Fallout: The Savage Wasteland

Game Master thegreenteagamer

Gah! Forgot about that entirely! Crap. Alright.

Although he can see himself driving the knife forward into a lizard's throat, Spencer is unable to bring himself to do it.

Fitz splatters another of the TWO geckos remaining on Spencer, leaving only one now. (Even with the dim lighting, and the fact Spencer doesn't give gang up while shaken, Fitz would still have raised.)

UnshakePetey: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 5

And whacks at one of the two geckos by him with all his might.

Wild Attack: 1d6 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 1 = 5
Wild die: 1d6 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 1 = 5

Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (2, 9) = 11

Chopping one of them through the neck and sending a head flying.

Still have Mickey and Spaulding before the Geckos...four left: one by Spencer/Spaulding/Fitz, one by Petey, two alone where Fitz and Spaulding were before they left to help Spencer.

Mickey finishes loading his shotgun with a satisfyingly loud click-clack of the weapon slamming into place. He levels it at one of the two geckos that got separated, walks up to it and fires a single shell.

Dim (-1), close range bonus (+2). Aiming at one of the solo geckos.

Shooting: 1d8 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) - 1 + 2 = 6
Wild: 1d6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) - 1 + 2 = 4; Total = 6; Success.

Damage: 3d4 ⇒ (3, 4, 1) = 8
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 3; Total = 27

Well. That happened.

Fitz blinks and rubs his eyes.

"My word, Mickey. I think your shotgun may be more than it appears. It looks like you actually disintegrated that creature entirely!"

There was a gecko standing there...and this barn wasn't completely covered with blood, gore, and bluish paste that was once gecko. Neither of those statements remains true. Mickey presses the barrel of the shotgun into th cranium of the gecko, and when he pulls the trigger, there's just an explosion of meat flying all over the barn, splattering onto everyone.

This is where you come up with a catch phrase Mickey. That was 80s action star stuff right there.

I don't care if they're animals. Fear check time.

Spirit by Spencer: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Alone: 1d6 ⇒ 1
By Petey: 1d6 ⇒ 6

One of the geckos, unthreatened and having lost all pack advantage, skee-daddles off into the night...

Only Spaulding left before the Geckos.

Also, aiming takes an entire round. You still would have hit with a 4, though.

Oh, that was just a literary florish. I'm aware aiming takes a full round. If i ever do aim. I'll highlight it out in blue text for clarification, like I did with the dim light and close range bonus.

One of the geckos turns fearfully to Mickey.

"Boo."

The gecko runs away.

Spaulding, covered in gecko gore, swings at the nearest beast.

1d6 ⇒ 6 Machete
1d6 ⇒ 3 XD
1d6 ⇒ 1 WD

I believe with gang up and dim lighting offsetting, that's still a raise.

1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (6) + (7) = 13 Damage 18 damage
1d6 ⇒ 3 XD2
1d6 ⇒ 3 raise

Spaulding goes full blown Spartan on the last Gecko next to Spencer, chopping it down, kicking it's remains away, and now there's just the one left on Petey, which the five of you descend upon and gang stomp, because their real strength was in numbers, and five on one isn't worth a new round of initiative.

Gonna call that a ding, gentlemen. You were, what, 2xp to go? Let's call this a scene, and you get 2xp.

Fitz pants, frazzled.

"Let's never sleep somewhere without a door again."

You each get ONE attempt to heal Spencer with the med kit, or if you're trained, you can use that attempt to aid another - as I said, house rule it auto succeeds if you're trained, giving the other party +1. Remember wound penalties on the injured party are applied to heals...which means double if you try to heal yourself. PROBABLY a good idea for Spencer to simply aid someone else.

Barring no other side trips, you will make it to Palatka tomorrow. Need decisions on if you'll scavenge on the way. You can assume after you attempt to patch Spencer up you will get a safe night's sleep.

"Mr. Spencer is hurt. He needs a doctor! I don't have any bandaids!" Petey looks really worried.

Well, this is probably pointless, but can't hurt to try. He has 3 wounds? or just two? Assuming 3.

Heal: 1d4 - 5 ⇒ (3) - 5 = -2
Wild: 1d6 - 5 ⇒ (1) - 5 = -4

Fitz fumbles around, but all he manages to do is get surgical tape stuck to his fingers, and can't shake it off no matter how hard he tries.

"Sorry Spencer."

