Fallout: The Savage Wasteland

Game Master thegreenteagamer

EH pointedly ignores Thomas.

Query: Senior Knight Marcus, how attached are you to the organic Thomas Roland? Would his violent death cause you some existential pain?

"Back the f%~~ up, robot. That's my lawyer you're talking about."

Statement: This organic wishes me to take steps backwards. Query: Is there some hole behind me?

Spencer heads to the van, where he drops off his heavy pack and carbine and grabs his new sniper rifle. From there, he starts looking around for the trail of the caravan, figuring that following several wagons pulled by pack animals shouldn't be all that hard.

Survival: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4
If Notice would be more the skill to use to just find the tracks, then +3 to each.

Following the specific trail of the caravan is a bit difficult, as several head west out of Kingdom, but Spencer is sure he can at least follow until the trails split further down the road. If the party is swift enough, it may not be a problem.

"Hey, let's get a move on, folks. I'm sure we'd all like to know the Waste's a little safer by sundown, right?"

My survival is a d10, if you want me to track I have no problem doing so.

Aeryicka, nodding in agreement with Spencer, climbed into the van and sat down near the front, looking out the window at the arguing others.

Cray, resigned to another bumpy ride in the strange container, perched on the back of the seat next to his human.

"Yes, let's be off. I'll sleep more soundly knowing an immortal serial killer is gone from this world."

"Damn straight," Mickey agreed.

"Immortal? You didn't say he was a vampire, Mickey! This changes everything. And one that can walk out in daylight- a reverse vampire! Well, he's got to be covered up by nightfall so we probably should book it."

The crew piles into the van, and takes off after the tracks, haulin' butt to catch up as fast as they can. Just in the distance, there it is; the caravan full of stuff heading to Tampa. Rather heavily guarded, when Spencer pulls up the scope from his sniper rifle, he can see this caravan is shipping weaponry, though nothing super high tech like the Brotherhood or Enclave runs around with.

Notice Spencer: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Wild: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Spencer picks up Hogan, who is riding one of the brahmin near the back of the caravan. He has picked up some metal armor and a shotgun as a guard, and is wearing a matching helmet. If you wanted to pick him off, he doesn't seem to notice you just yet. The entire caravan, however...

CaravanGroupNotice: 1d8 ⇒ 8
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Not even gonna bother to ace...

A few members of the caravan tend to point out the van following to one another and start muttering through the crowd, but since you've been keeping your distance, they don't stop the caravan or change pace, though many heads turn in your direction. Fortunately, Jobs never saw your van and doesn't know you're associated with it.

SmartsJobs: 1d10 ⇒ 8
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 1

He does seem to put two and two together, though. His eyes go wide.

Spencer (or anyone else shooting who can make a range of 100 squares) has one shot before he reacts to your presence, by Mickey's judge of the man, most likely moving into the largest crowd he can find.

[Aaaargh! I've only got 80 squares on this Plasma Rifle! I want my Laser Rifle back...

Here goes nothing.

Spencer aims down the sight and breathes deeply, realizing by the look on Jobs' face that he'll only have one shot at this before the killer starts running or hiding or otherwise doing his best to make sure the group doesn't get him. Exhaling slowly, he waits for the best split moment and then pulls the trigger.

So I'm at -4 for the range, +2 from Marksman. Since this is a long shot in any case I'll go ahead and aim for the head to try and make it count. Dice don't fail me now...
Guns: 1d10 - 6 ⇒ (10) - 6 = 4 Ace for the Ace God: 1d10 ⇒ 9 JUSTICE! 13 total.
Wild: 1d6 - 6 ⇒ (4) - 6 = -2

Damage: 2d10 + 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 2) + (1) + 4 = 13 Could've hoped for better on this, but I'll take it, dammit. Remind me to grab Luck and work towards Better/More Criticals as time goes on.

Spencer can't help but grin as he sees the distant figure stagger back over the recoil of the rifle. "Marcus, get us down there pronto, and start hollering that the law's coming to Tampa."

"Copy'd, boss!" simply answers the Knight as he slams down the pedal and drives towards the caravan.

