Iron Stars - grimgar

Grimgar awakens in the small apartment they own in Central, the heart of the human web of settlements on Gudrun. The first place where humans crash landed on this planet in the wake of The Scream, the fledgling colony grew to become the unofficial capital of the largest polity to emerge in the wake of the universe going dark. Borders this big have no shortage of problems, and as a registered bounty hunter, you're able to see the brushfires wherever they bloom. Several worlds are having problems with those living outside the law and the bounty boards have no shortage of small and big time criminals that all need to be brought in to make the polity a better place. Three planets seem to be needing the most attention, with short descriptions of their local issues provided. Transport to those planets is available for free via the trans-federation shuttles each polity helps support. On Asgapur, Governor Cayne is having issues with bandits outside the walls of his settlement. The bulk of his armed forces are securing the city, and the underground L-gate within, and he is unable to foray in force into the countryside without risking the security of the gate, and friendly trans-human society on the other side. On Terezinho, there are no shortage of lake and ocean pirates harassing the large shipping boats bringing all manner of goods from the archipelagos to the mainland cities. Extra muscle on some of the more vulnerable shipping barges, or a direct push against any discovered pirate hideouts directly would ease tensions. On Thojhild, small factions of locals are resisting the federation-led uplifting effort, led by a growing religious society known as the Black Orchid. Their world fell apart far quicker than most after The Scream, and they now see technology as the embodiment of evil. Thus far they have harassed several clinics and outreach facilities around the planet.

( @Grimgar just in case you weren't able to find it)

1

Grimgar swings his legs out from the modest bed of his apartment and rubs his face in both hands. Letting out a long sigh he makes his way from the bedroom to review his options. After considering them, he decides on Thojhild. Defending healers was a noble goal, and with any luck his prey would not be wielding heavy weapons. That might give him enough of an edge...

(this is what would be known about the world, attached to the assignment) https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/thjodhid-article?preview=true

Thjodhid

12:58 PM

A polity shuttle willing to take you there will be leaving tonight, about six hours from the time you've opened the message and had a few minutes to decide a course of action after digesting its contents. Shuttle service to the planet is of course free thanks to the large multi polity program dedicated to keeping the shuttle service running- something the pre-scream governments had not managed to do within their territories. A ticket, and a pass allowing you to bring weapons aboard are both issued, and are attached to the bounty order. Upon reaching the planet and landing at the Ad-Astra aid camp, an on world intelligence officer will be tasked with directing you towards where pockets of local resistance might be.

Grimgar packs up his meager possesions into his backpack, attaching his sword's scabbard to his back and keeping his thermal blade at his waist, at least for the time being. He watches what he can of the landing through the nearest viewport before making his way off the transport and moving his sheathe to his hip, and seeking out the intelligence officer.

(Radiation zombies sound pleasant)

The twelve days spent traveling through space aboard a polity shuttle, from Gudrun to Thjodhid is spent in relative quiet. The crew and other passengers largely kept to themselves aside from the most outgoing or social, and they mostly left you alone aside from letting you know the meal times, and other important flight information. Landing here, in the northern settlement you can see the crown of an enormous snow covered mountain just to the north of you. The incline is impressive, even from the ground when the shuttle comes in to land. Around you, the view is then one of clinic tents, nervous looking guards, overworked doctors, and the locals, who have come to settle here in other semi permanent humanitarian structures erected by the Lamplighter Foundation and Ad-Astra trading company. You can see the different uniforms on display here, all of them going about their duties performing medical and education services for the locals. Beyond this settled area is an expanse of forest, highlands, marshes, and dark meadows where the radiation begins to worsen the further you get from this camp, where nuke scrubbers are hard at work around the clock. You see a man looking very out of place compared to the hundreds of refugees and smaller numbers of staff members, wearing a dark suit, dark sunglasses, and armed with a very visible looking submachine gun, though it dangles on its sling and he makes no attempts to put his hand anywhere near it. As the ramp lowers, you being now the only person aboard the shuttle, he raises a hand in greeting.

Grimgar watches the landing procession with a stern expression, mostly unconcerned about the general populace. He takes a long look at the horizon, making sure to do his best to memorize the general layout of the immediate area before stepping down the ramp. He heads towards the man with the raised hand, offering a small nod as he quickly looks over the weapon hung from his shoulder. "I take it you are my contact." he says curtly, more of a statement than a question.

"I am. I take it you're the bounty hunter that's going to help me with some of the trouble we're having?" he says, looking out over the dark meadow just beyond the camp where the remains of a thunderstorm over the plains is beginning to break up. You can feel the humidity in the air, but it is quickly dissipating as the storm moves off, and it looks to be too far from the camp to make for any rain here.

He nods a confirmation as he turns to look towards the ominous clouds. "So it seems. Seems like somebody is putting money into this place, plenty of bodies coming in. Why not just mobilize and wipe these folks out for good? Not that I am complaining." he says somewhat gruffly. He then shrugs, mostly to himself and gestures towards the scrubbers in the distance. "Might as well get started. Tell me what you know." he adds. (edited)

"Outriders think they found a camp, about two kilometers into the wastes from here. Eight bandits are there, with a pair of buggies. They look like they're getting ready to start crossing into the camp within the next day or two , probably a place to keep their plunder before moving on. We don't have enough security staff here to get out into the wastes to chase them down, especially if they get wind we're coming and decide to move. They might sweep into the camp anyway and we won't have the numbers to drive them back and keep everyone safe at the same time. They have a machine gun on each of the buggies, but if you catch them unaware, they won't have time to get into them. We're going to issue you with a demolition charge, if you're able to sneak into the camp and destroy their transportation, that is more than enough. We understand sending you into a straight fight is not going to be something you walk away from, no matter how skilled you are. "

He nods in agreement. “Just eight bandits and two buggies with machines guns.” he replies with a sigh. He thought on his odds for a while before continuing. “If it’s just the transports, it might be done. What about the rads? I don’t want to nearly die on this job just to get back and die in one of those beds.” he said gesturing a thumb towards the tents.

