Redbeard the Overseer's page

Colapawkin listens to Marcus and Thomas and nods, and looks to the children. "They will be safe here. Keep caps. Robot will work debt."

Warhammer off in the distance floating pauses as his circuitry picks up the command. "Oh, yes, wonderful. The robot will work off the debt for the children, yes, that's just fabulous. Well, at least I don't have to watch them or let their sticky hands touch me anymore. Why won't this tree become clean?!"

Jimmy, hearing the news from Warhammer, eventually comes to say his goodbyes to the party for himself and Timmy. "He'll do well here. They like him already. He's....teaching them new words. I think I'm picking up the language a bit - it's got two variants, regionally, but they tend to blend them, though the grammar is a bit tough. I just want to thank you guys for saving us. Hopefully we will see you again without too much time. Be safe." He smiles shyly and kicks a plot of dirt and walks back off to join his brother and the other kids of the village.

Badger and Aeryicka, as well as anyone who wishes to shop, can find anything that is not technological in the area. This includes liquors that could be hand-made, healing powders or poltices, non-mechanical melee weapons, poisons, or non-pre-war foods, etc. The water is oddly pure in this region, and if you inquire you find it is because they practice rain gathering, digging wells to the aquifer below the surface (and thus not as affected by radiation), and other methods of renewal, rather than simply filtering the swamp water.

When the party finally gathers up to return to the van, they have no events (mostly because I want to bring the newly merging group an opportunity to gear up equivalent to the originals before giving you a combat, or boy would I be throwing some cazadores at you), and they're capable of making the long haul back to Kennedy via the remains of I-95.

Two more radiation resistance rolls (vigor if you have no bonuses from perks/etc) from the humans as you pass by the ruins of Miami) - if you fail Dr. Andrew in Dome can give you a radiation purge for 50 caps.

When you pull up to Kennedy, you note as usual that Jameson is posted outside by the fence at his usual spot running the trading alcove. The tents are set up as usual, and it seems like today's free meal for people bringing in trade is Green Gecko Goulash with noodles. For those who haven't been to Kennedy, B-Class traders get a free all-you-can-eat meal and a night's stay at the tents outside of the Brotherhood base once a month (never allowed to stay longer because they don't want to start a village) that incurs total protection from the BoS, as long as they bring in 100 caps of tech goods for trade they might be interested in - you could have bought some stuff in Dome if/when you stopped along the way - Dome is a Colosseum based town where Daytona once was built around the Speedway, with deathraces and gladiatorial battles - slavery is legal, but not capturing of slaves there, and most of the battles are done by slaves while the death races are usually people trying to make very big cash in a very risky manner; it's a dirty, gambling filled town, and while not very good, well guarded due to it's decent income.

Jameson (a scribe, and not the same from FO3 - it's a common last name and I totally forgot that was a chick in that game - this is a black man with a close crop cut and a clean goatee and an all-business attitude that is slowly melting with the group) looks up from his clipboard as the van pulls to a stop and smiles. "Hey, Big Papa and the Vaulties! You brought friends! Found some more vomit the vaults puked up, huh?" He pauses and his expression grows stern as he sees EH-RK. "Oh. You brought the robot back. That's...good. I suppose." He shakes his head and looks back to Marcus and the three he actually recognize. "How's that scouting going on? You find that vault you were looking for?"

The scouting team had left, including the child, but one of the guards is near enough to ask.

"Deathclaw hand. You couldn't tell?" The guard raises an eyebrow at Aeryicka. "Ah. Never seen one in person? They scarier than you think." He smiles a bit at her. "You from other village?"

The other group is approaching this village, following your tracks - they are at "tomorrow morning" time-wise...so if you wake up in the morning, we're going to take that to the other thread HERE.

I didn't elaborate because I was waiting to see how well you did ;-) yeah you can Benny crit fumbles.

Marcus isn't much of a tracker, but he knows power armor footprints when he sees them. It looks like two sets of armor headed northeast from here with three sets of regular human tracks - that about accounts for the size of Mac's squad, given what you all remember, although it would mean half lost their armor. Another set of probably mutant tracks along with humans approaches here from the northwest and seems to follow a set of older human sized tracks south.

The southern tracks move towards a thick tree lined swamp, where the mutants and some of the humans seem to turn and head back northwest, while about five humans go deeper into the swamp. You're pretty sure the van will not continue into there, given it's knee high water and thick trees for a while.