What are you taking an additional -2 for? He has 3 wounds, and you have a med kit, so its not improvised. Should only be -3. Still not a success, sadly.

Untrained imparts another -2, right?

Yep...I dont know why I thought you had healing

Yeah, I'm actually the only one in the party with Healing right now, and it's at a d4. I think I'll increase that with this Advance... and if somebody's willing, it might not be a horrible plan for someone else to pick it up as a new skill.

I'll let you guys get one Survival role per dead Gecko to get skins, meats, and if you have a raise, they also are pregnant with eggs. Nine dead geckos. Success at gives you meat and skin. Even if you utterly fail you can get meat. ...anyway, it's worth a shot. After one hour you're forced to use doctors or stimpaks.

Fitz, deciding he's a horrible healer, decides to try his hand at being a butcher instead.

1d4 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
1d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

Ace!: 1d4 ⇒ 3

One success.

Speeding things along:

Gecko 2: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (1) = 4 -2 = Fail

Gecko 3: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (1) = 3 -2 = Fail

Gecko 4: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (2) = 4 -2 = Fail

Gecko 5: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (1) = 4 -2 = Fail

Gecko 6: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (6) = 8 -2 = Success! Ace below.

Gecko 7: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (4) = 5 -2 Fail

Gecko 8: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (4) = 7 -2 = Fail

Gecko 9: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (1) = 5 -2 = Fail

Gecko 6 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 3 = Raise!

Fitz finds himself to be largely incompetent at this as well, though is pleased that he manages to properly butcher at least two, and finds a clutch of potentially delicious eggs!

I'm feeling nice

FitzMcGyverRollNotice: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Ace: 1d8 ⇒ 4 Success and two raises!
wild: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Fitz thinks he can probably use some moonshine, a few errant straws, some scrap metal, and some ruined gecko skin from one of the failed butcheries, along with one gecko egg to make a makeshift emergency poultice, that will give a +3 to another player's heal check.

I am gonna need Fitz to say something that sounds scientific about why this will work. Enzymes, protein, stem cells, whatever. Lol.

Gonna post assuming Fitz does that and makes the poultice, but in a timeline this post would come after Fitz's. Also, would anybody be able to take a crack at the geckos he failed on, or are they too mutilated to salvage?

Spencer coughs some blood up, and grimaces as he sits down against a stall. "No, no... it's fine, thanks..." He gingerly pulls the medkit over to himself and starts removing his clothing and armor, ready to start performing self-surgery to clean up his wounds.

When Fitz offers him the makeshift poultice, Spencer gives him a weak smile and accepts it. "Somebody... somebody might wanna take Petey outside. He shouldn't see this, and I'm probably gonna... curse up a storm." He winces as he pokes a needle at a bite below his ribs and breathes heavily. "Well, here goes nothing."

So +3 from the poultice, but double -3 for my Wounds.
Healing: 1d6 - 3 ⇒ (3) - 3 = 0
Wild: 1d6 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 5
8, Success and a Raise. 2 Wounds away!

After a lot of grunting, swearing, and a single yelp when the needle slipped, Spencer finishes cleaning himself and packs the kit back up. He takes a long sip from his bitter drink, grimacing at the taste, and gingerly stands. "Well, it isn't all better, but it should hold and keep me from bleeding to death."

He glances over to the butchered bodies and grins at Fitz. "Looks like you're about as good a sawbones as I am, huh?"

"Here, this should help. The alcohol in this moonshine SHOULD disinfect the wound, and this gecko hide seems remarkably pliant. I think we can make it bond to the skin nicely with the makeshift adhesive from the egg yolk and some metal pins, and it should form an airtight seal around the wound. That should ward off infection and stop the bleeding."

------------------------------------------------

"Ah, um, yes." he says, a bit sheepishly.

"Living things are...not my forte. Next time we fight a robot I'll dismantle it to make up for this."

I will allow people to attempt to make one good skin out of every two ruined skins with a success at -1. No bonus for raise since this is a second attempt.

Spencer smiles as he pulls out his switchblade and sets to work on the geckos left. "No problem. We all have our specialties."

Survival 1: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

Survival 2: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3

Survival 3: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Of course both the 6s are on the last roll, heh.

Spencer spends some time with the geckos, but he finds it hard to exert too much pressure or finesse with his current wounds. He does manage to salvage most of two geckos, though. "Well, it's something. Bet we can sell these, or make something good out of them."