"We're going to give you an anti-rad treatment, and some to take with you before your departure that should keep you safe for three days- enough time to take your time and handle this in your own way. We of course would like this to be over quickly, but nothing is gained by you rushing in. When you return we will of course be giving you a full medical workup and any required treatments before you depart, or take on new work. "

He nods in agreement. “I’ll leave when the sun is low.” he said after a moment, tightening the scabbard at his waist.

10:30 AM

(So I’ll m not great at stealth, but that’s gonna be my plan for the moment. Sneak out when the sun starts going down.)

(alrighty. We can for sure get a check on that, and obviously any narrative preparations you make will factor in to lowering the DC, so don't be afraid to think of some things you might do that might be plausible, )

Grimgar sets about preparing for his trek. He takes a short walk along the perimeter as he looks out towards the general location indicated by his contact.

3:17 PM

(If I wanna get a dark dirty cloak would that be a roll? I don’t need a super awesome ninja cape, just like a blanket. Can rub in dirt and cut a whole in. Didn’t want to assume I could just grab one before posting)

(No roll needed for that, I think there is enough bedding or other general supplies around where you could pick one up)

On his way out he grabs a weathered but rugged blanket from a stack of laundry and tucks it under his arm before moving out of the gate. Taking a look at the rugged area in the distance, he takes the blanket and rubs it in the dirt, making sure to re-sully the now clean cloth before tossing it over his head and shoulder, and refastening his belt around it at his waist. Taking a deep breath, he carefully plans out a route that towards the direction of the camp, doing his best to keep the sun ahead of him and the shadows to his benefit. He was hardly the sneakiest man around, but his time hunting on his homeworld had given him some sense of where not to be. For the time being he would need to close the distance until he could observe the camp from afar. (edited)

(sneak/dex)

(Amazingly, I rolled an 11)

1

You're able to sneak into the wilderness with a hefty dose of anti-radiation treatment. The long grasses around you are a dry, crispy brown/green and they wave stiffly in the billowing wind. The rolling landscape provides some natural concealment on the approach and you begin to hear the clamor of what passes for some kind of settlement here- along with the test firing of a primitive combustion engine. Observing from the south, you're able to get a general idea of the camp layout, as it sits concealed within some kind of crater, with a single tent on raised ground where you'd assume the camp leadership is residing.

2:08 PM

from 500m away, you're able to see five badlands looking raiders out in the open, undergoing various camp repair tasks, none of them look to be especially on alert.

Grimgar slowly makes his way towards some out of the way cover to observe the guards and the goings ons. He carefully watches from his lookout, focusing his attention on whatever sort of defenses there are, as well as the location of the vehicles, or another vulnerable location for the explosives.

(Ideally I’d like to see what’s gonna try and shoot me and avoid it, and then find out where to pop the bomb down)

The vehicles are located just outside the camp, parked in a herringbone formation on the path leading out of the small fortified area. They are too large to fit inside the fortifications themselves but there are two guards standing near them at all times, keeping an eye out since they do not benefit from being inside the walls. The camp is small, and aside from these two sentries, and a marksman on overwatch outside the chieftain's tent on the raised area on the north end of camp, there are no other apparent security arrangements.

He thought on this for a while as he observed. It would be easy for things to go badly, so he would need to be cautious. With any luck, he could close the distance and set the explosive to destroy the transports. But that marksman would make things difficult to escape if things went badly.

(I dont have any experience with this stuff so I am not sure if I should bother trying to kill the marksman first, or just ignore them. Not sure how hard in practice it would actually be to quietly kill the guy and hide him for a minute.) (So thats the two choices, try and kill some guys first, or just sneak in and dont kill anybody)

(We

12:52 PM

)it looks as though we're also having a discussion in the help channel so if that doesn't resolve anything here, let me know and I can try to explain better)

(If the mission is just to blow up the cars then I will avoid the guys for now.)

After observing for a bit, the guard shift changes, though it seems like the new guards essentially keep the same places. These men are disciplined, if nothing else, and have been observant to ensure their transportation is secure. Something will need to be done to get the guards to focus their attentions elsewhere, it seems.

Grim spends some time combing the area for enough brush and twigs to make a small camp fire. He continues his route and circles around the camp at a distance, finding a visible location a far distance away on the opposite side of the camp to set it up.

3:28 PM

He then rips a small length of his new cloak and trails it into the fuel for the fire. With any luck the dry cloth will catch and the flame will work it’s way to the fire, giving him some time to move away before hopefully drawing the attention of the guards.

(If I don’t need a roll for that i light it and then start circling around to get behind the sniper guy)

(Hey the weekends are very slow for me so I’ll get back to this as soon as I’m able.

3:25 PM

(I haven’t forgotten you)

3:28 PM

(Youd have to climb up a short cliff to get behind him since that tent is elevated above the rest of the area. We would need an exert/dex or a sneak/dex to do so quietly )

3:30 PM

The fire begins to spread and the locals seem to have at least noticed the smoke if not the fire. One of the two guards near the buggies looks to be running into the camp to report what he is seeing and instead of slow scans of the entire local area , the marksman is now paying attention to the direction of the smoke, and not to whatever else might be happening around him

(Thats fine, no rush, I just was just trying to be clear for whenever you got to it. I am not good at most things it seems but have a better strength than dex so exert sounds smarter. I rolled a 4 for exert and a 10 for sneak... not sure if thats what you wanted) (edited)

(You would have needed to choose one of those two checks. Was giving you an option on what to roll, but you did not know and I don't want to punish you for misunderstanding the mechanics so we will take the 10)

1:38 PM

As the attention is paid to the flames, the marksman moves away from you as you quietly make your way up the rocky hillside. Smoke begins building distantly to the east and his attention is firmly fixed on it, and not on you creeping up the rocks nearby.

(Ah sorry, you were giving me the choice I thought it was two checks. Do I need another check to try and execute this guy now?)