Drive... because speed I guess: 1d6 ⇒ 21d6 ⇒ 5

I feel ya, Fitz. I wish we had some kind of laser/plasma long range rifle... on the other hand we could pick one, recalibrate the focusing crystals, shortwire the microfusion cell commutator to improve the flux at the expense of more heating exhaust and maybe add a fusion core instead of batteries to ramp up the voltage. And never forget reprogramming the on-board targetting system to add at least 27% better accuracy. That way maybe the rifle could shot further and with more punch at the cost of reduced rate of fire and ammo expense.

Statement of glee: It's communist killing time!

I feel ya, Fitz. I wish we had some kind of laser/plasma long range rifle... on the other hand we could pick one, recalibrate the focusing crystals, shortwire the microfusion cell commutator to improve the flux at the expense of more heating exhaust and maybe add a fusion core instead of batteries to ramp up the voltage. And never forget reprogramming the on-board targetting system to add at least 27% better accuracy. That way maybe the rifle could shot further and with more punch at the cost of reduced rate of fire and ammo expense.

That'd basically be a laser sniper rifle, and stat-wise, I'd just give it the same stats as a Gauss Rifle.

Hogan's helmet has a 50% chance to block called shots to the head; over 50 is good for you.

Percentage: 1d100 ⇒ 84

Okay, so 13 damage with no armor vs. Toughness 6 = Hit with a raise

SoakUsingWildCardBennies: 1d8 ⇒ 1
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 2
WildBenny2of2: 1d8 ⇒ 3
WildDie: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Only common pool bennies remain for me. Will save those...for now...

Spencer manages to take a bullet clear through the side of Hogan's neck, juuuuust below the helmet, and it leaves a wicked wound, but the serial killer remains standing, and now the caravan starts rallying, reaching for weapons, as several of the guards start yelling "Raiders! and reaching for their weaponry.

Marcus having hauled prodigious butt, the van takes a single turn to pull up to it's position on the map as indicated.

Initiative= Guards, Hogan, the rest of you.

The guards tighten up into squadron formations and try to use the Brahmin for cover as they fire towards the van, hoping to take out the driver. (I can't make the van diagonal with squares, otherwise it'd look like a Tetris shape, but assume you're coming straight on, so Marcus -could- be hit. Just assume when you break it straightens out like that.)

All shots at -2 for range increment, and -2/-2 for cover from the van - therefore need an ace+2 to hit.

All Vs. Marcus: 12d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 3, 3, 6, 5, 6, 3, 6, 4, 1, 6) = 50
Potential Hits: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 2, 6) = 152 raises, 1 hit

Hit: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Raise1: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (3) = 6
Raise2: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (2) = 5

A few shots manage to blast through to hit Marcus, but his power armor is protecting him as always.

Hogan pulls out a stimpak and jams it into his neck, and then scrambles to dive behind the wagon.

Everyone else is up.

As the van closes to the caravan, Papa starts yelling "The hell you think you are doing! We are the motherf+&$ing Brotherhood of Steel,not raiders! Drop your guns and surrender the ghoul! He is a wanted murderer!"

As s+@# seems to have hit the fan thoroughly, is Marcus attempt at diplomacy just a footnote or should I try to roll persuasion?

The Knight doesn't slow though, and he tries to maneuver the van to the side that Hogan is hiding and tell the group "If they don't stop firing, we do it gangsta style. I drive close, you drive by pop pop pop and the muthaf@&&a drop!"

Drive: 1d6 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 5
Beautiful dubs there. Beautiful indeed

Spencer curses as Hogan dives behind the wagon, and he drops his sniper rifle in favor of picking up his carbine. "Marcus, I need to be closer and get a clear shot. Tom, can you work your magic words and tell these guys what we're doing?" Spencer waits to see if the van gets into position for a clear shot at the killer ghoul; if it does, he lets off a single round from his carbine. (Otherwise I'll just Delay this round. We really don't want to piss off these guys if we can help it, and Spencer's not about to shoot innocent merchants.)

