Sword: 12, Damage 9
- Attack:  Fightin' Sword: 9, Damage 13
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:26, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

Current Card: Nine (Arthur x2)


Striking from above on his horse, Arthur stabbed down at the Doombringer and pierced his belly, then raised his sword and struck again, slashing his upper arm.

A thick black fluid spurted from his wounds and a horrible smell was released. Looking down, the Doomsayer saw that the rotten flesh had already stopped leaking. He threw his head back and cackled, more black fluid and brain tissue leaking from the gaping bullet wound to his head.

"Oh you little fucking bitch, that TICKLES! Let me tickle you as well."


Next Card: Eight (Doombringer)


Leaping from the hoverbike, the Doombringer grabbed at Arthur's leg, presumably trying to pull him from his horse, but couldn't get a firm grip as Arthur's mount danced aside. However, that didn't appear to be the Doombringer's main aim as Arthur began to feel an unHoly power course through the clawlike hand into his leg. The Doombringer laughed insanely, summoning some kind of terrible energy from his own radiation-warped DNA. "Now feel the POWER of the ATOM, motherfucker!"

Arthur's leg began to burn from the inside...

Arthur, pulled his reins in an attempt to dance around the Doomsayer, but apparently it did little good as this twisted creature masquerading in the guise of a man began to attempt to kindle a fire from within him.  Parts of him wanted to cry out in pain, but he held his composure, gritting his teeth.

In reply to Arthur Dayne (msg #105):

Current Card: Eight (Doombringer)


With a desperate effort, Arthur broke free from the Doombringer's grip just in time, throwing himself off his horse and onto the cracked pavement on the other side. The undead creature screamed in frustration and instead discharged his miracle into directly Arthur's horse by slapping its side.

The poor beast bucked up to escape the ferocious blast of radiation, but it was already too late. Massive boils and fluid-filled sacs erupted from its legs and flank near where the Doombringer had touched it with his hand, racing outward across its body. Instantly, all its hair and then skin on that side sloughed off, blood boiling first from lesions and then directly from the exposed yellow muscle and yellow fat tissues themselves! Bubblegum-blue intestines spilled out onto the dusty pavement beside Arthur with a splat, followed by the rest of the writhing, bubbling mass of corrupted tissue that used to be his trusty steed. A line of new nostrils opened along its skull, below a new row of eyes (rolling in terror) and twitching ears. Bones crackled and snapped as they sheared and re-formed at a furious rate, twisted and deformed. Another set of right legs erupted from its side, each with a cluster of hooves on the bottom. Urine and horse shit were expelled from one end and the contents of its massive stomach vomited out the other as its insides rebelled.

All the while, it screamed in terror and pain.


Next Card: Seven (Michaela, Jane)
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:44, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Jane cursed as she was blinded by the atomic blast. Considering her current field of vision and the fact that there were friendlies in the target zone, Jane decided to spend a few moments adjusting her weapon and setting it back to its automatic rate of fire. She then slowly got ready to shoot the Doombringer when an opportunity became available.

As she noticed the horse slowly mutate into something unrecognisable she thanked the heavens that it had not been one of her comrades who had been afflicted by the curse. If they killed the Doombringer, there was a good chance its newly created minion would die with it.

Now, if only the Templar could get away from the Doombringer...



Jane Guin
12mm HI Hellfire SAW (50/60)
On off-ramp by downed bikers
Drawing a Bead using SAW
OoC: Jane is readying an action to shoot when she has a clear shot on the doombringer (Probably next round since she changed the gun setting).
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:30, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Michaela kept driving forward, with Brother Edgar grimly hanging on for dear life in the back. The truck was travelling 30MPH now, and hit the edge of the parking lot with a thump! They hopped the kerb and continued over the dirt and brush of the shoulder.

She saw Arthur dive to the ground, his horse erupting into a bubbling foaming mass of malignant and rapidly-dividing cells.

"Arthur! Jesus, NOOOOO!!!!!"

Gripping the wheel, she forced herself not to accelerate further, because if she couldn't slow down she'd likely wipe out.


Michaela Fukushima
No ready weapon
In the truck, 30 yards away
Driving straight forwards.
OOC: The truck moved on Ace, Queen, Nine, accelerating 10 MPH in all phases. It is now traveling 30MPH, or 15 yards per vehicle movement phase. It has covered 30 ywards and is 30 yards from the Doombringer and Arthur.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:53, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Current Card: Seven (Michaela, Jane)


Blocking out the horse's horrible death, Jane backed up and flipped her SAW to full auto. She aimed at the Doombringer, waiting for a clear shot.

Michaela kept driving like a maniac, hoping she wasn't too late. As the truck bounced towards the shoulder it kicked up a massive plume of dust behind it, choking and blinding Brother Edgar in the back.


Next Card: Five (Brother Edgar, then the Doombringer)

http://tinyurl.com/2g9y2az

Marshall's Note: the truck will move after all other Actions during this card.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:38, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar could feel the the twisted manifestation of the Power of The Atom.  Sickening.  The horrific dark side of the Holy Glow.  Anger welled up in him at the sight and feel of the misuse of such holy gifts.  Doing his best to steady himself with one hand, he raised the other and concentrated.  The ever present greenish glow around him intensified, swirling down as his hand stretched out towards the false brother.  "Saint Bates guide my hand and give me strength!"  A sizzling green blast shot forth...

Brother Edgar
Atomic Power 9/10
Back of the Pickup
Atomic Blast vs. Doombringer
This message was last edited by the player at 03:14, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Current Card: Five (Brother Edgar)


A sizzling green blast shot forth...

And the Doombringer diverted it harmlessly into the ground with a contemptuous flick of his hand.

"Is that all you fucking got? PATHETIC! You're DOOMED, heretic, like these other wretches!"

The truck continued to close with the dangerous Doombringer, although Michaela would have to consider hitting the brakes soon to avoid colliding with anyone.


Next Action: Four (Roadkill).
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:50, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

It was certainly brave of Arthur to run up on the doomsayer and engage it in hand to hand combat. Unfortunately Roadkill was blinded and it was now too dangerous to shoot at the Doomsayer for fear of hitting Arthur. The templar would either have to break contact or be on his own for now.

Roadkill
SA SMG (20/20)
Side of the Ramp (hopefully backpedaled 5-10 yards away from the doomsayer)
Drawing a bead.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

Current Card: Four (Roadkill)





After backpedaling six yards, Roadkill brought his SA Commando SMG up and tried to look through the sights. This was a little awkward, as it was more designed for hip fire and the sights were offset to the left. Holding the receiver against his right forearm with his left hand, he aimed down his right arm, but aiming was further complicated by the glowing green blob flash-burned into his retina.


Next Card: Three, Two (Rowena, Vehicle)

Rowan looked as the horse slowly started to deform beyond recognition and become something she wouldn't even expect to see in her nightmares. Even from the distance, the young woman felt sick to the stomach as she observed the unnatural transformation. She had to wonder just how twisted the Doombringer was to so callously deform one of nature's creations. Then again, it was likely that whatever dark creature he had made a pact with, the man's sanity and soul had long since been lost.

Taking pity for the poor creature, the young medic tried to find a good vantage point from which to kill the creature and bring it the eternal piece it deserved. If she found a position from which to fire without taking the risk of hitting her allies, she would. Otherwise, she would continue moving until she did.


AK-47 (30/30) 0r (21/30)
Moving/Shooting the horse
This message was last edited by the player at 11:23, Sat 14 Aug 2010.

Peter noticed finally, since it had only been a few seconds really, what was going on. He blinked several times and looked over towards the commotion. He spoke over the radio. "What in the HELL? I thought the fight was over! What is going on?"

Current Cards: Three, Deuce (Rowan, Vehicle).


Moving up, Rowan killed what remained of Arthur's horse with a single mercy shot to the misshapen skull. Bubbling brains splattered across the dusty asphalt.

In a billow of dust, Michaela stopped the pickup (with Brother Edgar in the back) to a stop on the shoulder, about 20-30 feet from the Doombringer.


End of Turn.


Marshall's Notes: anyone wishing to take an action please roll for initiative. If Marc doesn't get a chance tomorrow, I will roll for him.

Again, please check the Game Map for tactical positions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:32, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

Current Segment: Ace (Doombringer)


Flashblinded, bitter bile spewing from his mouth, Dakota Jack stumbled away from the Doombringer as fast as his legs could carry him. Which was not that far, about 20 years from the undead fiend.

Luckily the Doombringer seemed to have more on his mind than retribution against the man who shot him in the head.

Instead, he glanced evilly at Brother Edgar Edgar and raised his arms in supplication.

"Hear my words... and prepare to dissolve into your component atoms, heretic!"

With that, his hands began to glow with a bright green radiance. Little bolts of electricity sparked and crackled up and down his arms as his entire body seemed enveloped by a green glow.


Doombringer
SA Commando SMG (20/20)
On off-ramp, standing beside his hover-bike. (20 yards from BE)
Starting to build up to critical mass for Nuke

Next Segment: King (Doombringer)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:20, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

Upon seeing the build up of energies, Brother Edgar's eyes widened at the madman's intent.  His own glow arced and swirled down his arms as he directed another blast of atomic power at the foe, hoping to disrupt his buildup.  He shouts over the rising hum of energies, "Everybody run!"  His own blast arcs from his hands towards the monster as he retorts, "May the Glow forgive you your sins, monster!"