3:25 PM

Grimgar carefully makes his way up the cliff face, dropping to a crouch as he crests the surface. He unsheathes the blade of his mono sword and begins closing the distance to the marksman.

(Not if we are using melee, since he did not notice your approach)

He continues the rest of the distance slowly, cautiously placing his steps straight down, taking his time, his focus on the gunman ahead of him. Moving his blade to the side, he positions it high and to their side, aiming the blade at the gap above the armor and at their exposed neck. Making a quick sidestep he brings the blade down in a quick powerful strike before moving the rest of the distance and restraining them, careful to avoid the gore. Dragging the body to the ground, he quickly looks for a place to position the body out of immediate sight. (Cool. So hopefully there is a place to tuck this guy for the moment. If not I just drag him behind the tent so the other guards cant see him from here.) He then takes the rifle and slings it over his shoulder, being very careful of the tent nearby and then finally moving back around to observe the two guards from the elevate position. He would have to move quickly now.

9:17 AM

(If I can drop down and plant the bomb without having to fight these guys I think thats the plan)

(you;';d have to drag him behind the tent)

11:48 AM

There is just one guard out front at the moment as the other one is inside camp. trying to get the attention of whatever passes for leadership here. The fire is something that they're going to need to relocate because of it. Near the cars, he takes a furtive glance at the smoke, and then back at the camp to try to see if anyone is coming.

11:48 AM

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [4, 3] Result: 7

(does not notice so far, but you're 50m from him, and would need to get down there somehow if we're using a blade)

(So I will move towards him and try and kill them stealthily, but we will see)

2:55 PM

Using the commotion to his advantage, Grimgar begins cautiously making his way towards the vehicles, moving from cover to cover when possible.

(We'd need another sneak/dex here to avoid his notice check)

(A 7 for this one.)

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6, 3] Result: 9

You get to within 20m of the guard before your boots scrape against some loose stones that you could not see from your position. He turns to face you, looking surprised, but he recovers quickly and levels his rifle. (initiative)

(I think in hindsight dex would be better than wisdom… Anyways, 6 for Init)

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [1] Result: 1

(you're up first)

Grimgar quickly realizes the proverbial ‘jig’ is up and quickly charges the man. He puts all of his effort into closing the distance, hoping the distraction of a sword in his face would discourage his aim.

9:23 AM

(So I just double move the 20 I guess)

(Okay, so you are doubling your move? If you're not sure I don't want to advance the turn and have you feel cheated)

(I have no ranged weapons, not sure what else I can do. If I half move and hide I will still need to get to him some other round right? If you have a suggestion I would hear it)

(Doesnt the guy also get a negative to hit me if I am in melee with him?)

(double move is fine. He has a few options but in the interest of the encounter I can explain them in help rather than telegrapg my moves here)

1:10 PM

The rifleman has no option to use his weapon in hand to hand as you close with him, and decides to club up his weapon instead, taking a mighty swing as he tries to club you with the reinforced shaft of the weapon.

1:10 PM

!roll d20-1

Nekosmash Roll: [17] Result: 16

!roll d4

Nekosmash Roll: [2] Result: 2

(16 to hit, 2 damage)

Grimgar raises his shield but the weight of the strike carries it through. Wincing as it connects he raises his own blade and swings it towards the guard.

2:38 PM

(17 to hit, 4 damage)

The return strike is well aimed and you see a splash of red trickle down the bandit's side as he instinctively shrinks away from the blade. You've wounded him, and another cut just like it should be more than enough to bring him down. The swing of the rifle butt heads toward you again, composite material stock making the air whistle with the force of its passage

2:38 PM

!roll d20-1

Nekosmash Roll: [5] Result: 4

(missed, no shock damage since clubbed up weapons do not do shock, back to you)

Ducking under the swing of the clubbed rifle, he rises and shifts his weight to his leading foot before turning and bringing his weight down with a horizontal slash.

1

2:51 PM

(20 to hit, 6 damage)

This cut is far deeper and the armor resists only for a second or two before you feel it give way and the blade sinks deep into the enemy. The sword destroys his heart and lungs, and instead of crying out all he can do is aspirate the blood that is now filling his chest cavity. Gravity does the rest, bringing the point of your weapon down toward the ground as his strength fails, and he collapses onto his back.

The mercenary kicks the ragged corpse from the edge of his blade and takes a deep breath, allowing the adrenaline to ebb as he briefly calms himself. There was no time to waste. He quickly looks around the area where the vehicles are located and continues making his way towards them, doing his best to move from cover to cover as much as it allows.

(You’re more or less right on them)

He kneels down behind one of the vehicles, reaching into his pack and removing the explosive. He had seen devices like this before, but was hardly an engineer. Looking around for the most explosive target, he begins arming the device.

You are not spotted or stopped and after a moment figure out how to get it to detonate via remote. Everything is in readiness, and all you need to do is quietly escape before hitting the button to detonate.

Grimgar removes his thermal knife and quickly the plunges it into the front tires of the vehicles before turning to leave. He was nothing of not thorough. Without further ado he set off through the now clear exit, immediately breaking off to circle away from the camp.

(Just realized you might have wanted a sneak roll, rolled a 7)

(I’ll call for a roll if I think we need one. )

10:33 PM

The kills are silent and your work looks to be about done here as you puncture tires and sneak off into the long grass- the attention of the bandits firmly set on the increasingly spreading fire rather than on the rest of their surroundings

The mercenary continues a fair distance away from the camp, circling away from the fire and towards the settlement before clicking the detonator and waiting for the explosion.