By the time you get to the edge of the swamp before the water and heavy treeline, your PipBoy seems to pick up a settlement nearby and it indicates another PipBoy device is within a couple miles into the swamp. It is about 6am by this point (assuming you all left ASAP) so there is some light breaking through the treeline.

You can't sleep in power armor. That's ridiculous. Well not enough to remove fatigue. I'll continue on but still need a pair of rolls from the others. Gonna send another PM to Spencer. He said he'd be back from his trip the 1st.

Fitz picks up the CB radio for Marcus and the party loads up in the van, heading towards the spot triangulate on the map. It's the first time they've headed towards Miami since the exile, and somewhere on the edge of your psyche you know Vault 2 is out there.

EH-RK, being the only other individual besides Marcus who knows how to drive, is behind the wheel, his complaints your only change in sound effect from wind.

Now you turn off the major highways and start to head west, and the roads become even more broken than the interstate was, if such a thing is possible, and you can see swampland around, particularly to the south. The triangulated signal leads you to to a pile of rubble.

It looks like the building was once a road side gas station, but rather small, and the place looks wrecked.

Fitz realizes by messing with the radio on the van, which is not a two-way communicator, and both he and Marcus seem silly trying to reply on an incoming-only machine, that it's not a problem of your antennae receiving input from the Brotherhood, but the fact that THEIR antennae is busted.

You were simply overhearing a broadcast between a Senior Paladin and the base, and they assumed Marcus was somewhere to hear it. That being said, Fitz's repeated science explosion lets him finangle with the PipBoy enough where he thinks he can pick up the beacon signal of the Senior Paladin's broadcast based on the source, and that he can probably triangulate their location on the PipBoy's map.

It looks like the signal is coming from Southwest - looking over the PipBoy's maps, using the now fully fixed up van, you can probably make it there in about five hours - but you're gonna have to drive relatively close to Miami, which you know is a VERY hot area, radiation-wise, before you cut straight west. Everyone will make two radiation resistance rolls except the robot who is immune

Any who continue to listen to the Brotherhood channel on the van radio soon hear a broadcast coming out. "This is Phillip Morgan, Senior Paladin of squadron 47-BX94. Emergency situation resolved. Repeat - emergency situation resolved. No casualties; minimal injuries and equipment compromise. Incoming for debriefing."

Message to Knight Edwards: Your serial number and this month's transmission code have been given to a group of vault exiles looking to reunite with compatriots in your presence. Respond with location when contacted. Class B allies to be trusted. If base antennae has been repaired, please note Paladin MacMillian has been absolved of command due to repeated insubordination. Do not, I repeat, do not accept incoming transmissions from him."

The reply from the main base is still broken and unclear, as they haven't fully repaired the radio antennae, but you pick up "...frimative...debrief...Rgan....Knight Edw...(minutes of static)...bot model EH-...your location."

"Yeah, a few I can spare."

You can buy med supplies with a 10% discount due to your rapport you built up with Dr. Andrew. Still waiting on either of our delayed players... holding up the other game now, too...

"Depends on the slave, really. They're valued based on their use and how much money they can make their owners. Particularly smart or strong slaves can be in the tens of thousands if not more. I have a lot of overhead, though, as the RV and Gia require maintenance, and sterilization and supplies and stuff. I almost have enough to make a bid, though."

"Um...Well, you didn't say you needed it, and...ahem...you know, keeping prices down by recycling, and the kitchen will pay...look, just don't eat the cheap soup at the inn. I still have it, though. I was gonna send Gia down with the scraps later, but I mean, if you need it for, uh, sentimental reasons, I can let you take it. They only give us like two caps a pound for leftovers anyway."

The pause is uncomfortable, and Andrew speaks up again. "Some people won't even feed their slaves if it costs too much. Protein is protein, and I'm pretty sure they mix it with radroach or something like that to keep prion transmission down. It's like a cap a bowl, and it fills people up. I...don't like it, but at least they aren't starving."

His face turns a bit red. "I'm trying to earn enough to buy some slaves freedom and train them as nurses. I can't fix the town but maybe we can save a few."