OOC - 9:59, Today: Brother Edgar rolled 12 using 3d10, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2,7. Atomic Blast Damage!.
19:58, Today: Brother Edgar rolled 17 using 5d12, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1,10,(12+5)17,2. Atomic Blast!.

Brother Edgar
Back of the Pickup
Atomic Power 8/10
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #119):

The green bolt flew straight and true over the top of the cab, striking the Doombringer in the stomach.

"Whuff!" gasped the glowing figure. He doubled over for a second, then straightened up, glaring at Brother Edgar, radioactive blood in his eye.




"Fucker!" croaked the abomination. "See how you like it!"

A similar green bolt shot from his hand, striking Brother Edgar in the Upper Chest.


Current Segment: Queen (Doombringer, Smoker)


Growling in frustration, the Doombringer strode angrily over to his idling hoverbike and hopped in the saddle. Drawing his SA Commando SMG he cocked it yelling, "guess I gotta do this the old fashioned way!"

Nix was starting to gag at the horror unfolding in front of him but he kept to his task, pulled his rifle in tight against his shoulder and aimed for its head.  He could have sworn that there was no way he could have missed with his previous two shots but maybe he hadn't followed his good luck routine correctly the last time he had cleaned his rifle.  Regardless he had missed and the Doomsayer seemed to be unconcerned about the minor threat that Nix represented, something that wasn't a big problem for Nix.

He had never come across something as terrifying as this thing dressed in green.  They were throwing everything at the Doomsayer but it still seemed to be confident that it could defeat them all.  Nix had half hoped that its move towards the hoverbike had been an intention to flee from their ambush but it seemed that the Doomsayer was intent on killing them all!

Nix tapped his rifle twice for good luck and then fired again at the Doomsayer, once again aiming for its head, and hoping that it would strike true this time.


Nix
Action on Queen
In the ditch to the side of the road.
Firing a single shot with his rifle at the Doomsayer - called shot to the head (TN11).
21 damage to the head (if it hits this time! <G>)
1 Red chip expended and accounted for on Nix's character sheet.
FN-FAL (17/20 rnds - AP2) - ammo expenditure accounted for.

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #121):

Current Segment: Queen (Smoker)


Apparently, this time his luck wasn't good enough either! The bullet whizzed by the Doombringer's head.


Next Segements: Jack, Ten (Jane x2, then Arthur, then Roadkill)

Despite being horrified and scared out of his wits, Dakota Jack gets one look at the puke on his boots and realizes he's acting like a jackass.  It's time to the fight to that thing, not run like a coward.

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.  Jack turned on his heels and moved with a newly recovered confidence toward that... thing.  His hands still trembled a bit, and his eyes couldn't quite focus on that front blade like they were supposed to.  No matter, the guns were a part of him, and he could practically feel the shots at this range.  This was point shooting defined.

One of the Twin Sisters was in his left hand already, but the other hadn't cleared leather yet.  Only hits count...  Jack thought to himself.  Although the others weren't so close to the target he had to worry about a wild bullet winging them, he was impaired.

Dakota Jack
Action on 7S
Down the road directly away from the fight
Making his Guts Check, result is 13, see OOC post

Spending White Chip to remove -2 penalty for being Scart, removing from character sheet.

Moving his Pace back toward the action
One gun was in his (left) hand when he went to check the wreckage, Quickdrawing the other one.
Firing! OOC: Modifiers: -4 for Flashblinded, -2 for firing two weapons at once (Jack is Two Fisted so further modifiers for this do not apply) I forgot Jack was walking so that's another -2, so actually only a 23.  Still hits. Bear in mind Jack did top off his magazine in that momentary lull so I've only shot one out of each at this point (the tactical map is wrong in other words).

S&W 1006 8/9 (Left)
S&W 1006 8/9 (Right)
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

Good, the enemy had moved away from her companions all on its own. She was happy to see that the enemy wasn't fleeing. She didn't want such a creature to come back and attack them while they were sleeping. Now, all she had to do was start firing until it had too many holes to continue moving.

As soon as the doomsayer was away from the group, Jane slowly pressed the triger on her SAW hopefully spraying the monster with bullets.

Jane Guin
12mm HI Hellfire SAW (44/60)/(32/60)?
On off-ramp by downed bikers
Firing.

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:07, Thu 19 Aug 2010.

ooc: Jane goes before me and it looks like she smoked the guy pretty good. If he's still standing on my card then...

Now that the green Doomsayer had stepped clear of Arthur, it was time to open up and let him have it. Roadkill flips the switch on his SMG to burst and let's loose with a pair.

Roadkill
SA SMG 14/20
Next to the off-ramp (5-10 yards away)
2 bursts

Current Segments: (Jane x2, Arthur, Roadkill)


Lying back, stunned, Arthur turned as white as a ghost. Losing his horse was one thing, realising the undead nature of the beast what done it was even worse!

Line of fire clear, Jane let rip with a long burst from her SAW. Even Flashblinded her aim was true and she walked the hail of fire onto the Doombringer at point-blank range. Rounds slapped into already-dead flesh and riddled the hoverbike as well, smashing the windscreen. It was a nice grouping mainly in the lower and upper torso, with a couple to the arms and legs and at least 2 to the heart.

The fiend laughed, laughed I say!

Next was Roadkill's turn. Being partially-blind effected his aim; two rounds hit the Doomsayer in the chest and the last was lost in the desert sky. That last shot seemed to have affected him, he swayed a little on the hoverbike's saddle before catching himself.


Next Segments: Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven. (Roadkill, Rowan, Rowan, Dakota)
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:36, Thu 19 Aug 2010.

Edited out to fix confusion, see OOC thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

Once the horse had stopped moving, Rowan returned her attention to their enemy. Taking her time, she slowly aimed for the Doomsbringer's head and shot 4 bullets in rapid succession hoping to finally put their opponent to rest.

Rowan Dawson
AK-47  (25/30)
Shooting from position
2 times double taps to the head

Roadkill couldn't believe that this guy was still standing. It was time to bust out the big guns and Roadkill reached for his sawed-off.

ooc: I have a 6 on my quickdraw. Now, the sawed offs I have handled do not need to be cocked. They automatically cock when you load them and I don't think there is a way to decock them. I rolled shots under this assumption. If I'm wrong just ignore them.

Roadkill
Sawed off (0/2)
Firing from 5-10 yards
Both barrels or cocking depending on Marshall's ruling.

Current Segments: Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven. (Roadkill, Rowan, Rowan, Dakota)


Roadkill was right, it was time to bring out the big guns!

He, Rowan and Dakota all opened up at the same moment. The Doombringer was shot multiple times, including several wounds to the belly, chest, heart-lungs. As well, a blast of buckshot partially severed the head from the neck, a 7.62x39mm bullet smashed into the skull carrying it all the way off the neck, and Dakota tracked it as it spun into the air, nailing it with a 10mm as it fell to the pavement in a shower of teeth, what little brain tissue remained and thick clotted blood. Its SA Commando dropped from lifeless fingers.

The now-headless Doombringer slumped forward in the seat of the now somewhat more bullet-riddled hoverbike. The engine sighed to a coughing stop. It took a few seconds to realise the fight was really over. 


Marshall's Note: All PCs may now add a point of Grit. Those who may absorb the Coup have been asked to roll off.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:45, Sat 21 Aug 2010.

As the shattered remains of the beast slump over, Brother Edgar gently releases the rising power of the Glow back to its source.  A deep breath is taken in, and slowly released.  His shimmering, radiant glow recedes back to its normal levels as he asks in tone loud enough to carry across the battlefield, "Is everyone alright?  Is anyone burned?"  The Doomsayer climbs free of the truck bed and begins looking from companionto companion to assess the damage to the living before he can look after the souls of the dead.

Peter came running up but missed the fight itself. "Damnit! Why did no answer the radio?" Then he saw the remains and his face took on a perplexed and puzzled look. "What happened? Was he not already dead before?" He looked around at everyone. "Is everyone all right?"

Something truly bizarre was happening.

Even though the headless Doombringer was dead (and although that category seemed to be a little... elastic at this point) a glowing green ooze started to fountain out of its neck, spraying the front of the hoverbike and splattering on the pavement.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:05, Sat 21 Aug 2010.

After they all stopped firing at the monstrosity of a Doomsayer Nix reflexly picked up the three spent cases from the rounds he had fired.  He then started to climb out of the ditch he was in and noticed the green ooze spraying out corpse's neck!

"What the hell is that?" he exclaimed to the others, stepping back into the ditch he was in and bringing his rifle back up to his shoulder.  "I think that its soul is looking for another body!  Don't go near it or touch anything that it's touched!" he added, leaping to his own conclusion.


OOC - I've assumed that it is ok to add 3x 7.62x51mm NATO spend cartridges to Nix's character sheet?  Let me know if that is wrong.

Horrified, all Michaela could do was stare, horrified, at the gruesome spectacle. Not just the Doombringer, but the other dead Doomsayers scattered along the pavement.

She answered Peter, "he... I don't think he was dead? When they shot him?"

Jack wasted no time holstering one gun, topping off the magazine in the other, and then reversing the maneuver.  Coming up with both weapons trained on that thing's corpse, he clearly did not trust it to stay down.  He had heard of men you couldn't kill with a bullet, and fought a few, but this was the first time he believed it.  This was some freaky stuff.