Guns: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8 Ace Again?: 1d10 ⇒ 4 Total of 12; even with any extra penalties I'm guessing that'd be a Raise.
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Damage: 2d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 4) + 1 + (5) = 11

Yeah, no. You rode up on an armed caravan and sniped one of their hired guards. No amount of "I'm sorry" or "Hey, we're really the Brotherhood of Steel, which in your eyes means we're incredibly TERRIFYING raiders" is going to help at this point.

Guessed so, but hey! We are the good guys! If we assault and snipe a caravan we at least yell that we are good, this way our minds are clear of any and all possible guilt

The van whips around the back of the caravan and over towards where Hogan is hiding, and Spencer fires off another shot, this time into the man's armored chest (since he didn't call otherwise), shaking the man. 11 vs. armored toughness 8

"Ah, fair merchants, do not interfere; We have no wish to harm you! We only want to bring the child-killer to justice!" Fitz calls.

Likewise delay unless I have a clear shot. If I do, however:

Ewep: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

"Hm. I may need to re-calibrate this thing. It is not nearly as accurate as the Laser Rifle."

Holding on for dear life, and with Cray squawking behind her, Aeryicka just tried desperately to keep the little food she had inside her stomach contained.

No ranged weapons, and I'm not about to have Cray fly out of a moving vehicle into a shooting gallery. Not yet, any way.

EHRK leaps from the back of the van like a robot possessed! It's been far too long since he bathed in the blood of his enemies.

Run!: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Statement: Communist threat Hogan. Stand still and be terminated.

Wild Attack: 1d8 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 + 2 = 1 Wild: 1d6 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 + 2 = 2

Unfortunately, his zeal works against him and the ghoul clambers away.

If Badger can line up a clean shot, he fires his Desert Eagle at Hogan- holding it sideways to get into the spirit of the thing.

Guns: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (8) - 2 = 61d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
damage, AP1: 2d8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 7) + 1 = 10

Thomas just stares agape at Spencer as the Van barrels over the now-battlefield and bullets ricochet all about them. "This is...this is the exact opposite of diplomacy. Not if the Holy Embodiment of Irish Blarney descended from Heaven and bathed us all in single-barrel malt whiskey could this be salvaged."

Tom spends the next few seconds brooding and pouting, but also aiming at where he -thinks- the ghoul might be.

Aim action

Mickey will also hold a shot until he's more or less clear.

Mickey waited until he had a more or less clean shot, and then squeezed the trigger on his pistol.

Guns: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

I'll spend a Benny. SOB killed my wife. 2/3 left.

Guns: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (8) - 2 = 6; Success
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

Damage, AP 1: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 3) + 2 = 11
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 5; Total = 16, AP 1

Mickey's handgun spewed leaded justice with the subtlty of a thunderclap.

"This one's for Molly, a-hole"

Moved around people in the van for the shots they wanted to take/aim for. Remember EH-RK jumped out of the van, when you decide to peel off without him...

Hogan is surprisingly deft as he dodges both of EH-RK's blows.

Badger looks to pop the already Shaken Hogan in the chest, gangster style.

CommonPool1of7hahatheressevenofyouihavesomanybennies: 1d8 ⇒ 3
wildcard: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Commonpool2of7whynot: 1d8 ⇒ 3
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Looks like Hogan is taking the hit

The bullet pierces his metal armor and you see blood splatter. 1 wound

Mickey placed another clean shot into the ghoul's metal armor. 16 vs toughness 8 with armor and AP1 = 2 raises = 3 additional wounds, knockout blow if he doesn't soak

Common3of7: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Common4of7 can do better: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
Ace: 1d8 ⇒ 4 = Total 11 = 2/3 soaked = 2 wounds
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Hogan staggers back, leaning on the wall of the wagon, bleeding out but still standing...

New initiative to come

New Initiative: Fitz, Badger, Marcus...
...Hogan...
...Every other PC...
...Guards.

Fitz, Badger, and Marcus are up.

Papa revs the Van and yells "Now or never! Go go go!" but he waits until the others shot before driving off "EH-RK! Come back!"

Delaying until everybody, including Hogan, has acted but before the rest of guards.