Gia chimes in, "Yes, doctor, and you have no ulterior motives at all.", suddenly in a perfectly recorded voice of Andrew, Gia continues, "...and if one of them is a particularly beautiful woman who wants to shower me with sexual gratitude that's all the more icing on the cake." Dr. Andrew's face is now beet red, and if a robot could grin, you'd swear Gia would be. "I wouldn't make her. I can dream, can't I?" he mutters under his breath, complete with a few choice words about the robot. "Gonna replace you with sexy nurses you stupid bucket of bolts."

When Fitz wakes up he feels like all the weight he's been carrying from his left arm is completely gone. As the drugs start to wear off he thinks there must have been an issue, as he has zero physical sensation in his left arm, and maybe he woke up after the amputation and before the implantation...then he tries to move his left arm and he feels nothing, but the soft hum of hydraulics is music to his ears, and as his vision clears up and he looks to the left he can see it moving from his mental commands.

It's a weird experience, and one he's going to have to get used to, since it moves and responds exactly like a real hand, but he can't physically feel anything through it. It's strange, touching his old fingers to his new, having no sensation other than a simple knowledge of pressure from his organic hand.

Doctor Andrew is grinning from ear to ear, and Nurse Gia the Handy is the first to speak up. "I guess I owe you 200 caps, sir. He is alive." The kid seems like he's trying his darndest not to laugh.

"Doctor" Andrew preps Fitz for surgery and puts the gas on his face, telling him to count back from 100. The last thing Fitz can hear before fading out is the boy talking to his robot.

"Wait, you're sure it's a left bionic arm we have in stock, right?

I'm trying to give Niles a chance to show up with his new character but I haven't heard him since I last mentioned to you guys in the discussion thread - he may be doing something for Memorial Day; I believe he's in the military.

Mags takes the cash from Mickey and smirks. "I'll have her up and running before your friends are done with their shopping."

Fitz finds a human boy, possibly 13, 14...maybe a scrawny 15, wearing blood-spattered scrubs and a mask, with a Mr. Orderly robot in an RV that's been converted into a medical tent. Again, without them being gladiators, our heroes have to deal with freelancers trying to make a name for themselves, and the "doctor" here is clearly one of those. His voice squeaks as gloved hands push a mop of greasy blonde hair out of his face. "Hi there. Yeah, I can help you! I'm And...er...Doctor Andrew! This here is nurse Gia, say hi Gia!"

The Handy, in a voice that seems to be reprogrammed into that of a sultry woman, seems unsettling on the flying robot. "Hello."

The kid smiles at Fitz's request, and scratches his chin, with it's all of three whiskers he stubbornly refuses to pluck or cut. "Oh, yeah, sure, Gia and I can handle that. No problem. I've done, like, four of those."

The Handy quickly interjects. "Sir, that was under the observation and tutilidge of Dr. Nicholas, and, really, you just held down the..."

"Shut up, Gia! Go...go sterilize the tent!"

"Er, um...yes, sir."

"Yeah, so, I'll have you good to go with a new arm in no time, mist..er...buddy. Just pay Gia, she handles the cash, on account of I can't carry a gun, would, you know, get the hands dirty, and oh, if you try to rob us, she's gonna turn you into a pile of green goo, which is a pain to clean, so I'm gonna just warn you of that upfront. Do you want it, like, painted? Or is gunmetal gray okay for you? I think I've got a yellow one back there somewhere..." he mutters, and starts to dig around in the storage compartment of the RV, and then, noticing he's ruining the gloves, mutters about contamination, takes them off, and throws them to the Handy, who proceeds to 'sterilize' them with her flamer.

Fusion core is going to be the difference between the salvaged and a T-45d armor...which is what your armor is...and salvaged. So about 2000 caps, but that includes revealing the helmet and tuning it up. Should take as long as Fitz's surgery...about 8 hours. You managed to find the parts you need for your weapon but not with enough time to craft it yet as you're refurbishing the armor during that time...if you succeed on a repair at -1

After Mickey finishes chopping up the Deathclaw for parts, the group takes to loading up the van with supplies. They make the trip back towards Dome, and by the time they arrive, even the rain from before seems to have passed. Most of the buildings from before seem in tact, and considering they're made from welded steel and leftover car parts set in poured concrete, it's not really much surprise.

Mags seems genuinely surprised to see you all, especially when you bring back the deathclaw body. "Well, if that ain't the craz'st thing I e'vr saw? You sure you don't wanna fight? We could make a kill'n off ya!" Assuming the party rejects as before, she shakes her head and comes to bring you money. Rufus, unsurprisingly bids you all a farewell, and starts to high-tail it towards the brothels of Dome. The looks of disgust on the women...and some of the men...as he approaches border on terror when he starts waving around his share of the pre-war cash.