"Glowy... can you done kill it with fire?"  he asked hopefully.

Brother Edgar's eyes quickly went back to the bullet-riddled body as it began to spurt green sludge.  Un-necessarily perhaps, he notes, "Do not touch that.  Let us all back away and look to each other."  At Jack's question, the heretic doomsayer gives a slow nod, "Once everyone is safe, I will deal with the bodies.  They will be returned to the Glow."

"Then let us do so, that this foul abomination may be returned to Creation." Arthur averted his eyes, hoping to faster facilitate the Doomsayer's request.

The Colonel didn't move from the crouch he'd been in when the dead Doomsayser had returned to life.

It was one of those days. First, the crucified villagers had shaken him to the core and now he'd frozen in a fight. He could barely believe it. At leat, it seemed like none of the others had noticed.

Shaking himself back into activity, he drew his bayonet and cut both hoilster and .38 from the bike's handlebars. Together with the Fusil 20 (which in his opinion wasn't a bad rifle, even though it used a small calibre round) they would either serve as backup or as trade goods. Either way, it wasn't a bad haul for a single shot fired. On the other hand, with the amount of rounds Rowan had expended, it would only be prudent to hand the rifle over to her so she'd be able to trade it for ammo.

"Rowan, take the Fusil. You should be able to trade it for ammo for your AK."

Shaeffer held the rifle out to her.

In reply to COL Kurt L. Schaeffer (msg #139):

"Rowan, take the Fusil. You should be able to trade it for ammo for your AK."  <<,

Rowan takes the rifle "thanks, it may help if I can find a buyer,"
"Is there any spare ammunition for it."
"Did any of the bikes survive intact was wondering about one as a means of transport."
"We need to find any of the inhabitants that survived this attack and see if they need help"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:37, Mon 23 Aug 2010.

Roadkill took a startled step back when the Doomsayer started fountaining green goo and he falls onto his backside in the ditch before scrambling back to his feet and doing his best to pretend that nothing had happened.

"This is just crazy. I need a dip," the trucker says as he reaches for his pouch of tobacco.

With a comfortable wad in his lower lip, Roadkill sighs and regains his focus, going about the task of reloading his weapons and then staring suspiciously at the corpses of the remaining doomsayers, half expecting them to jump up laughing at any moment.

Seeing that his companions remained a little cavalier about the green goo and the potential for earning a case of the Glows, Brother Edgar slides his hands together in front of him.  He begins murmuring a soft prayer, his skin beginning to glow brighter again, "Benevolent Glow, lend to these your guidance and protection.  If they are to be touched by your grace, let it be.  If it is not their time, let them be shielded."  As his words end, he slowly expands his hands revealing a swirling ribbon of green glow.  Under his direction the ribbon rises and spirals out swiftly in a flash.  Momentarily a shimmering green washes over everything in radius then fades away.  The Doomsayer winces slightly as he finishes, saying quietly, "All is safe within this aspect of the Glow.  Take what you will from here, but please do so quickly.  Once it is away, I will do my best to check and cleanse what is needed.  Whatever is not needed will be returned to the Glow with the bodies.  Be quick and be safe."


OOC - Casting Hazmat Barrier

"Shucks, ya'll done heard the walking reactor!"  Dakota Jack scrambles to pull out anything that may have salvage value, whether he wants to personally keep it or not.  "Come on Hoss, get a move on!"

Arthur sighed, having a sinking feeling that Jack was calling him Hoss now.  What was with this guy, why couldn't he just call people by their names?  Nevertheless he realized that as long as he didn't keep anything he didn't truly need, there was nothing wrong with helping others get along and acquiesced the buffoonish request.

Peter shook his head slowly, letting out a long sigh, staring at the body that got back up and had to be put down again. "That...is...well, it would be unbelievable anywhere but here in the Wasted West, I suppose. Around here, this is just another strange yet normal day." He looked around. "Is everyone all right? Does anyone require aid?"

Thankfully, no one seemed permanently injured by the Doombringer's attacks.

After a moment the blindness faded, but the shock and horror lingered around the grisly scene. The Posse were literally walking through pools of blood and around body parts as they scavenged for materials. There didn't appear to be lingering radiation after Brother Edgar's miraculous barrier, according to the various Geiger counters in the Posse's possession.

Aside from some minor tools and spare parts, the hunting party had 6 Milrats and 5 gallons of water between them. The food and water was irradiated. There were spare green Doomsayer robes, goggles, blankets and rain clothing. Two of the riders had Police vests, not that those seemed to do anything to stop .50 calibre  machinegun and 12mm caseless rounds.

Along with the spare clothing were also biker "colours" (leather jackets and vests). Roadkill recognised the patches as belonging to a small but vicious independent Road Gang called the Satan's Stalkers Motorcycle Club. The SS had been a pre-war outlaw motorcycle gang, let by a hard-case named "Striker". He recalled hearing through the Road Gang grapevine that Striker and his crew had gotten a serious dose of The Glows scavenging some ruins. Afterwards they dropped out of sight and it was presumed died. Well, at least that was true now, as the Doomsayers all had tell-tale biker tattoos and all also sported "SS" and swastika tats on their biceps.

The Doombbringer had been armed with a fully loaded SA Commando SMG with 7 loose .50SA rounds, as well as a fully loaded 9mm Tokarev machine-pistol (with attached laser sight and a spare loaded magazine). On the wrecked bike by the 2x scoped Fusil-20 (20 of 30 5.45x39mm rounds remaining plus one empty spare mag) was a snubnose .38 special Detective (plus one loose round). There was a fully loaded Mossberg Police-issue Mossberg 500 shotgun (with tac-light) plus 2 spare 00 buckshot shells in loops on the side of the stock. Somewhere along the line they must have come across a collector because there was a pair of ornately-decorated fully loaded ornately single-action Colt .45 Peacemakers (both in quickdraw holsters on a pistol belt with thirty-one rounds in the loops).

Rounding this out was a 10mm Glock (with fully-loaded double-stack 18-round magazine but no spare mags), Colt M1911A1 (loaded, with two spare magazines), loaded lever-action Winchester (with three spare rounds) and 10mm Mini-Uzi (with 18/20 rounds remaining, no loose ammunition or spare mags). There was also a collection of large and small knives (7 or 8 each) including a pair of balisong (butterfly knives), three blood-stained machetes, a dull rusty Bowie knife, a battle-axe two hatchets and a pair of throwing hatchets.

Michaela, Smoker and Rowan checked out the bikes. Only two seemed road-worthy: a black Roadhawk hoverbike and a Honda Viper sportbike, also black.

Michaela lifted the battered Viper onto its stand, then mounted and started the engine in neutral. She goosed the throttle a few times and listened to the ceramic engine's angry whining revs, then cut the engine and dismounted to inspect for additional damage. Aside from years of cosmetic damage there was surprisingly little other damage except for a bullet-hole in the fairing.

Smoker saw the Roadhawk hoverbike was in surprisingly good condition, considering the amount of lead that had been directed at its late rider. The windscreen, instrument gauge cluster, twin headlights, signal lights and mirrors were all shot away or long gone. There was a through-and-through bullet-hole in the fuel tank, which also had STRIKER painted on its sides. The controls still worked (throttle, brakes, gear select thumb-switch).

Rowan determined the other three bikes were good only for spare parts. About half their Spook Juice fuel from the 3 wrecked bikes had leaked out onto the pavement.

Something about the pair of Peacemakers jogged Peter's memory. The Law Dog of Las Cruces/Shalam Colony, Mendoza, had worn a pair of hog-legs like that in quick-draw holsters. These weapons had belonged to the dead Law Dog, most likely a lot of the otehr weapons had belonged to his posse.

The stench was terrific, a Hellish mixture of Spook Juice, blood, and human waste from when several sets of bowels released upon death. Not quite as bad as the crucified defenders from Shalam Colony (Mendoza and his posse) but still pretty bad.

At Brother Edgar's direction, the bodies were collected for disposal. He could do it there, or there was a rusty dumpster at the burned-out Circle-K.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:11, Tue 24 Aug 2010.

Jack let out a low whistle at some of the things these rad rats had been toting around.  "Dang...  these boys were well armed."  He looked like he was going to practically weep at the sight of the Colt pistols, Dick Special, SAA and 1911A1 alike.  "Now that's a damn shame, I bet they haven't taken proper care of them all either."

In reply to Dakota Jack Cardinal (msg #147):



Rowan looked around, “you got that right Jack”, she answers softly.
“Lets collect the salvageable Spook juice shall we, if any one can ride the bikes it may help us find any survivors, we can not just leave them out there to die.”
“Also word needs to be spread that this lot of creatures is dead”.

“If no one minds may I take the M1911 as a back up weapon, my old dad owned one.”
“Though as Jack points out they will need a good cleaning and some TLC before they can be relied upon.”
As she speaks Rowan scans the sky looking for a hawk or a bird she can use to have a look around the area with.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:49, Tue 24 Aug 2010.

In reply to The Marshall (msg #146):

Smoker saw the Roadhawk hoverbike was in surprisingly good condition, considering the amount of lead that had been directed at its late rider. The windscreen, instrument gauge cluster, twin headlights, signal lights and mirrors were all shot away or long gone. There was a through-and-through bullet-hole in the fuel tank, which also had STRIKER painted on its sides. The controls still worked (throttle, brakes, gear select thumb-switch).