Drive 4 your life: 1d6 ⇒ 61d6 ⇒ 3
Need For Speed: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Need For Speed 2: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Take that, Nascar! You got nothing on me!

"Well, ehm, time to make some Ghoup I suppose?"

Don't think we take a -2 this round since the van is stationary. If we do, I want to Benny the shot.

Ewep: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Damage (Ap 2): 3d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) + 2 = 12

"We all have to shoot him at least once before we leave! No one gets to be a bystander!"

Guns v. Hogan: 1d10 ⇒ 101d6 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d10 ⇒ 2
12! Two raises?

Damage, AP1: 2d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (7, 5) + 1 + (6) = 19
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 1

"Right, we're in it together!" Justice pals! Spencer fires another shot from his carbine, this time aimed right at the ghoul's big ugly face.

Guns: 1d10 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 - 4 = 8 Dice for the Dice Throne: 1d10 ⇒ 9 Hot damn
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Damage: 2d8 + 1 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 1) + 1 + 4 + (1) = 10 Not as hot damn, but still! And with AP 1.

On EHRK's turn, since I might be incommunicado...

EH snarls a robotic snarl of rage and bloody retribution lost...

He then pivots and sprints back to the Van Run: 1d8 ⇒ 5

"Well, ehm, time to make some Ghoup I suppose?"

Don't think we take a -2 this round since the van is stationary. If we do, I want to Benny the shot.

That's correct

Badger and Fitz unload all they can onto the poor lowly ghoul, while Marcus sits, revving the engine, waiting to go.

CommonBenny5of7SoakVsFitzs2woundsAttack: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (8) - 2 = 6
AceLikeABoss: 1d8 ⇒ 8=Total More than Enough
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

CommonBenny6of7vsBadgers5FREAKINGWOUNDS!: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

Last Benny: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Hogan brings up both arms of the metal armor, managing to deflect away the superheated plasma of Fitz's gun, but then, as his arms are forced back from the sheer force of the blow, he breaks the defensive position, and Hogan's arms break apart. Badger takes just that opportunity to slug one clean through the ghoul's blackened heart. The light falls out of his eyes and he drops back against the wall of the caravan, sliding down slowly, blood flowing out of his open chest wounds.

EH-RK provokes AoOs from a guard as he runs back into the van, who scream "Stupid raider scrap heap!" and attempt to club him with their shotguns.

GuardVsEH: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Unable to connect with the combat bot, the guard screams profanities, while EH-RK jumps back into the van, and it peels out towards Tampa.

The guards, for their part, seem incredibly puzzled at this event. A handful try to shoot out the tires, but for the most part, they realize these particular raiders didn't try to get their precious cargo.

3 guards who have death wishes: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 1) = 10
-4 vs small target and distance penalty as you drive off

The drive-by murder-raid seems successful. Hogan's very clearly dead body lays in a slump in the distance as you drive towards Tampa without any real repercussions.

Notice: 1d6 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 5

"Welp. That's that. We should probably plan to lay low for a while after that, those guys are calling it in- to who, I don't know. Maybe we oughtta hide the van for a while and finish the trip to Tampa on foot..."

"Anybody hurt?" Aeryicka asked as they finally rushed off.

Spencer still puts another round in Hogan Jobs's ugly face, and slides back into the van and breathes out as the group peels away.

Notice: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"Yeah, they're probably calling something, but who knows what. All I know is, we did the job." He looks to Mickey and nods. "Justice is served, huh?

"You might be right about going on foot into the city, though. It'll be less conspicuous and there are probably lots of places where it'd be hard to get the van through, not to mention when we go into any buildings. We should find somewhere safe-ish and out of the way to park it."

At the suggestion of the others (rule of two-ing this to move the game along) Marcus looks around for a safe place to hide out the van and track into Tampa, and he notices a highway overpass far to the south off the road they're currently on. Unremarkable at first, it seems that one side is collapsed in and it has lead to a semi-artificial cave structure.

Pulling up towards the cave area, it seems almost invisible from the highways, and you can't see any towns or villages nearby. Pretty much short of marking this location on your Pipboy, you'd have a hard time tracking it down.