Provided you all have nothing else to do, the night is otherwise uneventful. As you wake up, you continue to head towards Palatka. You see road signs for what used to be the city limits, although it seems like genuine settlement is a couple miles further.

You can hear from within Spaulding's pack the geiger counter start to tick off. Vigor Roll at +1 everyone for radiation. Failure gets one rad, similar to a wound or fatigue. Upon examination it seems you guys have entered a lightly irradiated area. Nothing outrageous, but noticeable.

The area is really rural. Houses, as you can see a few burnt out husks, seem to be mostly uninhabited at these outskirts.

What kind of action is it tobdon or doff a helmet/hat? If it's easily done, I'd be cruising with my cap for the +1. If not, I may need to hand it off to someone.

Just an action if it's in your hand. So yeah, in this instance you can stop, pop it on, etc, but not if it's like a suprise attack.

Okie dokie.

Notice: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wild: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Hm. What possible benefit do cattle get from having two heads? Does it have two brains as well?"

For his advance, Spaulding raises his Vigor to d8

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Vigor
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 WD

1d4 ⇒ 3 Notice Total of 10
1d6 ⇒ 6 WD2
1d6 ⇒ 4 XD

"I don't know. Maybe it helps keep the rows straight for the plow it's pulling. That Zombie pulling it probably doesn't have brains enough to do that himself... Wait... Is that a Zombie plowing a field"?

Vigor: 1d6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 - 1 = 6 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Wild: 1d6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 - 1 = 4
Total of 8, Success and Raise.

Notice: 1d6 + 2 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 - 1 = 8 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Wild: 1d6 + 2 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 - 1 = 6
Total of 12, Success and Two Raises.

Spencer does his best to keep up with the others, although the remaining stiffness from his injuries prevents him from maintaining a scouting position out front. His eyes are still sharp, though, and as the group moves into Palatka, he focuses in on the movement out in one of the fields. "Yeah... Yeah, it is. What the hell?"

He turns to the others. "I don't know what's going on, but we should probably check it out. I'm gonna... ahem." He rubs his gut and winces. "Gonna check it out. Keep an eye out." With that, Spencer crouches down and starts to creep up toward the field, trying to stay low and quiet and stay undetected, so he can get a better look at things with this zombie and two-headed cows.

Stealth: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

SinceFitzIgnoredTheWholePartAboutVigorRolls: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Wild: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 (fine)

NoticeBrahminHead1: 1d4 ⇒ 3
NoticeHead2: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Ace: 1d4 ⇒ 2=Total 6
NoticeGhoul: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Spencer gets reasonably close to the action before one of the cattle heads starts mooing loudly. Ducking down in the field, the "zombie" starts looking around concerned. He pulls a shotgun off a sling on his back and looks around.

In a raspy, gravely voice he calls out, "I ain't got nothin' worth stealin', n' I ain't feral. I ain't lookin' fer a fight, but so help me I am tired of smoothskins tipping Shannon and Sharon, here!"

He clearly cannot see Spencer himself, and seems to be waiving the gun around at knee height.

Whops, missed that. Was skimming on my phone before.

"We mean you no harm, sir, we've merely come to investigate something in Palatka." Fitz calls.

Spencer stays hidden down in the brush for a few moments, and closes his eyes as he hears Fitz call out. I wish he'd stop doing that. After a moment, he slowly stands up, keeping his own rifle pointed down at the ground. "Ah, hello there. Are you a local? And not to be rude, but, uhm." He pauses, wondering how to engage the subject politely.

"Whatever you have, it isn't contagious, is it?"

The ghoul raises an eyebrow and stares at Spencer, and spits out a glob of brown goop onto the ground.

"Is you $#ittin' me, boy?"

He's wearing overalls, a trucker hat, and not much else. His flesh looks rotten, and you can see exposed muscle. You all know ghouls. It's a redneck ghoul.

"Well...yeah, town's just down the road a bit. Can't miss it. I ain't caught this from noone else, n' I ain't gonna pass it. I'm a ghoul, boy!"

Wow, you kids were busy.

Vigor: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Wild: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"We're not looking for trouble," Mickey says. "Look, how about we come out nice and slow, and we can all be civil. I should warn you though that we got a big guy with us. He's harmless so long as you don't try and shoot him."

Got ninja'ed there. But I think my post still works in context. We should find out if anyone might shoot at Petey.

"Ah, yes, we heard about Ghouls from the Brotherhood. We were lead to believe most of you were insane, however. Though you seem fine."