A mushroom cloud of smoke and fire blossoms skywards, adding to the already growing grassfire on the plains. The explosion is powerful and even if not every single rebel was killed in it, their ability to threaten the uplift project is no more. (3xp, 5000 credits. I can help you with level up if you need it)

(Please. I’ll need to check my book a bit later, but that’d be great thanks. I also took the marksman’s rifle, I dunno what it does but I grabbed it) (edited)

(Its a sniper rifle, the stat line for it is in the core rulebook)

1

(Let me know if you're still needing level up help , dont want you to think I forgot about you)

(Oh sure, yea I was waiting on you. Didn't wanna push. I guess I am a bit confused about the HP? I rolled a 6 and a 4 but am a bit confused about bonuses. I think for my focus I will be taking die hard, and I used my three skill points to buy sneak/punch/exert)

(did those all go from -1 to 0? )

1

8:25 AM

(for level two, you roll 2d6+con mod+ 2 for warrior/partial warrior)

8:25 AM

(The formula on the hit points box of your character sheet would be the correct thingto roll)

(And then die hard adds 2 per level so 4? Con is 1 so 2+2+4?)

(correct)

Level Up Level: 2 Old HP: 9 HP Roll: 10 New HP: 20 New focus: Die Hard Current AB: 2 Effort increases to 0 Sneak increases to 0 Punch increases to 0 (edited)

Returning to the camp you see that you've been paid for your service. Battle damage assessment confirmed via drone now that one has made it over from larger camps in other regions confirms the bandits are dead, as is their ability to raid this new uplift camp. Completing the task in just a day, post op medical exams show you are without radiation damage or sickness, and all looks to be well concerning your health. The United Nations of Worlds has many jobs available, especially now with war against the Ascendency on the horizon.

Grimgar gives a nod to the nurses at the medical center for their work before picking up his bag and throwing it back over one shoulder. He considers his available options for a while, and opts to get some rations. As he eats he decides to stay around for a while, and see what further work he could get locally. While still in camp perhaps he could manage to sell his newly found rifle, and then seek out his contact.

(book price for the sniper if you'd like to sell it)

1

With the weapon sold to the camp, the mercenary made his way back to his contact, holding a hand in greetings as he approached. “What’s next?” he asks as he looks at the man.

(It’s up to you honestly. If you want to do more work here I can give you a mission. If you’ve seen anything interesting come up I can send you that way)

(I have not been keeping up on the other threads... I would do either, whatever works. Wouldnt mind another mission.)

This uplift camp is safe, and the bandit problem here has been cleared. Work will continue to get the locals coming in from the rad wastes the proper medical care, and with the Psike TV tower operating nearby the locals will get their first taste of what life is like away from their home. Another camp, 200 kilometers to the south, reachable by grav bike from here that the locals will let you use to get down there, is dealing with an issue of predator beasts occasionally marauding the camp. Food stocks have been ravaged by the creatures, and the uplift garrison is too few to protect both the people and the supplies, while also mounting a foray into the woods to hunt the creatures down.

Predatory Beasts... that would prove a worthy challenge. No more guns and explosives, just his blade and his skills, same as it had been long ago on his home planet. He nodded in approval to the contact and set about procuring a grav bike. With any luck, he would be able to learn something from the locals and make a few credits from all this.

Bike where it is promised, it is early morning when you depart south, beginning to cross the vast grassland that separates this camp from the burgeoning one on the other side. (d10)

(9)

Moving across the grasslands, almost like a grass sea separating the two camps, you come to the midpoint where a great tree seems to mark the exact center of the distance between both groups. The tree is willowy in nature despite it not being part of what naturally grows out here, and a flock of dark birds has come here to roost given it is the only elevated place around.

Grimgar does a slow loop around the tree, observing it for any immediate dangers before cautiously moving closer and bringing the bike to a halt. He leans back from the controls, stretching his back before hopping off to stretch his legs.

(Notice/wis)

(A 12, double 6s. Sheet says -1 but my wisdom is +1 so 12?)

(yep_

12:01 PM

(Cancels out)

12:01 PM

You notice the birds here do not look to be native. They are not colored to match the grasses or bark of the tree, instead being much darker than other examples of their flock.

Grim keeps his distance, his hand resting on the pommel of his weapon slung at his hip as he thinks on this. (Can I roll a survival to know more about these things?)

(we got as much information as we can with your last result, unless you do something to change the scene. We know they're not native, and there are a lot of them. )

He shrugs, slinging his leg over the grav bike and shaking his head. He wasn’t native here either, but he would pass on the information to whatever hunters or locals were in the next camp. Maybe it would make more sense to them. With that he revved the engine and push the throttle forwards.

As evening begins to fall you've made your way across the grass sea, seeing few other creatures, none of them bigger than a rodent. All of them dart into the grass as the bike approaches, trying to get away from the sound. The camp is larger than the one you left, with a strong Lamplighter foundation presence here, the dour intellectuals are warriors and scholars all in one, working hard to help the locals with their medical conditions, educate them on the uses of post-scream technology, and secure the countryside against threats. You see that the locals outnumber the LLF personnel here at least 10 to 1, and there is a tenuous balance at play here.

Grim wasn't particularly interested in the politics of the camp, each planet had its own political game often as deadly as any battle. The Lamplighter's seemed capable, but there was always a need for people like him- skilled, dependable, expendable. The mercenary pulls his grav bike into the aforementioned bay and deactivates it, pulling his gear from the back and setting out to find whoever it was that his contact here was.

There is a LLF office close to where you enter the camp and the directions said to report there for more details on the conditions and the work. Two armed men outside in uniforms look to be keeping an eye on the camp comings and goings and upon seeing your weapons tense up a bit, like they’re mentally preparing to do their job and question your presence here

“Here for work. Just came from the UNW camp. Heard you’ve had trouble with some creatures, I’m here to fix that.” he says, cutting off the question with an answer. He continues the rest of the distance between them, stopping in front of them with his hand resting casually on his sword belt. (edited)

"You can talk to admin, but the swords stay out here. We can't have you armed in the company of an organization senior. Surely you understand"

"Not sure I do, you are armed, and we don't know each other. Folks round here don't seem especially friendly, and I am just here for work." he replies cautiously. "Just get me into touch with your hunters." he says as he watches the guards.