As the party pulls into the cave to rest, maybe it's just the fact that they're wiped out from the previous battle, or maybe it's the fact that the GM is tired of battles inside the van, but it isn't until you all get out of the van, the minute the last door slams that Aeryicka's bird, Cray, starts absolutely losing his s#*+.

The cave is ditmly lit from outside light (-1 to ranged attacks - PipBoy lights can lower this to -0 within 5 squares), and maybe that's why you missed them, but the minute the doors slam, you lift your eyes trying to figure out what is freaking the bird out and notice...there's quite a lot of mutant bears...Yao Guai, some of you may have heard them spoken of in various towns...and one of them is bigger than even the one of you not from a vault has seen.

Initiative: Aeryicka, EH-RK, Badger, Mickey, Spencer, and Thomas...
...Yao Guai...
...Marcus and Fitz.

How high is the highway divider? And is it better or worse to climb a tree for mutated fictional bears? I know it depends on the bear in the real world.

Her eyes wide, Aeryicka looked around at all the strange bears, noting their slightly decayed look, and tried not to collapse in fear. "Uh...n-n-nice BooBoo?" she stuttered, her hands gripping her spear for dear life.

Cray, meanwhile, sensing a true predator, flapped his wings angrily and cawed loudly, the sound echoing in the cave, before flying up and over to the divider.

Delaying my action for right now. With my Beast Master edge they won't attack me unless I attack them, and I can save my actions for emergency medical needs. Oh, and my Toughness is at 5 since I'm wielding my spear.

Well, canonically yao guai are mutated from black bears, which are known for climbing trees, they're like the best bears at it. So yeah. Climbing might not work.

Spencer glances about as the large, odd-looking bears start moving and snarling and looking very upset that the party just entered their cave. "I don't think they're nice BooBoos at all..." he mutters, bringing up his carbine and poking it around the edge of the van, aimed down at the yao guai in the very rear of the cave. (The one in N-24.) He waits to fire until it starts to approach, but as soon as it makes a threatening move he fires a quick burst. (So by flavor I'd be delaying to shoot until it moves, but since I'm pretty certain it's about to charge and try to murdereat me, I'm just gonna roll.)

Guns: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11 What is happening right now
Wild: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Damage: 2d8 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) + 1 + (6, 6) = 22 Ace: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Total 34. The bear explodes

Badger keeps his shotgun at the ready for when that giant yao guai comes charging at him- when it gets within close range, he unloads with some buckshot.

Holding until the yao guai gets really close.
Guns w/+2 for shooting close: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 31d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Spending a benny
Guns re-roll: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 111d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Ace: 1d10 ⇒ 10
Second ace: 1d10 ⇒ 8
That's 29 on the attack roll...

damage: 3d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4) + (6) = 15
damage ace: 1d6 ⇒ 1
16, no AP

You guys know holding to interrupt is an opposed agility roll, right? Gonna need those from you two. You fail and it may maul you be for you can pull the trigger. Yao guai are based on FO3 and quite fast runners.

Statement: Senior Knight Marcus, it was a beary bad decision to park here.

EH waits for the YG to close the distance.

Agility: 1d8 ⇒ 4
Attack!: 1d8 ⇒ 6 Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Damage: 1d12 + 1d4 ⇒ (5) + (2) = 7
First Strike: 1d8 ⇒ 6 Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Damage: 1d12 + 1d4 ⇒ (8) + (3) = 11

That's why I said (EDIT: Meant to say, apparently it didn't go in the actual post) that functionally I'm just shooting the damn thing, because Spencer's certain that it's about to charge. However, if we want to roll it out...
Agility: 1d8 ⇒ 3 1d6 ⇒ 2
...Yikes. The luck had to end somewhere.

Mickey is quiet after watching Hogan finally die. When the others try to engage with him, he mostly just nods and grunts.

***

When he finally notices the large monstrosities, he sighs.

"I suppose it was too much for a quiet afternoon."

He levels draws his shotgun but fumbles with it for a moment and can't fire.

Drawing and shooting. (-2) MAP for fast draw.

Agility: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

Annnnd, I suck.