Rowan joins Smoker in looking at the Hover bike and plugs the hole in the tank with a wad of cloth and some sticky tape.
" I can ride this while I am with the group" she offers.

Jane instinctively jumped back as she saw the creature in front of her start leaking. She stood back for a while wondering just what kind of hellish creatures they had just fought. If she were not a professional, she would have sighed in relief now that the cultists were dead.

If there was a good gun that the others were not interested in she may decide to take it to prepare for the time she run out of ammo for her Hellfire. Otherwise, she would simply take her share of munitions. Plus she had her own reasons for not wanting to rely on the 12mm weapon.

There were five bikes. One had been on its last legs and had pretty much disintegrated, good only for parts. The hover-bike and sport-bike were immediately rideable with minor repairs. Upon further inspection, two of the remaining bikes (a Harley and an off-road) were fixable but not currently rideable.

The Harley that almost plowed into Roadkill and Jack had a bullet hole in its front tire and the wheel was bent. The off-road had bent front forks and a bullet hole as well in the tire. Both also each had a bullet hole in the fuel tanks. The hover-bike only really needed repairs to its fuel tank.

Smoker could quickly patch the tires using tire repair kits on the bikes themselves. The holes to the fuel tanks of the hover-bike, Harley and off-road bike could be temporarily mended using epoxy and rubber or whatever else came to hand, but would need to have patches welded on permanently, and the bent forks/wheel would also need a metal shop to mend.

The weapons were in surprisingly good shape. This didn't surprise Roadkill that much, even road gangers had to take care of their "money-makers" (guns). The revolvers and Colt M1911A1 were all in the best shape. The others would need some cleaning.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:15, Tue 24 Aug 2010.

"I've no need for that other than what I absolutely must have."  Arthur volunteered, figuring someone needed to address this quandary.  The wastes were full of problems like this, where something needed to put to use, and it was a literal question of life and death how it was done.

"So if I may offer a suggestion for your collective consideration, I should like to.  However, I must warn you all that since the... proceedings, are tangible hard goods, uniform distribution will be impossible.  Also, I will try to effect neutrality, but nothing we do will make everyone completely happy."

"All right Hoss, I'm all ears if'n you got some ideer how to split this stuff up, an' I reckon yer purty much right it ain't gonna be fair no matter what we done come up wit'."  Jack shrugs, function checking some of the weapons out of curiousity if his assessment of the rad priests as caretakers has been a correct one.  "Folks he could have grabbed half the loot in Truth or Consequences a while back, hell I tried to myself, an' he done stopped me."

OOC:  I'll put Arthur's idea up a bit later, it'll take a moment to think and I don't have that now.

Peter warred with himself for several minutes. His face was smooth but his eyes moved rapidly, and alternated between looking contemplative, hard-edged, and sorrowful. All while he looked at the peacemakers.

He was greedy and recognized good quality firearms when he saw them. He didn't want to lose out on getting some of the goods. He'd helped in the fight after all. He was entitled. And he loved things that were top-notch!

He wanted nothing to do with them. He wanted to bury them with the person that carried them. He knew that was a tremendous waste when the guns and ammo could be put to better use to save others.

He wanted them all. He wanted none of them.

He finally stopped and took a long breath.

"In case anyone cares...the paired peacemakers there...they belonged to the Law Dog of the settlement that these monsters wiped out."

Having said that, he turned and walked back to the machinegun he had been going to put back on his pickup truck.

The Posse, some covered in blood from moving around the dead men and rummaging around in their things, agreed to the suggestion to draw cards to see who would get what.

Smoker dragged out his deck. Dakota drew Ten Clubs for dibs on shootin' irons, and Two Diamonds for armour.

After struggling with his conscience, Peter informed them that the matched Peacemakers had belonged to Law Dog Mendoza. With some effort (and a little help) the Ma-Deuce is mounted back on the pintle in the bed of the pickup.

Smoker also reiterated that while one bike was completely toast, two others were repairable if not immediately rideable like the less-damaged Viper and the Roadhawk.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:01, Wed 25 Aug 2010.

The heretic Doomsayer's glow seems to be flickering more than usual as he maintains his protection.  For anyone not terribly engrossed in the gathering of gear, its also obvious that he's in quite a bit of pain.  Breathing through clenched teeth, short in answering any questions or making any comments.  He would be dragging/carrying the bodies of the priests off to the side of the road.  Any useful gear, save their robes, would be removed and set aside for the others to look over.

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #156):

The heretic Doomsayer's glow seems to be flickering more than usual as he maintains his protection.  For anyone not terribly engrossed in the gathering of gear, its also obvious that he's in quite a bit of pain.  Breathing through clenched teeth, short in answering any questions or making any comments.  He would be dragging/carrying the bodies of the priests off to the side of the road.  Any useful gear, save their robes, would be removed and set aside for the others to look over.

Rowan stops what she is doing with the motor bike and steps over to where Brother Edgar is.
"Are you alright brother, I have the healing I am gifted with if it will help you".
"Or I will use the old technology to treat any wounds you may have wounds I can treat in that fashion".

Rowan waits patiently for Brother Edgar's decision and reply before acting.

For once, Dakota Jack was completely serious.  "Ah hell, that ain't right man.  That ain't right.  I'd be the first to fork 'em over to the rightful heir, but I don't think we know who that is or if any of those people are still alive."  He shakes his head solemnly.  "The best I can offer you is we hold onto them, maybe we'll run into them.  And even if we don't, at least his ghost can rest knowing who's got them."

Brother Edgar shakes his head slightly at the offer, pausing in his work to look over to Rowan, "My working...  It pushes away or dampens.... anything touched by the Holy Glow.  It pushes very hard at me....  It is not pleasant."  He pauses for a moment, lifting a brow as he studies the wandering medic.  The wandering medic who once chose to travel amongst mutants.  The wandering medic with strange abilities beyond that of norms.  His expression is difficult to read, not smiling nor frowning per say, "But I notice...  You seem to be quite alright..."

"Then I guess he don't need them no more," Roadkill says with indifference. "He was a good man, but there's no sense letting a pair of pistols like that go to waste. I'd be much more comfortable with them wrapped around Jack's hips than buried under some sand and rocks."

"As for the rest of this gear, draw me a card for the shotgun. I could use something with a bit more range than my scattergun- one of those machetes looks nice too."

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #159):



Rowan smiles almost shyly.
"I am fine, but I grieve for the life lost here."
"I must remember"
"That for the light to shine there must some where be darkness."
"Just as for the word of truth to spread there must some times be silence for it to grow in."
"It is the way of things brother is it not".
Rowan considers for a moment, then adds
"Be not concerned."
"I am simply me, a small part of the whole"
She looks at Brother Edgar clearly considering his explanation, I do not pretend to knowledge that I do not have.
"So please some time if it is permissible, explain this reaction you have to me.
Perhaps we can find a way to aid you so it is not so unpleasant to you."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:13, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

While they talked, they drew cards from Smoker's deck to determine who'd get what pick.

COL Kurt L. Schaeffer, drew the single card: KD,
Jane Guin, drew the single card: QH,
Dakota Jack Cardinal drew the single card: 10C. Proposal Draw, 2nd Priority.
Brother Edgar, drew the single card: 9H,
Peter Firecrow, drew the single card: 8H,
Smoker Nix, drew the single card: 7C,
Rowan Dawson, drew the single card: 6S,
Michaela Fukushima, drew the single card: 3S,
Ian Roadkill Colby, drew the single card: 3H,
Dakota Jack Cardinal drew the single card: 2D. 3rd Priority, Armor,
Arthur Dayne, drew the single card: 2C.

OOC:  Tony feel free to move or remove this post.

"Rowan, darlin'..."  Jack explained.  "We're going a de-sending order on the guns... ten o' them, ten of us, everyone gets a chance.  If'n ya want a right particular one, you pick on descending order, jus' to keep us from arguin' about it all day.  No one else seems to have laid claim ta it though so yer probably safe.  But I do believe the Colonel has first pick.

"If'n you can ride that hoverbike, you probably should.  But let's see who else might have a dog in that race.  Right now you're a winnin' by dee-fault."

In reply to Dakota Jack Cardinal (msg #164):



Rowan inclines her head clearly in gratitude for the explanation.

" I thank theee for thy help sir, I am still new to this way of life, so I ask pardon for my ignorance".
"I shall of course abide by the groups decision".
"It is after all part of the circle that is life and the path though it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:14, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

"You talk funny."  Jack observed, but with a big dumb smile.  "Ah like it... why don't ya talk to me s'more, later?"

"She 'talks funny'?"  Arthur asked dryly.  "Listening to you is like trying to decode Morse Code.  Fixin' ta and wanna and ain't are not words sir."

"Well woo hoo doggies, I done got a gun and an English lesson frum th' pr'fessor on th' same day."  Jack observed, much to Arthur's indifference.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #161):

"I simply meant that...  you are unaffected...therefore...  Not Chosen,"  explains Brother Edgar, through winces.  He does his best to smile though, "But do not worry.  I won't...hold it against you." With that, he returns to his work.  He does politely agree to take part in the division however it occurs.  It is a harsh world, supplies are required even for priests.