Now that the storm is over, Marcus begins to fiddle with the dials on the radio, curious if the thing actually still works from before the war, he moves towards a channel he knows to be Brotherhood friendly, and as he's perusing through the stations, he suddenly picks up a familiar voice to the whole party. It sounds an awful lot like McMillian. "...group of former Vault 2 dwellers assisting us, but I am not sure how things are going to go over. No, I repeat, we cannot bring in a full assault, they have Brotherhood hostages, and I don't want to risk it. Coordinates are to follow, in case this goes south anyway, but please, give me 24 hours and then wipe this place out if you have to, but there are innocents there - not just the vault dwellers, but the rest of our squadron..."

The reply has considerably more static, as if the antennae transmitting the outgoing message was damaged from the storm. "...cannot hear coordinates...Paladin...repeat...immediate danger...can....to the first...repairs of storm...spare troops as a result...am...disengage..."

As the night goes by, the storm rages on, but eventually, by around 3 in the morning or so, it comes to a calm, and all you hear is the general sound of rainfall. When the morning comes, the protectrons gather around. One of them buzzes off a communication. "Primary objective completed; serial killer eliminated and citizen safety ensured. Inclement weather delay passed. Returning to main base."

With that the bots start to amble off, and Papa can swear he sees tear drops in the protectron's glass dome, even though everyone else knows it's just the mist of the rain.

Rufus's grin is disturbing as he grabs a handful of the cash and inhales, smelling the distant but oh-so-familiar smell of riches he'll never forget.

"Well, damnit, you all are a crazy bunch, taking out deathclaws and charging head forth into giant ant nests, and whatnot, but it all paid off! Woo! You have no idea how much fun I'm gonna have when we get back to town."

The storm rages outside, and the building continues to waver from the wind, but you're almost positive it won't fall; it's taken centuries of storms before - what are the odds this will be the one that takes it down?

Inside of the safe is a briefcase with...5,000 pre-war bills! There is also a stealthboy, and a map of the building with all the security markers mapped out. Looks like the former mayor was skimming from the town, and had plans to skedaddle back before the war hit, but the bombs dropping may have ruined his plans.

You weather out the storm, and as you investigate the building throughout the night you find 3d4 ⇒ (1, 1, 1) = 3 stimpaks in the city hall in emergency first aid kits in the restrooms, 1d6 ⇒ 2 deathclaw eggs, a plasma pistol, and 1d80 ⇒ 15 microfusion cells in the security guard's office, along with a stun gun (same stats as a cattle prod). There's also a heavy steel safe in the mayor's office...(-3 lockpicking)

Scene end! +3 exp for dominating the deathclaw like it had a gimp suit and you had the whip.

1. Considering Deathclaws were force-evolved primarily from geckos (yes, geckos, look it up), they probably taste like alligator or frog legs. I haven't had frog legs, but, gator is like very chewy chicken. 2. So, if I am to gather your consensus, you are done exploring the town, and wish to leave, during the hurricane, to head back to Dome, absconding with as many of the robots as you can?

When I was asked earlier if you guys could aim, I meant yes you could in leiu of an action; you have marksman, Mickey, your robot does not. He still would've raised with both hits mind you, but for future instances, FYI. Your robot will resolve after attacks due to his low stealth.

23 vs 12 = hit with 2 raises. As Deathclaws have the HARDY trait, multiple shake results do NOT create wounds, so the "hit" doesn't count when it's already shaken.

Soak with Wild Card:benny
Soak: 1d10 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
Going for an attempt with common pool
Soak: 1d10 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Common pool 2 - look, let's be honest, you guys are murdering this after round 1, this is my only chance to hit one of you, probably...
Soak: 1d10 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Wild: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Probably the best I'm gonna get

The death claw takes Mickey's shot clear in the chest and staggers back, but...
Unshake: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
Spending common pool benny #3 to unshake
...somehow, it just seems like bad luck to you, this thing is still standing, and looking pissed.[/ooc]

Random Target Alphabetical Order: 1d5 ⇒ 5
It's black eyes filled with hatred, it locks onto the first thing to hurt it - Spencer - and leaps towards him with massive claws extended.
Skill=1d12+1, Wounds=-2
Fighting: 1d12 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 - 2 = 2
Wild: 1d6 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 1 - 2 = 5
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Damage: 1d12 + 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + (4) + 3 = 14 AP6, effectively ignores armor = 2 raises

After slashing the crap out of Spencer, all the other attacks converge on the beast.