"You're the hunter. You've got two options, leave your weapons with us and get the information from leadership, or go into the woods without it and try your luck. There are others who can take the contract who won't give us this much trouble"

Grimgar grumbles and unclasps the holster, handing it to the guard without another word. "Trouble..." he mutters under his breath (edited)

(If you're not trying to conceal anything we can proceed to inside, otherwise we've got to roll an opposed check)

(Nah I won’t bother here.)

Entering the tent you can see someone in a teal and black uniform. The human woman behind the desk has a stress lined face as the holo-terminal in front of her scrolls past with another list, another set of names and supply shortfalls. Several lines have been picked out in red but you are on the wrong side of the screen to know the specific characters she is looking at, or what they mean. "You're the one from north of the grass sea?" she asks as she notices you enter, killing the holo feed and taking some folders out from a drawer in her desk.

The mercenary walks up to the desk, stopping a short distance away and nodding as he looked them over. "I came from the camp to the north, yes." he replies plainly, waiting to see how this meeting would play out.

"Then you know about our pest problem. You look like you can handle yourself but you're the expert. Tell me what you need from me, and I'll try to answer it as best as I can"

“Information. Tracking dinner is one thing, hunting down predators brash enough to attack armed humans is often another. Is this species native? Have they always been a problem” he says as he crosses his arms, and looks across the desk towards the woman.

"Native yes. The locals say they were not a problem until the disaster a few years ago. The cities fell, and they realized that we no longer had the technology to keep them in the woods. Humans were added back into the food chain. They used to be pack hunters but their numbers are too few, and now there are between three to five of them within the local area, each fighting over the territory and picking off anyone too isolated from the settlement"

He nods in reply, moving a hand to his chin as he thinks on this information. "On my way here, I stopped at a large tree about halfway between the camps. The birds were unusual, and I got the distinct impression they were not from around here." He pauses for a moment, thinking before continuing. "Whatever this disaster, plus all the new settlers... animals adapt." He then shrugs, and turns back towards the woman. "Suppose that's something for you folks to figure out. If you want them all gone it will take time. Decreasing their numbers might mean more food for them, less reason to come after you."

(I guess if she doesn't have anything to add and doesnt care about the birds I'd just ask for the location of these guys...)

(sorry, this never lit up for me)

3:32 PM

"I don't know much about them, but with all the disturbances across the planet I'm sure they're moving into some places they didn't exist before. Of the creatures at stake, I just want them all dead. I don't care about the ecosystem if it's going to have those things in it, we can introduce other beasts from tamer areas of the planet later, when there aren't lives at stake"

“Fine. I’ll need the coordinates, a map if you have it.” he says with a nod.

“There’s an element to tracking to this. If we can point out where the most recent attacks happened do you think you can work from that ?”

“That will do. Just need to know where to start. Got any pictures or a description of what I’m looking for?” he says with a nod. “The more I know, the better my odds.”

7:23 AM

An image is passed over to you, from her pad to yours and you can see the creature is muscular, with a long powerful tail and something that looks like a rooster tail of spines going down its back.

(Sorry I coulda swore I responded here.) Grimgar looks at the creature for a long moment, memorizing its attributes before putting away his pad. "I'll be back when the job is done." He states plainly.

It sounds like you are leaving so she has nothing else to add. Upon leaving you are given your weapons back and things seem exactly as you left them.

(I will need some supplies I think? Like food and camping stuff. If I can still use the grav bike I would throw it on there and head off.)

(Make me a list of what you want to requisition and I’ll let you know if they have it)

(I think a survival kit and low light goggles would be all I really need)

(those are both available, and there is room on the bike for them)

(Great, so I pay the listed cost and then just add them?)

9:09 AM

Grimgar moves further into the camp and finds a quartermaster willing to trade with him. He purchases a set of low-light goggles and a survival kit from them, and heads back to his bike. With a quick look at the creature and the suspected location he sets off. He hoped that he would pick up these creatures trail once he arrived at their suspected location, but these were not the wilds of his home- he would need to be careful.

(you don't need to pay, they'll give it to you for helping, but do add them to your sheet)

9:23 AM

(survive/wis)

(Does the kit add the bonus to this?)

(12 without kit, 13 with)

(it would, yes)

8:38 AM

You find tracks fairly quickly, and your small guidebook shows you all the animal tracks in the region and what they look like. IT doesn't match anything currently in the book, so you can reason this is probably the creature you are looking for. The tracks wind through a bank of thick trees, down the a slow moving creek bed where it must have come to get water recently. You can see a tuft of its fur left behind.

Grim looks around the area before taking a knee beside the tuft of fur. He gently removes it form the branch it had snagged on and turns it over in his fingers, feeling the consistency and looking it over before tossing it aside. He looks towards the water, following the trail with his eyes for as long as he can see it before drawing his weapon with a nod and cautiously following the trail.

3:18 PM

(If the tracks look recent I would like to sneak, if they dont I will just be cautious)

(they look recent, if it comes into play I'll ask for a check knowing you mentioned this but right now we don't need one)

3:20 PM

The fur is rough, but once you break it up with your fingers the underside and middle is quite soft. It is a mix between russet yellow and white on the inside.

3:22 PM

There is more near a hollow log on the other side of the s hallow creek, and what looks to be claw marks.

He pauses once more besides the log, kneeling again and running his hands across the scratches on the log. He tried to extrapolate the size of the beast from the pictures he had seen and the claw marks ahead of him. More signs meant he was on the right path. He rolled his wrist, testing the weight of his weapon and tightening the grip on his shield before continuing on.

It looks as though the creature is about the size of a horse, though lean and tall compared to well built and muscular. Tracking the site of the scrap between it and some sort of either prey, or lesser rival animal, you follow a blood trail into a grove of trees where one of the beast is busy feasting on the kill of a rhino sized prey animal. The creature has its head buried deep in the guts of its victim, though you can see this meal was not caught without some defensive wounds being sustained.