Rowan smiles "speech between friends is always good". "It saves on misunderstandings at a later point".

Rowan bows slightly.
Chosen you say, what is chosen is it the one over all that watches the world reaching down his hand and touching some one?
Is it the gust of the breeze in the morning, that the mother sends.
The unheard song on the wind.

All of these could be said to be chosen,

Once long ago in China this was written

All of god’s creatures, the low and the high are one with nature.
If we have the wisdom to learn, all may teach us their nature.
Between the fragile beauty of the praying mantis and the fire and the passion of the winged dragon there is no discord.
Between the supple silence of the snake and the eagle’s claws there is harmony.

As no two elements in nature are in conflict, so when we perceive the ways of nature we remove conflict from with in ourselves and discover a silence and balance within.
In accord with the universe.

Rowan bows, all are chosen in some way Good Brother.
It is just that the choosing is not always obvious

The bodies had been dragged into position.

Everyone waited for something to happen next, as presumably Brother Edgar was obviously going to do something impressive with the bodies. Michaela helped Peter re-mount the Ma-Deuce on the back of his truck.

Col Schaeffer had high draw. He chose the Fusil-20, which he gave to Rowan so she could trade it.

Jane had next draw. She didn't seem to have a preference. While she debated, Jack went next.

With a mixture of awe and reverence, Dakota took the hand-tooled leather belt and paired Peacemakers. They seemed clean but there was no way to know until he pulled them and checked the chambers.

Next up was Peter, then Smoker and Rowan. Rowan had already expressed her interest in the Colt M1911A1.

Roadkill had called dibs on the Mossberg.

Vehicle-wise, Rowan seemed to be gravitating towards the Roadhawk and Michaela the Viper.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar, having arranged the bodies of the fallen priests in a clear spot away from the buildings, helps the others move their findings off and away.  He seems to be attempting to clear everyone far back and away from where the dead now lay.  He would also take the time to call upon the protective power of the Glow to clean away any lingering radiation from the equipment.  Only then does he release his barrier and visibly relax.

For his part, as regards the equipment, he makes no particular claims or requests.  Seeming quite content to a simple share of what may be left as trade goods in the future.  When one walks with the Power of the Bomb, one doesn't seem to feel a pressing need for guns or bullets.

As the wheelings and dealings continue, he takes the moment to rest.  Kneeling.  Drawing deep breaths, preparing himself for something.

Peter looked over the equipment with a keen but almost disinterested eye. Something was bothering him but his merchantile instincts took over and roared in to overdrive. He sighed slightly and picked up the Tokarev machine-pistol. It was serviceable and had extra ammo, both a bonus in the wasteland.

"I do not really have a preference but I think I can fire this gun, so if someone else is really interested in this, please let me know."

Rowan answers in a gentle voice.

If there is one truth that I have found in my travels Peter it is this."
"To survive out here on the waste lands one must be strong of mind, and equipped to do so."
"This is the truth of it".
"If you are drawn to an item there is a reason and a sensible person follows reasons".
"Even if they do not understand them"

Rowan hand sketches in the air a circle followed by some lines with in and for a moment was that a glow that followed her fingers movement.


"That is the truth spoken on the wind this day"

Rowan bows slightly, and turns her attention back to the pile.

"There are only a few things that interest me here, the throwing axes would be nice they might save me ammunition at close quarters."
"To use them in fighting in hand I would have to learn how."

She considers the pile again.

"I would suggest that the person who takes the 10mm pistol takes the Uzi as well since they use the same ammunition".
"The rest if no one wants it I would suggest we take a s trade or gift goods".

Michaela hesitated, looking at Arthur, then continued.

"I know it's not my turn, but I could use the Uzi, especially if the ammunition from the Glock is loaded in. I could use it one-handed from the Viper, if I'm going to be riding that (and I can)."

She was unsure about speaking up; as she was Arthur's squire she assumed he would be speaking for her depending on what he thought best for her training as a Templar under him. However, she felt she should say something and Arthur couldn't read her mind.

"Sorry Arthur, do you want me to have a gun? Or should I be concentrating on hand-to-hand? I don't have a problem either way!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:04, Sat 28 Aug 2010.

Peter slowly turns to look at Rowan. He has a look on his face that is a cross between quizzical and wondering if she is more than a little insane. But then he just raises an eyebrow and replies, "As you say, I suppose, young lady."

Looking under the seat of the Roadhawk, Rowan found a medium-sized plastic bag that was taped shut. It felt like there were pill bottles and maybe smaller bags sealed inside. It rattled a little when shaken.

Rowan smiles.
"See I have made you think Peter and wonder a little about me."
"And that is always a good thing, but I am no lady only Rowan a healer"

Rowan slips the package into her healer bag for later examination when she has time.

Nix had spent some time trying to get the two damaged bikes working, partly by using the bike that was damaged beyond repair for spare parts.  It was difficult without a full workshop but he had retrieved his tools from Roadkill's truck and set to work.  He also drained the fuel from those bikes that they weren't using to top off those that did work.  There was no point letting spare fuel go unused!

When the subject of dividing up the spoils came up Nix had happily used this deck of cards to decide on the priority order.  Through puffs from his pipe he waited for his turn to come.

"I'll take the Glock if that's ok," he asked the others when it did.

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #181):

As the discussion was going on, Smoker patched the ties on the wrecked bikes. Repairing the heavily-damaged bikes would take several hours at least, maybe days. But at least they seemed fixable. He also noted the hole in the fuel tank of the hoverbike would need a more permanent repair than the tape Rowan used.

For a moment there it seemed Smoker was going to be too busy to take his pick but then he perked up his attention. He chose the Glock, not being aware of the earlier discussion.

Rowan took the Colt M1911A1 and two mags, plus the throwing axes (which she could actually use). Michaela took the loaded SA Commando SMG and 7 loose rounds.

Roadkill grabbed the pump-shotgun, leaving the half-loaded Mini-Uzi, loaded Winchester (plus loose .30-30 rounds) and loaded Colt Detective Special for Brother Edgar, Arthur and Jane to choose between.

No one seemed to have a problem with Dakota and Michaela having some additional protection.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:08, Sun 29 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar continues to pass on the firearms, suggesting that they could be used as spares and backup weapons for the vehicles if no one lays claim.  Once he is rested and rejuvenated, the Doomsayer will excuse himself from the gathering of the others, "Please remain here.  I must go and send my wayward, sinful brothers back to the Glow through the power of the Bomb.  Taking some cover or adding more distance might be appropriate. "  With that, he heads off towards the set aside place for the dead Doomsayers; a safe distance from the companions and the buildings.

Rowan bows slightly,

"Brother Edgar, "In wisdom grant me please, a few moments to warn the local animals of the danger you wish to unleash."
"Of warning and life, they are also due"

Rowan steps aside while remaining in cover.

And casts Beast Speak
She chants as she does so

For those that run on four feet, and soar the winds grace
Scent well, the winds message
Be wise and be fleet
Quickly flee this place, a hunter comes

Again Rowans hands move in a circle as she finishes.

The crow that she had befriended before took the hint and flapped off, squawking, At it's prompting, so did the other carrion-eating birds who were waiting around to feast on the despoiled corpses.

While she talked to the birds, Roadkill helped himself to a rusty machete. Smoker took the Glock, leaving the Colt Detective Special and lever-action Winchester for Arthur. Brother Edgar wasn't interested in firearms at this time, and Arthur had his own reasons for shunning shootin' irons.

Unfortunately, they hadn't found any survivors at Shalam Colony. Tracks had led across a bridge over to the far side of the Rio Grande and into the hills, so they knew someone was still alive.

As Rowan waits for Brother Edgar to finish what ever he is doing Rowan turns to the rest of the party gathered with her. "Should we try an find the survivors once we have finished here, I think the tracks lead over the river and into the hills?"
"Though I will admit that my tracking is not so good as to tell you how many or when that I have to leave to those with more knowledge of the task than me"

The Colonel had left the others to divide the spoils among themselves. He walked up the ramp to the interstate to take a good look around. As soon as he was satisfied that there were no more surprises coming at them at this time, he made his way back just in time to hear Rowan's last.

"Ja, the tracks lead over the river and most likely into the hills. Up there, they could be anywhere. I might be able to track them down, but it will take time and after our little scrap here, I'd prefer to move on. Right thing to do it was, but it cost us a lot of time already."

Jane looked back at the ambush scene happy that they had disposed of the Doomsayers. She felt a particular hatred towards the cultists. A cult that maintained that the war and all the deaths that ensued was a good thing could only be evil. She had lost everything in the war but this was not the end.

One day, she would join her family. In the meantime, she had to do all that was possible to make this world a better place. She had sins to atone for, the soldier knew that he was not allowed to die until she had paid them off.

"Ok, let's get going then"

Rowan in a polite voice, "sir it is neither meet nor right to leave them in the hills."
"It will cost us little in the way of time and supplies to find these people and take them some where safe if they wish to come along"

In reply to Michaela Fukushima (msg #176):

"Micheala, there is nothing wrong with asking to be considered for what you need.  In this case, I'd say you'd be justified in any of those requests, especially in light of what happened to the horse.  However, I believe I have a lesson to impart.  Dakota Jack."