Rufus's shot, unfortunately, was just not enough to hurt the massive beast.
Marcus's 20 vs 12 = 2 raises = knockout if he doesn't soak
Benny4SoakVsMarcus: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Last Benny: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 2

It actually even manages to continue standing after Marcus's assault...

...but then, the protectrons unload, and man, do they unload. Lasers converge on the great beast from every direction, and Spencer is saved from assault by the very thing he fears most in life....

...and is reminded it is those very things that took out the walking death machine known as the deathclaw, so, you know, perhaps that fear is justified?

Yeah, for this round, basically if he sees you he goes first. This is a more cinematic combat; he beat you, so he goes first, and then I'll resolve all your actions after, along with Marcus. All we need to wait on now is Mickey.

Rufus - when there's a -2 penalty: that's on both the regular and the wild die. So you failed the spirit roll. Also, you didn't roll stealth with the +4 bonus to see if you go before the claw or not. Gonna need you to roll the fear table and see what happens, possibly changing the entirety of your turn...

If Marcus dies you can test drive the robot rules as Fitz installs an AI disc you find.

Marcus, I saw your rolls, and damnit, if you one-shot my deathclaw I'm sending a horde of cazadores next while you're taking a dump on the side of the road; (un)fortunately, your stealth was not enough to go before the DC. I will react to your attack rolls, etc, after Mickey and Rufus give their stealth and spirit rolls (and possibly their attacks if they beat the notice )

Only (so far) Spencer gets the drop on the great beast, and blasts it mightily

Okay, so 16 AP2 vs 12(2) = Hit with raise

Wild Card Benny 1, to soak: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Wild Die: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The great beast takes a blast straight in the chest, and staggers back momentarily, but then it stares at it's attacker, murder in it's strangely cunning eyes.

I rolled a stealth secretly and got over 20; you sure you want me to have you hunt it down? I figured this was a little easier.

Sorry about that; was getting city map hall ready, and something came up so I cut real quick. I'm gonna go free-flow for this, since it's basically 11 vs 1

As our intrepid team approaches city hall, Fitz keeps a keen eye out for threats, and even the rapid pounding of the storm outside does nothing to lessen his vigilance. He spots the door to the great wooden structure of city hall ripped clean off its hinges. Given the wind has now picked up to strong gusts that nearly knock you all off your feet occasionally, you think it could have easily been the weather...until you notices massive claw marks tearing through the wood.

Wind blasts through the open windows where glass has been gone for centuries, and you can see the whole building actually swaying just slightly when the strongest of gusts approach. Still, the building has stood this long, and countless hurricanes have hit in the intervening decades; you're sure it will hold through this one. Probably.

Due to the ridiculously loud weather conditions outside, you all have a +4 whopping to your stealth approaches as you enter the building; even your untrained robots.

Deathclaw's Notice: 1d12 ⇒ 10
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4

And there it is, as you approach, and boy, is it f%~*ing terrifying. Hunching over it's massive frame is taller than a Super Mutant, and you could only imagine how huge it would be if it could possibly stand upright. With huge claws the size of Papa's shield dragging behind it as it walks, the edges scraping along the floor. Blood and gore drips from it's fangs, not nearly the threat that it's hands are, but still savage looking in their own right.

It's too much for some of you. Everyone who isn't a robot, which is all of you Wild Cards, roll Spirit...at -2. A Deathclaw is, hands down, the scariest non-unique creature in the Wasteland. If you fail, roll on the core rules fear table for what happens (and hope you get adrenaline rush and not heart attack; my real life table, the first time someone encountered a Deathclaw while scouting ahead, had a heart attack and the others outside didn't even hear him scream as the claw ate him...)

IF you beat the Claw's notice roll with your stealthy approach, you get to act before it for this first round; if you Raise vs. it, you have The Drop. This is a standard Deathclaw, not an Alpha or Mother, but it is a Wild Card.

Spencer clearly and easily takes out the deathclaw baby in front of him, and then his robot takes out the one beside Marcus.