Grim crouches down in the cover of the tree line and uses the opportunity to observe the creature. Without a ranged weapon, he would need as many advantages as he could manage, and he still did not know much about these creatures. For now, he would watch it and learn. Finding it’s lair and waiting for it to rest seemed like a better option. He hopes the intel that they were solitary hunters was accurate.

The Intel looks accurate and the beast begins moving to a tumble of rocks where it has made its home.

10:26 PM

It must burrow into the ground and prefers it there for both besting the prey creatures in the area and protection from others who might come to kill it.

Grim contemplates this new information for a moment. Knowing where these creatures nested would certainly prove useful, but journeying inside of these caves was fraught with danger. Moving out a way from the burrow, he looked for a strong branch with the hopes of fastening a makeshift spear. If the creature was fat and tired from its hunt, the tunnel down might work to his advantage if he could keep the creature at a distance.*

9:27 AM

(So like… survival check to make a spear I’m hoping?)

(I think survive or fix could work here, with intelligence)

(8 to make the stabby stick. 9 if the kit helps. I use my thermal knife to cut the stabby bit.)

(Would be 8 here, since the spear isn't necessarily contingent on the biome of this world )

10:29 AM

After about a half hour of work you have your large primitive weapon.

Nodding to himself as he turns the weapon over, examining it and bending it slightly to test its strength he slides his knife back into its sheathe and hefts the spear. Now or never, he thought. He put on the low light goggles and headed towards the burrow.

You can hear a low growling from within, as you approach to within 20m of the entryway. The goggles out here in the brighter sun are having some trouble adjusting, and the creature looks to slowly be slinking back deeper within its burrow.

(So I would have the goggles on but not active if I could, and flick them on when it got darker. Does the thing see me? If not I would like to try and sneak)

(It sees you, it is retreating further into its burrow to try to get away from you, but eventually it will be cornered.

11:47 AM

(It senses you, let me put it that way, we don't know what exact senses it has or how developed they might be)

(Gotcha, so even moving sneaky and slow it found me... good to know. Keep moving forwards, time to die!)

Grim levels the spear in front of him as he moves, carefully heading down the dark tunnel as he scans the area. He makes sure to keep an eye behind him. The narrow path was only beneficial if he kept his enemy to one side.

The narrow path keeps the enemy in front of you, but you are also all that stands before the terrifying beast and any would be escape attempt made to outside. 10m from you, it hunches low as it begins backing up to the end of the tunnel, and the back of its burrow.

Grimgar tightens his grip on his spear and continues forwards. He had hoped to catch the creature unawares, but it seemed to have sensed him somehow... It was now or never. He kept moving, ready to strike.

The hairs on its legs is quivering seemingly in line with your movements. The hair is coarse almost like whiskers.

6:16 PM

(Initiative )

(9)

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [4] Result: 4

(you're up first)

(If I am close enough I will stab this thing and try and block the exit)

(It's going to have to go through you to try to get out with how we're positioned right now)

1

(10 to hit, 6 damage)

(what is your shock damage? you might have been able to still get something in on it)

(So I am not sure. I have Shocking Assault which says " The Shock damage of your weapon treats all targets as if they were AC 10, assuming your weapon is capable of harming the target in the first place. " and my weapon says Shock Range 3/15) (edited)

(okay, so in the event of a miss, or your rolled damage being less than 3, you inflict 3 damage on the enemy in melee combat)

1

9:56 AM

The creature takes a reflexive step back as the spear grazes its thick hide. There is a thin line of crimson created by the blade, as it rears. It concentrates for a moment before it jumps forward with its claws.

9:56 AM

!roll d20+3

Nekosmash Roll: [13] Result: 16

!roll d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6] Result: 6

(16/6)

(Yep so I take 6)

10:32 AM

(I realize now I rolled 2d6 like a skill check for my attack last time haha)

10:33 AM

Grim winces as the claw slashes across him. Grunting, he he anchors the spear under his arm and stabs again.

10:34 AM

(16/4)

The spear thrusts into the gut of the beast, wounding it terribly. It roars, and tries to bite back at you

12:49 PM

!roll d20+3

Nekosmash Roll: [1] Result: 4

The claws gash and gnash at the air, ineffective as you pull back quickly, letting the fangs close on open air.

(So 15 to hit, but only rolled 1 on damage, which becomes 3 I think)

(Yeah and 15 misses anyway so you do your shock damage )

8:46 PM

The spear cuts down the side of the beast and it’s splintering tip draws several rips in its side. You look to have the better of them fight for the moment

8:46 PM

!roll d20+3

Nekosmash Roll: [15] Result: 18

!roll d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6] Result: 6

(18/6) it’s jaws lock, you feel armor around your mid section start to crack and the warmth of something liquid underneath.

(Can I use my luck ability here?)

(Veterans luck? Yes you can)

(The Warriors thing)

(Yes. Veterans luck. Okay, that missed. Back to you)

1

Luckily, the armor manages to hold. Ignoring the pain and blood from his earlier injury he stabs again.

11:55 AM

(Rolled a 9, so just shock of 3)

The beast is gravely wounded as it thrashes and shakes, trying to dislodge you and break your grip on the spear.

2:35 PM

!roll d20+3

Nekosmash Roll: [12] Result: 15

(I think a 15 is below your armor class, so the best will have missed)

(It is, but I also miss. Gonna kill each other 3hp at a time it seems)

4:17 PM

The tight quarters make maneuvering difficult, but he manages to batter the beast some with the shaft of the spear.

The spear looked like it was going to be deflected but you twist it expertly, punching deep into the eye of the monster and the brain behind it. It gives a low growl of pain before going limp and giving its last breath

Grimgar breaths a deep sigh, wrenching the spear from the creature with a wet sound. He takes a moment to push the creature with his boot and watch for any signs of movement before breathing deeply and looking around the burrow.

(If there’s nothing down here I just drag the body back out to strip it down)

(This didn’t light up for me. Nothing else in here. If you’re trying to take some trophies we would need a survive /wis)

(11. I’ll just take a cloak and a claw I guess. Is there anything important of note when I’m this close to it?)