"Yeah, what's the word Hoss?"  Jack asked, pulling the pin out of a Colt and checking its forcing crown, top strap, and action to make sure the four clicks worked as intended.

"This item is my spoils, and it is useless to me.  Micheala already has a similar armament.  I have a distinct feeling you could put this to good use."  Arthur handed Jack the Winchester.  "As for this other, while interesting, it offers no inherent advantage to me so I offer it to compensate those of you who expended so much ammunition.  I don't need it, therefore I cannot keep it.  I believe it would be best if you held onto this until it can be liquidated, Mr. Firecrow."

Arthur offered Peter Firecrow the little Colt peashooter.

"But I have to disagree with the Colonel most respectfully.  You're all good people and I understand your obligations, but I have mine as well.  I am not satisfied that my job here is done just because these horrible creatures are dead."

Jane had been too deep in her own thoughts to realise the Colonel had suggested leaving the villagers. She realised she must have missed part of the conversation and spoke up. "We have nothing to loose in telling those poor people they are safe to go home. So what's the problem?"

"This rather fetching lady wit' th' big guns got a damn good point."  Jack agreed, and then smiled his big dumb grin at Jane.  "How ya doin'?"  He asked her, as if it was a private aside nobody else could hear.  If the cellular towers were still a concern, one might speculate his next inquiry would be to her phone number.

"Anyway, I'm with Hoss.  I ain't sayin' I'm gonna walk 'em home an' tuck 'em in to bed or nothin', but there may be more to this."

Jack started to flip the balisongs, finding them much to his delight.

"Oh man that's cool... anyone mind if I pocket these?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:28, Mon 30 Aug 2010.

Brother Edgar bows his hooded head and says a short prayer over the bodies.  At least, its assumed to be a short prayer, nothing of his words could be heard at this distance.  Once completed, he begins a pacing walk bak to a set distance, murmuring a soft chant to himself.

Once the mark is achieved, he turns back towards the bodies and begins drawing up the power of the Atom.  His glow quickly brightens, notable even in the sunlight.  Snaps and sparks of green energy begin to flick away from the Doomsayer as he continues to gather up power.  His eyes burned with green light.

"In the Name of the Twisted, In the Image of the Deformed, In the Fury of the Atom, In the Glow of the Bomb, The New Age arose!"

His hands were thrust out towards the bodies.  A torrent of green light and energy swirled down his arms and blasted across the open space, throwing dust and debris away from its passage.  As it reached a point above the bodies, the beam of energy somehow turned inon itself.  Roiling into a furious ball before exploding with the spectacular fury of the Atom.  A pressure wave rockets away from ground zero; kicking up a huge cloud of dust and debris.  Above this rises a small mushroom cloud.

Brother Edgar seemed to know his business and everyone who remained at the distance he designated would remain quite safe.  The vehicles might shake a bit, but the windows (if any) would remain intact.

From this cloud of dust and smoke walks Brother Edgar, hood drawn low and hands folded in his sleeves.

Micheala was silent as the guns were distributed, she would have liked a batter weapon to use on the bike. on the other hand, she felt more comfortable with her katana anyway. She knew that traditionally, templars used horses as their mount but as far as she knew, there was no explicit rule stating that they couldn't use a bike.

"Is something troubling you Micheala?"  Arthur asked, sensing something was bothering the padawan squire.  "It is better to speak and be heard."

Michaela responded to her boss. She had never been one for much talk. She was still getting used to her world on the outside and wasn't always sure about the rules that applied outside her community. "Nothing much boss, I was just thinking that I could do with a back up weapon."

"A lil' sumthin' like this?"  Jack released a magazine and then locked open the shiny slide of the 1006 and carefully palmed the loose round which fell out.  He offered the item to Micheala for her inspection.

"One of the most durable designs to ever come out in that caliber, thin single stack grip, common cartridge... in th' south it were anyway.  Easy to shoot, highly resistant to parts breakage.

"Now in my mind that there's a backup, but I reckon mebbe you mean ya want the ornery critter on th' other end to back up after you plug him?"

That joke, and calling it that was charitable, was bad and Dakota Jack grinned right through it anyway.

In reply to Dakota Jack Cardinal (msg #200):

Either the Colt Detective or the S&W Model 1006 seemed like they would suit her best. As she began to reply, Brother Edgar's miracle was delivered in a thunderclap. Startled birds flapped up and began circling. Schaeffer's and Smoker's Geiger counters squealed for a second before dropping back to normal.

The bodies were incinerated in a green flash that instantly formed a glowing ring, sucking up smoke and dust as it quickly rose into the air. It formed a distinctive greenish-brown mushroom cloud that towered over them but quickly dissipated. There did not seem to be any residual fallout and the ash pile where the bodies once lay were not radioactive.

Surprised, Dakota nicked himself and dropped the balisong he'd been playing with. It looked cool and was a nice weapon, but took some practice before the flashy moves could be performed safely!

A bird landed beside Rowan. It was the large female crow she'd been talking with earlier. It squawked at her, and her ability to speak with beasts allowed her to understand.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:02, Tue 31 Aug 2010.

Rowan casts speak with beasts again. "I thank thee feathered friend".
"Are all the flock safe after the great noise"?

Turning to the group " My feather friend says there is a man coming from the direction of the river, she thinks the man lived in the burning place once”.

"Good. That'll save us some time instead of stumbling around in the hills," Roadkill says while checking the action on his new shotgun and giving it a few dry fires for practice. The road warrior was not particularly comfortable leaving behind the clear asphalt paths that he was more familiar with.

"Let's go see what he wants," he adds as he starts heading off in that direction while popping a few shells into his new weapon and carrying it in a low ready so as to appear prepared but not TOO aggressive.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:12, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

Peter finished with the re-mounting the large machinegun on his truck. He then walked back to the group and listened. He gave a nod. "Yes. We should see who this is. Perhaps he is one of the villagers and can take word for us that it is now safe to return. As safe as it can be in this world, at least."

Rowan looks at Road kill as he strides off
"I will go with Road kill if you wish and speak to this man while the rest of you stay here."

Not wanting to delay, Roadkill and Raven started off in the direction the crow had indicated. Her friend also said that the creatures of nature were a little startled by the Doomsayer's miracle, but that after the previous rounds of gunfire it wasn't all that much more.

Truthfully, everyone seemed a little overloaded as well, first by the deadly ambush, then the vicious close-in fight with the undead Doombringer. By the time Brother Edgar dragged out the Nuke, people were feeling fatigued and distracted by the adrenaline draining from their systems.

They soon met the man not too far west from where Roadkill's truck was hidden in the remains of a self-storage lockup. It was a young man who Roadkill recognised from Las Cruces, Tim. Tim was carrying a lever-action rifle and trotted towards them when he saw them.

"Thank Jesus you're okay! Mister Roadkill, they's some bad men around. Wearin' green and riding bikes, they was! They killed Mendoza, his wife and one of their sons, while the rest of us headed for the hills! They still around?

"No but they were. We caught five of 'em off guard as they were exiting the interstate," Roadkill says, relaxing a little bit now that he was seeing a familiar face. He pauses to spit a thick black stream of tobacco juice and adds simply,"They're dead now."

"How many of you are there? Me and some of my new friends are headin' out soon. You folks gonna want to stay here and rebuild or you think you'll be lookin' to find somewhere new?"

Michaela decided to ignore the bad "joke". She turned to Arthur unsure whether she should accept the weapon. After a few moments, she turned back to Dakota. "The weapon seems good thanks."

As Dakota cut himself while playing with his new knife, Michaela offered to teach him how to use them. " There's a few easy tricks to using those things safely. I can show you if you like? Unless you prefer learning through trial and error? Then again, it may become difficult to shoot without a thumb." 
This message was last edited by the player at 15:08, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

Rowan stands quietly While Ian talks with the man, watching the surrounding area.
Her AK cradled in her arms.
Once the man has answered Ian. She adds softly, "the name is Rowan I am a healer.
Were there any of your people hurt that need treatment?

"I'm Chester. Sounds like you got 'em all, Glory Hallelujah!"

He slung his rifle and shook hands all around.

"We got about sixty people hiding across the river. Some need medical attention. Is a "healer" something like a doctor or a nurse? Like a faith healer?"

Although Rowan was indeed a trained paramedic, but that wasn't quite what she meant.

"Most of us want to stay and rebuild, we decided we aren't going to let those bastards win! We were trying to figure out how to take those mothers out, but you already did that. You have our deep thanks.

"We seen you put out the fire in the main building, but the barn went up. And buried our dead. Widow McCabe has got some family up in Near Wichita, she's been talking about relocating if it's on the way. Can't says I blame her!"

"C'mon, I'll let the others know its safe out."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:48, Sat 20 Nov 2010.

Rowan smiles.
"Some thing like a Doctor yes".
 "Enough to treat wounds and things like that"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:56, Fri 03 Sept 2010.

In reply to Michaela Fukushima (msg #208):

"Are you offerin' lessons?"  Dakota Jack grinned, showing off his (surprisingly) clean white teeth (impressive in the post apocalyptic wasteland).  He proceeded to procure the holster and loose ammunition for her as well.

"Do you need any assistance?"  Arthur asked Chester, distracted by the fact they'd apparently found the vanguard of the survivors.