Fitz's robot connects with one of the claws, and shakes it.

Considering that Spencer's protectron took out the one threatening Marcus, it's assumed he runs in to help Spencer. He easily cleaves the smaller deathclaw in half, and leaves two pieces of it on the ground.

Papa's lil' Papa finishes the last one off, and our heroes are left standing in the rain with no remaining threats...

...visible at least.

Mickey's shotgun blast leaves a pile of former deathclaw on the ground. His Protectron, sadly, isn't as accurate. Extras don't fumble ever, since they don't have wild dice to snakeyes with.

There are only five deathclaws left, but they smell prey. Three converge on Spencer, the closest target, while the ones to the south rush towards Marcus.

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

Vs Marcus: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

One can't get close enough to reach Marcus, and one of them connects with Spencer with his huge claws, tiny compared to a true deathclaw, but still easily far larger than adult human hands.

DamageWithAP2: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + (6) = 11
Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 4 = Total 15 (vs 6 due to AP) = 2 Raises if not soaked.

I'll let you describe it depending on if you soak or not

Rufus, ever a master with the rifle, puts one clear between the eyes of the baby deathclaw by it's lonesome I just resolved the death first, and then had to retype this so it makes sense, which is why I had you target the one not in melee.

Spencer, Fitz, and Marcus are up

Persuading Mac to back down will be a simple success, as he is likely to like the idea of a sneak attack, but James will take a raise, as he doesn't trust you all yet (He'll back down if Mac does, but he'll probably be pissed at you if you pass Mac, but not James); the mutants will not require a roll, as backing away was their idea.

Mickey and the robot following Marcus turn two deathclaws into death paste. Rufus is up, and then...

New initiative: Mickey (JOKER), the BDCs, everyone else.

Spencer's shot cleans clear through the neck of his target, the hunched over little imitation of a future death machine dropping faster than a bowling ball in a pair of greased hands.

Run: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The muddy clay of the ground seems to make for poor traction for the baby deathclaws as they rush forward, and none are able to get close enough for an attack - this round - but they are getting ever closer.

Sorry guys, busy weekend, with another festival and funs. Another will be next weekend FYI

Everyone but Spencer is up.

As Sun said; this isn't just bad light - it's like 30mph winds with 45-50 gusts at this point, and such, and the rain is constant and hard. The edge of the hurricane, basically. The worst is yet to come, but the day before one is usually pretty brutal

Fitz, compensating for the weather, manages to hit his target and drops it dead. Mickey and Rufus's eyes seem to be getting to them, because they could have sworn they hit, but due to the inclement weather, thir perspective is off. The storm continues to pick up, and the wind is terrible - the rain is falling nearly sideways at this point. Sadly none of the protectrons can seem to connect right now.

New Initiative: Spencer, then the BDCs, then everyone else; no Jokers

Guys - bad weather conditions - ranged attack penalties. My update in about an hour or so.

Protectrons have a d4 run. Not d6

One of Marcus's shots shakes his target, but it manages to, well, shake it off.

The deathclaw babies, much slower than their forebears, rush towards the party, but none has the speed to reach them in time.

Unshake: 1d6 ⇒ 4

run: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Spencer then coolly, despite the terrifying robots around him, pops the nearest DCB, shaking it. His robot almost misses, due to the storm blowing around them, but due to his infratargeting (halved penalties vs living creatures) he barely manages to connect, incinerating the one that Spencer already hit.

Mickey, Rufus, and Fitz are up!

No to Hunter bonus - Deathclaws are abominations created from FEV experimentation prewar. If Purifier covers it, it's not an animal. Normally mutated animals, like Geckos, Brahmin, Bighorners, Yao Guai, etc, count for Hunter. Busy at work. My update will come later, but I have at home internet now.

Initiative: Spencer, then Baby Deathclaws, then everyone else; no Jokers

Only Spencer (and his bot) can react before the baby claws start rushing forward at you. These babies seem to be about the same time as the adult geckos you fought before.

For ease of reference - they're all extras with Parry 5 and Toughness 6(2); remember the penalties on ranged attacks (NOT DAMAGE) for the storm related conditions. The protectrons are all in the back due to their slow speed. I couldn't remember who had 2 and was too lazy to page back, so fix it if you need to, but for now it's Rufio.

Seems like as you're in the rain something is in fact hunting out there, and Marcus and Spencer catche site of them.