The ghoul squints to look at Petey in the distance. "What? Oh, da mut'nt? Long as he ain't here fer no harm, I dun got a problem. Big Steve is a mut'nt and a few of da boys down at the plant is mut'nts. Nah, we ain't ones fer killin folks what ain't tryin'a kills us, here. Now I ain't heard a no 'Brotherhood', but that sounds like some cult stuff, an' we loves us some Jesus 'round these parts, even though he seems to be takin' bit longer for them seven years of tribulation t'end, so I'll thank ya kindly if'n ya don't throw no hoo ha cultish stuff round. Yeah, some ghouls goes feral, but the Sheriff....That's Big Steve...he comes round once a week and pokes us with a stick, makes sure we ain't gone feral, an' shoots down the ones what has, n' we send up ta Jesus on Sunday with a prayer." He spits another disgusting glob on the ground, reaches into his pocket for some fresh chew, and offers the pouch out to the others, who I assume have approached. "Name's Zeke, by the way."

"Fitz. The ehm, mutant is Petey, but he doesn't like being called that. He was turned recently and appears to be just a child. We were actually hoping we could find him a new home."

Spencer frowns at the offer of chew and shakes his head. "No thanks. But, actually, yeah. Petey does need somewhere to stay, and you seem... nice." He offers a small smile. "Think you could take on a particularly big child? Assuming Petey's okay with it."

The ghoul raises...Well, not an eyebrow, but the ridge where one would be. "I dunno, that there is a big feller. Can ya work, boy?"

"I'm a ninja! An' I can fight bad guys."

"Yeah...hmm...I dunno fellers, that's an awfully big mouth to feed. I mean doin right is good n' all, but I gots ta make ends meet."

May take some...dare I say it...persuasion to persuade him.

Fitz decides that since his honeyed words worked so well on Petey, maybe they'd work well here.

1d4 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1
1d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Unfortunately, he was mistaken.

"Hm. I wonder. How much food does a rotting corpse even need to eat?" he thinks to himself.

Then he blinks.

"Wait, did I say that out loud?"

At least you made your words match your roll.

The ghoul raises the shotgun.

"I'm thinking you boys need ta move 'long. Now."

Sorry I missed yesterday's post. I'm travelling but can usually post sometime during the day.

"Hey. Petey's not some piece of meat you can just pawn off on the first sucker you find. He's a real live person. Maybe we should ask him if he wants to stay here, before we start trying to give him away. We don't even know anything about this guy. He might go feral and all and try to eat Petey".

At least you made your words match your roll.

Probably one of the more fun parts of being able to Preview your rolls. Roll Diplamcy, THEN figure out what you say to match the result.

The ghoul raises the shotgun.

"I'm thinking you boys need ta move 'long. Now."

"Ah. Yes, that would probably be best. Terribly sorry."

Sorry I missed yesterday's post. I'm travelling but can usually post sometime during the day.

"Hey. Petey's not some piece of meat you can just pawn off on the first sucker you find. He's a real live person. Maybe we should ask him if he wants to stay here, before we start trying to give him away. We don't even know anything about this guy. He might go feral and all and try to eat Petey".

"Nobody is trying to 'pawn' him, but we need to know who is WILLING to take in another child, especially one so...large before we can figure out if he'd like to stay with one of them."

As you head on you make it into the town proper. It's a country place, a bit bigger and more spread out than Dome was, and not nearly as dense. Ghouls can be seen sweeping their porches or sitting in benches sipping from chipped cups, and many are working fields like Zeke. A few wander the perimeter with shotguns and Stetson hats with small badges that say "deputy". There don't seem to be humans anywhere.

The geiger counter gets a little louder in the center of town. Another rad check. No bonus this time, but it's good for 12 hours.

A few ghouls tip their hats to you as you walk by or even smile...such as they can...

The town has a general store, a sheriffs office, a hotel with a bar in it, and all the basic amenities of a small town. There's even a city hall. The wood is old and in poor condition, but this seems a secluded little safe haven...except for the Geiger counter not shutting up.

2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Incidentally, "Streetwise" is your general "Gather Information" replacement in SW, if you have no idea where to start looking for information.

Vigor: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Looks like Spencer's set to die.
"Uhh... Don't feel so hot..."

OnO

Well the good news is that while Rad penalties stack with wound penalties, they're a separate track for incapacitation. The bad news is you snakeyes'd, so you get two. Further good news is it doesn't always kill you; sometimes you become a ghoul.