Still feeling solemn from the funerary rite, Brother Edgar remains quietly by the others and the truck.  At the approach of the settlement survivor, he starts to rise up...but glances to the blast crater...then the Colonel.  Nodding once, with a short sigh, he settles back down to await being needed.  His twisted brethren did cause terrible harm here...  Perhaps the Colonel is right that right now is not the time to mend the fences.

Chester said they didn't need that much help, other than some medical assistance. They could do the rebuilding on their own.

After spending pretty much the entire morning burying people, the Posse now wanted to get on the road relatively quickly. Still, they could spare a few minutes to talk with the survivors and perform some first aid.

Once it was clear Rowan was an EMT (due to the jacket and Paramedic bag) her being a "healer" was more easily understandable. They didn't seem to mind Brother Edgar, it was clear he was on their side and not a part of the Cult o' Doom.

In exchange for the healing services and taking the widow McCabe and her children to Near Wichita, they didn't mind the Posse keeping the firearms that had belonged to the slain defenders and stolen by the Doomsayers. This included the Peacemakers, the pump-shotgun, the SA Commando SMG and Winchester. Not to mention topping up with from the remaining Spook Juice in the hidden tank.

Most importantly, they wanted to know the details of the fight where the killers had been brought to justice. It was important for them to know that there was still hope in the world. For without something to feed their hopes and restore their spirits, the small community would never recover from such a crushing blow. The burned-down barn could be rebuilt, the livestock gathered, more Spook Juice cooked up in the still at the other building. Even their dead re-buried in the graveyard. But they needed to know at least what happened to the monsters that were responsible for this.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:54, Sat 04 Sept 2010.

Can Rowan or some one help her do a semi permanent repair on the Fuel tank on the hover bike?

Rowan will tell the tale of the fight as she saw it using her tale telling skill so that the memory will stay fresh for as long as they remember
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Sat 04 Sept 2010.

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #216):

The survivors of Las Cruces are inspired and lifted up by the news and how Rowan told it. She has a real gift, and her voice is pleasing and soothing.

As she talked, she started cooking something in a pot on the stove in the kitchen. She came outside to talk but went back in every so often to throw in some herbs and so on into the bubbling water. It gave off a strong antiseptic smell. When she was done with both the tale-telling and the holistic medicine, she made some poultices to treat various injuries. They seemed to do the trick for whatever ailed people.

After, she looked at the bullet hole in the Roadhawk's tank. Already, the caustic Spook Juice had soaked the duck tape patch and it was coming off. She would need to mend it (or better, have Smoker or another real mechanic do it) in a shop like the one at Shalam Colony.

Rowan looks at the patch she had done and sighs. Then goes to find Smoker or some one that can help her.
When she finds smoker she will ask him if he can put a patch over the hole in the Roadhawks tank.
If he can not help her she looks up the settlements mr fix it to see if he can help.

If the survivors seem amenable, Brother Edgar will join Rowan in tending the wounded and injured.  His focus would be on curing any radiation sickness that they might have gained in the Doomsayer attack.  Other than that, he'll stick to traditional first aid and helpful counseling.  Just trying to show that not all mutants, or servants of the Glow, are as evil as the twisted attackers from before.  Though, he will mostly lay off preaching about the Glow for the moment.  Unless of course there are any mutants living amongst the colonists....

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #219):

The survivors less amenable to Brother Edgar's help, compared to Rowan and Arthur. No one said anything directly, but he could sense that no one seemed eager to seek him out. He did cure one woman who had The Glows from scavenging in the ruins of Las Cruces and that did a lot to improve his status in the eyes of the other survivors.

For the most part, there were relatively few wounded. Law Dog Mendoza and his Posse tried to buy time for the rest to escape, and mostly succeeded (although his wife and child weren't as lucky). It was a case of the quick or the dead.

It seems there was one surviving mutant, a thin and spindly man at or beyond the point of emaciation. Jeff Rojas was spared by the Doomsayers when they defeated Law Dog Mendoza. After, he gathered what supplies he could to help his neighbors.

"A few months ago I got a letter from my sister, Ellie. She lives in Near Wichita. She says things are swell there and they actually got enough to eat, although a lot of cattle's gone missing over the last while. These are good people, but I think it might be good for me to get out of town for a while, you know? If you're takin' the widow McCabe, I'd like to ride along with you, too, go live with my sister."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:28, Sun 05 Sept 2010.

Peter kept quiet and to himself for the most part as Rowan and the others performed their "good works". There wasn't anything he could do to really help out. He wasn't a medicine man, either in the shamanistic or medical versions, and he wasn't a great storyteller (though he had his moments). So he waited, sitting on the hood of his truck and watched.

One of the survivors at Shalam Colony is a mechanic named Neil Boyd.

"Won't be too hard to fix. The tank'll need to be removed, all the fuel drained, holes sealed. Once it's patched, the epoxy will need to cure overnight to set."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:20, Mon 06 Sept 2010.

Nix was happy to help Rowan fix the hoverbike.  His solution was a lot more improvised than that suggested by the mechanic from Shalam Colony and didn't involve draining the fuel tank and welding the hole in it.  His solution was simply a better patch, one that would last longer and be able to survive the caustic effect of the Spook Juice.  He used bits that were scrounged off the other damaged bikes and blocked up the hole as well as he could.

His efforts to fix it were also free, partly as Rowan was riding with them but mostly because Rowan was a healer and Nix knew the value of keeping someone who could heal him when he got sick or hurt on his side!


OOC
I don't know if the last Tinkerin' roll is relevant but assuming that this kind of patch is possible with Tinkerin' I've made a fresh roll:
18:16, Today: Smoker Nix rolled 20 using 5d12, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 1,11,(12+8)20,1,3. Tinkerin roll on patching the hoverbike.

<quote Smoker Nix>
Nix was happy to help Rowan fix the hoverbike.  His solution was a lot more improvised than that suggested by the mechanic from Shalam Colony and didn't involve draining the fuel tank and welding the hole in it.  His solution was simply a better patch, one that would last longer and be able to survive the caustic effect of the Spook Juice.  He used bits that were scrounged off the other damaged bikes and blocked up the hole as well as he could.

His efforts to fix it were also free, partly as Rowan was riding with them but mostly because Rowan was a healer and Nix knew the value of keeping someone who could heal him when he got sick or hurt on his side!</quote Smoker Nix>

Rowan will thank the mechanic, and return to find Smoker already working on the bike.

Rowan will then tell him of the settlement mechanics solution
"I don't know any thing about repair Smoker, So I leave it up to your judgement which is the better way of repairing the hole"
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:11, Tue 07 Sept 2010.

In reply to Dakota Jack Cardinal (msg #212):

Micheala nodded. "Yeah, I figure that if we are travelling together it will be safer for all of us if you know what you are doing with that thing. Wouldn't want you to cut your finger off at a crucial moment. Anyway, I owe you for the guns."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:59, Mon 06 Sept 2010.

In Smoker's estimation the repair of the fuel tank would take several hours, probably overnight. An epoxy seal needed time to cure. This meant some kind of strategic decision would need to be made on how the repair would be made, if at all at this time.

Rowan goes to find the colonel and see if he is willing to wait over night while the bike is repaired.
And asks politely
"Colonel to repair the Hole in the fuel tank of the hover bike will be an over night job.
"Are you willing to wait please while it is repaired"

While Rowan went off to discuss staying over night the the Colonel, Nix took the opportunity to have a quick search over the battle site in case there was anything of value that they had missed. 

When Rowan came back to check her newly acquired hoverbike it seemed to have gained a couple of symbols, scratched across the surface of the fuel tank.

In reply to The Marshall (msg #220):

Brother Edgar nods lightly to the idea, completely understanding the feeling that perhaps it is time to move on to other pastures, "I wish you could be making this choice to move along under better circumstances, but...  I will speak with the Driver and see if he can find the space.  If you are willing to share the work along the way, I'm sure arrangements could be made."  With that, the good Doomsayer would, as soon as Mr. Colby has the time, inquire on that very matter of another passenger.

"I can't aruge with that," Roadkill says when Brother Edgar finds him leaning against a wall outside and spitting into the dirt. "My tanks are full up on this settlements spook juice... I'm more than willing to give a few rides in exchange."

The road warrior reaches up and rubs his eyes. He was feeling surprisingly tired after the adrenaline dump he had gotten back on the off ramp. Bloodshed always put him in the mood for a nap. "Tell you what," he says to Brother Edgar. "Let 'em know to be ready to ride first thing in the morning. I'm gonna get some z's in the meantime."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:14, Wed 08 Sept 2010.

If we are staying the night then get the settlement mechanic to fix the tank if we are going to move today then get smoker to do a temporary patch.
Rowan takes a look  to see what the new symbols are.

Then once every thing is in hand, remembers the bag of pills she found and settles down to see what they are.

Rowan

The villagers are happy to have the Posse stay the night.

Somehow, the area around Shalam Colony doesn't seem as foreboding as before. Birds chirp, a breeze rustles the surrounding orchards. There is even the brief scent of flowers, although the smell of smoke from the burned-out barn still hangs over the compound.

That afternoon, Smoker and the mechanic, Randy, repair all three damaged bikes (the hoverbike, Harley and off-road bike) in the local garage, which was intact and located away from the main buildings. the Posse now has four running motorcycles: a Honda Viper, a Roadhawk hoverbike (no headlight), a Hyundai off-road bike and Harley-Davison "Hawg". The Roadhawk lacked a headlight, although the Hawg's could be dismounted and remounted. Neither the wrecked nor repaired dirt bikes had headlamps to begin with (there was no off-roading at night!).