Nothing more than the detail we had really. Just really big and really mean and allowed to populate beyond what’s probably healthy for the reason. We can take those Raw materials from it but we would have to spend time at a later date to make something out of any of it)

Grim drags the creature back up from its burrow and drops it outside. He looks for a suitable tree and removes a length of cord from his pack before stringing up the creature. He then gets to work stripping the creature, removing its pelt and its claws, and taking his time to examine the creature’s anatomy as he works on it.

5:04 PM

(Rolled a 10/11 with the kit)

(10 will work, we've got the raw materials, we just need to spend time making it lateR)

8:19 AM

You see strong muscles on its arms and legs, meant to spring, climb, and sprint quickly. For a creature making burrows in the ground, those arms might also be well suited to digging.

With the parts prepared, he bundles them up and binds them to his pack. After which, he takes a moment to clean and sharpen his weapons before finally setting off to track down more of these beasts. Hopefully with more understanding of their anatomy and burrows the next one would prove easier to locate. He holds his spear under his arm and raises his shield before setting off.

Having blooded the creature, and the scent of it on you, you notice many creatures beginning to keep their distance from you. Small birds and rodents begin running, scurrying back to hiding places at your approach far before actually seeing you. It does not seem like there are any other tracks in this area belonging to your quarry either, as each seems to have had their own hunting grounds.

(Yea not sure how to find more… I have a general spot on the map. I guess I go far enough away and look for a similar area to this nesting ground? Maybe they’ll smell the blood and think it’s a challenge and come find me.) (edited)

(We can certainly try something like that)

(Not sure if you want me to post something else or roll something for that maybe?)

(I'd need to know how you're planning on doing what you're doing to move the scene or tell you what to roll)

(Yep I can’t think of anything else aside from what I said above. Look at the map, find a spot some distance away from this location that’s still in the area of sightings and look for similar conditions to this burrow)

1:19 PM

(And hope that I find some tracks or the scent of the one I killed attracts another maybe)

Knowing what the beast likes, and its tracks, you begin circling the area with the extra animal parts in tow. After an hour of looking, as late afternoon dawns, you find a second set of tracks, larger than the first but altogether similar.

Grim knelt by the tracks, pondering them for a moment. Finally finding another set was good news. The fact that they were larger than the first set, however, was not. Standing up again he drew his shield and sword, keeping the goggles on his head but above his eyes so as not to fight disorientation in the light. Letting out a long breath he nodded to himself and followed the set of tracks, moving slowly and cautiously. (The lady said she wanted them all dead, but I dont think I have any idea what that actually means... dont know how many there are all together)

(Neither does she. I think they’d be happy with any you did manage to kill)

9:44 PM

The tracks begin to wind through the trees and grasses of the light forest you have wandered into and you see evidence of this one being a climber despite its larger size. Broken branches and scraped off bark on the trunks are easy to follow and after walking for about an hour you come to what looks to be almost a sheer incline of loosely packed rock and moss, that marks the start of a series of foothills

Grumbling, he sheathed his weapons and pulled his pack tight across his back. Taking a step back and craning his head, he looked up the incline for an alternate path as he contemplated following the markings upwards. (If I don’t see another path and this is where the tracks go, I’ll follow them)

(It looks to be climbing up the foothill, so exert/con or str if we're following)

(Rolled 10) Grim rubs his hands together before cracking his fingers and rolling his shoulders. He runs a hand along the wall and find a handhold, and then begins his ascent.

Climbing takes half an hour and your arms and legs burn by the time you make it to the top of the cliff, to once again find a cave like structure with animal bones strewn outside it.

10:12 AM

It seems as though it is a climber, something dark, with a protected flank is the burrow preferred by these creatures, fierce as they are.

Grim shook his hands and arms as he waited a brief moment to regain his stamina. He takes a deep breath, and draws his sword and shield from their storage before moving his goggles down over his eyes. He knew the creatures had keen senses, but he hoped the scent of his travel and the other beast on him might mask it. Dropping to a crouch he slowly crept within.

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [4, 1] Result: 5

The creature seems to be asleep when you enter the cave, curled up in a ball at the back of the chamber. It looks like it has fought something recently, crimson gashes down the side of its body, especially along the flanks.

(So sneak attack assassinations seem strong... but I would settle for a surprise attack if I can manage it.) Grimgar continues slowly through the tunnel, his weapon raised and angled forwards towards the creature.

(Youd get a surprise round. It would notice you if you stood here for the full minute needed

(Understood. So do I just roll an attack then or does it automatically hit?) Grim closes the rest of the distance towards the sleeping beast. He raises his blade, aiming towards the creature and prepares to strike with all of his might. (edited)

(It does not automatically hit, you just get a move and main worth of actions before we roll initiative)

1

(I am assuming an 8 doesn't hit) Grimgar lunges forward, but at the last second the the creature rolls to the side and the sword lunges harmlessly into the dirt beside the beast. Cursing under his breath he raises his shield and sword.

(it does not, but depending on your shock with the medium advanced weapon, some of that might go through)

3:03 PM

(Initiative)

(Shock is 3/13. Init is 9)

(no shock , you're first since the best I could possibly do is an 8 for init)

(22 to hit, rolled a 2 for damage but minimum is 3 I think?)

(yep, if your shock is 3 , if you roll worse you will do 3)

11:04 AM

The sword lashes out, striking the beast and causing a minor cut, but not nearly enough to bring it down. For its own part, it sends its tail lashing out at you, trying to sweep your legs (Evasion save, which is a D20+ dex)

(Sheet says evasion 14+ and I rolled 17)

(Right, so you need to meet or beat that number, 17 is higher than 14 so you pass)

1:04 PM

The sweeping tail misses as you deftly jump over it, and land gently. (you are up)

(So I rolled a 20 for 24, thats double dice right? 9 for damage) Grim leaps over the tail, using his momentum to follow through and bring the blade down across the creatures flank with a slashing blow. (edited)

\

(That’s correct )

9:27 AM

The creature is gashed across the bottom and it roars as it’s wounded. It attacks back with its claws and jaws, each fang the length of a short sword. (edited)

9:27 AM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [3] Result: 8

(8 misses and your ac is too high for shock)

(Rolled a 14 to hit, but 1 to damage. So shock of 3 maybe) (Also sorry for that back slash… musta hit the keyboard.) Grim attacks again with his sword, but the terrain is restricted and he cannot make a strong attack.