Deathclaws.

Babies, but still...plural. At least eight of them.

They spot you, since none of you made any attempt at stealth, and the robots were...robots.

Map to come up in approx 1 hour. Will be an outdoor fight.

I thought I mentioned city hall, too. The rest was in shambles.

All well and good - where do you go? Survival, notice, and ranged attack rolls are all at a -2 due to the storm conditions when outdoors. Robots halve that vs living creatures due to infravision.

"What? Weather the storm? Boys, you just said you got a Commie insurgency you need to get taken care of, ASAP, and I got officers ready to assist you. Get out there and stomp your target before the storm comes, and then you can bunk down here!"

The chief has no problems with your plan, and lends you the protectrons as promised you're gonna have to decide who controls them - you can each take 1 if you want with one person having 2, or whatever, but they're extras fully under your control, but he seems troubled with something else.

"Damnit. Why aren't we getting weather reports anymore? Seeing this storm coming in advance would've helped. Damn Commies must be jamming our radars and planning the attack during the storm to avoid further confusion."

You do notice the wind outside is getting a bit intense...

+1 xp for those who participated. Sorry Spencer - you had over 60 hours.

The morning comes without event, though you never heard the SWAT bots check in, either. The police station seems eerily empty, with a skeleton crew in place. It seems throughout the night the Chief dispatched bots to various point throughout the county for fear of the communist threat.

A protectron shuffles in the area and unlocks Rufus's cell without a work, and ambles off.

You can hear the sound of rainfall outside, and it seems the light of morning is blocked by gray clouds as far as the eye can see through the bars of the window.

Protectron Stats:

Protectron
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Energy Weapons d6, Explosives d6, Fighting d4, Notice d6
Pace: 4; Parry: 4; Toughness: 9(4)
Built-In Gear:
Laser Pistol: 15/30/60, 2d6, AP2, RoF1-2
Special Abilities:
Armor +4: Metal Plating
Infravision: halve penalties for dark lighting against living targets (round down).
Punch: Strength
Slow: A Protectron's run die is only d4.
Weakness (Combat Inhibitor): Damaging a Protectron's combat inhibitor may cause it to frenzy and attack random targets. If a hit to combat inhibitor (small target -4; can only be hit from behind) results in shaken or a wound, make a spirit roll at -2: failure indicates the robot frenzies and attacks creatures indiscriminately. Raises on the attack roll give an additional -2 penalty per raise on this spirit roll.
Construct: Protectrons receive a +2 to recover from being Shaken; Protectrons do not suffer additional damage from called shots; Protectron Wild Cards never suffer from Wound Modifiers; Protectrons do not suffer from disease or poison.

Since I don't want you to face the claw alone, nor will I be in a particular update mood late, we'll call this a scene. I'll give you 2 xp, and while you guys spend the night in the station, you can do an interlude for an extra xp per player, telling one another stories. You'll probably be right outside of Rufus's cell, so he can participate.

Mickey: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Fitz: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Rufus: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Spencer: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Marcus: 1d4 ⇒ 2

"Fair enough, but we don't have the hardware for humans to fire them."

The cells are clean, oddly, although the bed seems to be rotted clean through to the springs, and a good night's sleep will be rough. if you do sleep there you'll need a successful vigor roll to not be fatigued, as you're pretty much sleeping on the floor.

Herein lies the rub.

The chief claps his metallic hands together. "Well, what are you waiting for? Commies won't wait for you to sleep, you've villainy afoot! Also...I haven't had my SWAT team check in, that's strange..."

Smarts: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 3

...you lucky bastards, you, the chief doesn't even figure out you reported the murderer. Police station full of robots and I can't even kill one of you. I have had zero deaths in either game. I'm a failure of a GM. :-/ Oh well, at least I crippled two of you.

...Screaming blood s###s. 200 year old meat has effects. Roll at -2 vs botulism.

"Most of our weaponry is built-in, you understand. Prevents civilians from using an officer's sidearm against him. I believe the previous chief stored them away somewhere, but he overrode my ability to access the files as to where he put them before the human element was replaced. We can supply ammunition, though, for most energy weapons, and...hm...well we have explosives for the SWAT's missle launchers, but...that may be a bit much for conscripts."

You get 200 MFC, energy cells, and electron charge cells each - a raise on a persuasion gives you 10 missles.