In the evening, it begins to cool as the sun sets. The smell of chili and roasted corn waft through the air as the survivors begin to cook dinner for themselves and their guests.

Going over their road maps, Roadkill and Peter pondered which route to take to Wichita. They could take the I-25 north to Albuquerque, then I-40 west to Oklahoma City, then north. It was around 930 miles and it would mean traversing three nuked cities (Albuquerque, Amarillo and Oklahoma City) but the Interstate was usually clear and in the best shape.

An alternative route would involve still going through Albuquerque and turning east on I-40, but then cutting north before Amarillo and taking state routes to Wichita (and thus, Near Wichita). This route was 879 miles, just over two days travel.

http://tinyurl.com/32aqnpl

Rowan found three auto-injector ampules of morphine, five unmarked pill bottles, three baggies with several grams of powder (light blue, white and tan), several vials with what look to be small pebble-sized chunks of some crystalised substance, and at least a pound of weed in a taped-up brick.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:53, Wed 08 Sept 2010.

Rowan considers the pills and other drugs she has gained adding the Auto injectors containing the Morphine to her medical bag. She then takes a care full look at each of the pills in the bottles in turn to see if the pills have any writing on them are a colored pill that she knows.

Once she has done the pills she turns her attention to the crystallized substance.
Is it Crystal meth or some thing simler?
Does she have any idea of what the powder might be?
Also what is the general attitude to Weed and other soft drugs in the waste lands

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #233):

The brown powder is probably heroin, the white likely cocaine. The light blue must be some kind of designer drug. The vials hold "rocks" of crack cocaine and crystal meth. It's interesting to note that the Doomsayers had no "drug paraphernalia" like pipes, syringes, lighters, rolling papers, etc.

2 of the pill bottles contain approximately 100 pills of a diet drug called "Lipidaze". There's not much use for this in the Wasted West, as most people have enough trouble as it is finding a minimally nutritious diet as it is. As it's based on tailored fat-fighting enzymes, it contains no ephidrine and so it's not even useful as a precursor for meth. 1 bottle contains 24 tabs of tetracycline of dubious quality due to the expiry date. The other two are unidentifiable and contain a seemingly random mixture of different coloured tabs and capsules.

Without a system of organised justice individual communities tend to decide their own stance on drugs, although the formation of the Law Dogs have standardised things a little. Most hard drugs are forbidden by the Law Dogs and elsewhere, but weed is commonly accepted for recreational and medicinal purposes and is even considered a trade good, being more common than tobacco. Rowan has been through some communities that would allow the coke, crack, heroin and meth to be traded openly, and almost every community has some kind of illicit trading of some sort. A brick of good weed could get you several hundred dollars (or more) in trade.

In reply to The Marshall (msg #234):

Rowan sighs she has no real time for recreational drugs.
But she considers that under her codes, it is up to each being as to how they deal with the it.
The crystal meth and the other designer drugs she will pour into a spare bag and then go and burn well away from any one else and staying well out of the smoke.
The Lipidaze pills she will bag for trade,
She looks at the Tetracycline broad-spectrum antibiotics, and decides they may be better than nothing some day.
She has a good look at the various colored pills trying to sort them into any thing useful.
Any that can not be Identified follow the designer drugs into the fire.
The heroin and cocaine she will consider.
Both can be used as medical drugs as can the weed.
Finally she decides to go and see the Brother Edgar and get his advice seeing as he is the person she is closest to and has her respect.
She will tell him the drugs she has destroyed and what she has found out so far, and ask his advice on the rest.

During the evening, Jack plies the other thing he's good at, lucky the instrument has survived the current unpleasantness.

OOC: Perform Check was 6 so with the Marshall's permission think we can call that a passable if unremarkable performance.

Although it's a little hard to really get the sound right without a 12 string Gibson and it really shows, Dakota Jack does a breif tribute to Warren Zevon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dyUzUxE_2w

Peter consults with Roadkill. After looking over the maps for a bit, he sighs. "I am not a huge fan of it...but I suggest we take the Interstate. It is a bit easier ride, usually, and we can move faster if we get in trouble without having to worry too much about the terrain killing our rigs." He gives a shrug and a small smile. "It does also give us more opportunity for potential trade and salvage but I am not sure if that is a concern right now." His tone made it obvious that most people living the Wasted West would consider that a priority but the strange crew he found himself seemed more like "white hats" of old days.

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #236):

The medico would find Brother Edgar quietly watching the gathering from the sidelines.  Perfectly content to be un-needed for the moment.  More than likely still resting from the strain of the recent battle.  At the mention of the drugs, the Doomsayer would stiffen a bit, his calm demeanor almost crumbling away.   But, with a slow breath and a moments quiet he re-asserts his calm composure.  "For my own part, I would burn the cocaine and the heroin," says Edgar after that quiet moment, "I can agree that they may have some use, but....  The possible harm from their use could be too great.  They can break the will.  Turn good men wicked.  An addict might do anything to take them from you as well..."  The Doomsayer turns his softly glowing face up towards Rowan, very serious, "At one point in my life, /I/ might have killed you to feed the monster."  Turning away again, he finishes simply, "I would feed no more monsters with these drugs.  We have monsters enough as it is."

Rowan
"Brother I apologize for disturbing you in so many ways with this matter".
"It shall be as you say, I find my self in agreement over the case of destroying the hard drugs.
"They destroyed much of what was good in the old world."
Rowan blushes slightly.
"Remember friend nothing is ever truly lost, and the light that you follow is the same as the light that all good feeling people follow."
"To stand alone is not needed.
"When you find that to be the case, then walk along side me"
"I will welcome your company".

Rowan bows respectfully to Brother Edgar and goes to burn the offending items, being careful not to let any one get in the burning smoke including herself

Roadkill rubs his chin as he ponders the options. Both had their merits. Finally he slaps the table and says, "Hell let's go with that then. The rig doesn't cotton too well to poor road conditions so we might as well stay on the interstate as much as possible. Let's just be sure to detour before driving directly through the cities. I don't want to end up like..." he adds while pointing discreetly over his shoulder towards Brother Edgar.

Rowan burned the hard drugs and the designer drugs in a bonfire away from people. Later, she sorted through the hundred or so miscellaneous pills, capsules and gelcaps. The Lipidaze went into a baggie, the brick was kept intact and separate for trade.

There were a few aspirin and a couple different Tylenols and a handful of others for pain relief. A dozen allergy pills. Most of the rest were impossible to tell. Anti-depressants? Vitamins? Cold pills? Anti-oxidants? Who knew?

Being the experienced road warriors, Peter and Roadkill agreed on a general route. North on I-25, then east on I-40. Being careful to bypass the cities on routes Roadkill knew... or heard about from fellow Truckers.

The people were very impressed with Dakota's playing. He certainly brought a note of joy and music into the tough and recently precarious lives of the survivors.

Smoker used the Colony's repair shop to fix the bikes, so that all but the one off-road biker were ridable. He also tuned-up the Viper and Roadhawk's engines. Roadkill and Peter went over their vehicles, making sure they were ready for the trip. Jane cleaned her SAW, while Arthur and Michaela sparred a little to keep in practice.

As usual, Peter and Roadkill's tortured dreams did not let them get any rest. They would pay for their haunted dreams the next day.

That night, Brother Edgar also dreamed...

There were confusing images. Old-style filing cabinets, desks without computers. A desert covered with small holes. A many-armed God wearing a necklace of skulls and writhing serpents lighting up the darkness. Strapped into in an uncomfortable seat, he (Edgar) was weighed down by a survival vest and water purification kit, first aid kit and emergency rations under his coveralls, then parachute harness and flak jacket.

In the strange dream time dawn broke instantly and he could see he was in the glassed-in nose of some kind of ancient aircraft flying high in the stratosphere. Off to his left was an ancient propeller-driven bomber, huge and vibrant. "The Great Artiste" written on the nose. On the other side was a bomber named "No. 91".

There was a click in his headphones. "IP." A different voice answered, "roger Initial Point. Glasses on." For some reason he didn't put his dark goggles on like the rest of the crew but kept them up on his forehead. Instead, he looked down at the strange metal contraption sitting mounted on the floor between his legs. There were switches and dials, no video screen or computerisation of any kind. The eyepiece on top was the one that the Doombringers had been looking for... the Eye of Hiroshima. He leaned forward to look through it...

Then he awoke. It took a while to get back to sleep, but when he did the dream did not return.



This message was last edited by the GM at 09:58, Sat 11 Sept 2010.

The scratches seemed to be collection of pseudo mystical symbols, focused around the patched hole and the tank's cap.  There were a series of interconnecting lines seemingly drawing attention towards the hole.  The workmanship was poor though - Nix was obviously no great artist!

As well as the interconnecting lines there were a number of geometric shapes, also badly engraved.  Hexagons, octagons, heptagons, pentagons, five and six pointed stars and even a number of spirals.  Some of them were overlapping and none of them seemed to serve any purpose.  The workmanship certainly wasn't good enough for the scratches to be classed as decoration!

Rowan smiles and Quietly adds hidden among the other designs the symbols for protection and safe passage