The grazing blow wounds the creature as it continues its enraged attack against you

9:18 AM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [20] Result: 25

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6, 5] Result: 11

(Crit/11)

9:19 AM

(You’ve used veterans luck already this mission too)

(I wasn’t sure if it was once per mission or once per fight, but yep I have. So I am at 9 now- gonna attack) (I’ve rolled terrible a lot… another miss, 3 more damage from shock) (edited)

9:55 AM

Grim staggers back, only managing to deliver another glancing blow in return. (edited)

The creature looks to be in about as rough shape as you are now, hunched low and growling. Its fangs lash out at you once more, hoping to win this fight of man against beast

7:56 AM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [15] Result: 20

!roll d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6] Result: 6

(non nat 20/6)

(Yep, that puts me on the brink here...) (Luckily I rolled a 1 for my attack roll, so 3 shock damage there) Grim staggers back as another attack pierces through his armor, leaving him bloodied. He strikes back with a quick slash.

The heavily wounded creature looks to be keeping back, trying to put some distance between you and the fearful weapon you carry.

12:46 PM

Its tail lashes out, the weighted tip used as a mace to try to crush where cutting and biting did not.

12:46 PM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [16] Result: 21

!roll d4

Nekosmash Roll: [2] Result: 2

(21/2)

(Another bad roll, 3 shock damage. I have 1 hp left.) The attack knocks the wind from him as he stabs out from behind his shield.

Rearing back, your glancing blow looks to have been enough. An awkward bounce off a rock sends the blade streaking across the throat of the monster. It rears back, blood pumping from the terminal wound. It tries to scrabble up the rocks to pass you, but its strength is failing before your eyes.

Grim does not pursue the creature, not having the strength to stop it even if he wished to. He coughed up blood and held his shielded hand to put pressure on one of his wounds. He cautiously points the weapon at the creature, watching it. (edited)

It breathes its last breath, and dies at the entry of the cave, blood still pumping from the mortal wound you dealt it.

Letting out a long, drawn out sigh, he falls to one knee wiped the blood from his weapon. He takes a quick look around the burrow as he does so. With any luck it would serve as a safe burrow for him long enough to heal up enough for the trip back. (I’d like to see if I can heal some, and I’d also like to field strip the monster if I can.)

(If you do not have any medicine on you, there is no way to heal without taking time to rest in a safe area where you'd be able to access medical care)

2:50 PM

(Combat being a main focus of the character, the page on injury and healing in the core book is a good thing to check out when you;ve got time to do it, just so you can weigh risks in the future)

(I was mistaken, I thought my Lazarus patch was more of a medical kit. Then I will just narratively rest and strip this thing. Rolled 12 for survival.) Grim strips the creature in the dim light of the caves entrance. He uses his blade to skillfully remove the largest claw as well as the hide from the carcass. After which he takes a few moments to catch his breath before eventually slowly, and cautiously, making his way down- using his rope where able. (edited)

Wounded as you are, and with two creatures dead it seems as though you've accomplished something worth filling the Lamplighter camp in about, and you remember the medical facilities there that were responsible for caring for the natives. Those can easily be put to use getting you back to a state where you're not about to fall over, too.

With the thought of a warm meal and a medical center filling his thoughts he makes his way back to his speeder. He straps the bundled pelts to the speeder and heads back to camp. The trip back on foot is difficult, his wounds making every step feel like a needle in his wounds. Luckily for him, he was no stranger to pain. Unluckily however, that didn’t dull stop it from hurting, merely kept him moving.

(3xp, 5000 credits)

3:21 PM

(if this levels you, it doesn't return you to full health, you just gain the amount of HP you've improved your total by, so ex, 20 to 26, you'd be at 7 health, with further recovery coming from medicine or resting for long term medical care) (edited)

1

Level Up Level: 3 Old HP: 20 HP Roll: 25 New HP: 25 Current AB: 3 Strength increase 1st - 1 Empty Holster Style 0 - 1 Kenjutsu 0 - 1 (edited)

(did you go from -1 to 0, or 0 to 1, because from skills alone this is four skill points use just from the martial arts)

8:23 AM

(-1 isn't a placeholder level, neither is 0)

(That was me going to rank 0 and spending 1 point. So -1 to 0 should be 1 point each right?) (edited)

(correct)

(I think that’s it for leveling? Not trying to rush just not sure if you need anything else from me. Grim is gonna go give all the info about the creature and their dens to the elder and hopefully get some healing)

(didn't see you edited the post so nothing lit up for me)

8:36 AM

With two trophies taken, you return to the Lamplighter post where the credits are transferred to your account. There is a medical clinic here, and you will be able to get some longer term care to recover from your wounds, as well as transportation elsewhere if you decide to seek new employment beyond Thojhild.

Grim makes sure to pass on all of his notes from his excursion- the creatures behavior, it’s burrows, their size and attacks. With that out of the way he spends a fair bit of time recuperating. He was not about to run away from somebody sewing up his wounds for free. With that finally settled however, his thoughts drifted towards what he might do next. (Do any of the people I’ve worked for seem grateful or maybe just like appreciative of the work? If it seems like there’s room to grow a work relationship I might stay but otherwise I’d leave.) (Also I need to buy some better armor…)

(You've completed two missions for the Lamplighter faction, you get a rank in it after another mission, along with a bonus )

1:44 PM

(Not everything they might ask you to do to assist with reconstruction is going to involve killing things though. One of the things they're interested in right now for example is figuring out a safe route across the grass sea so a road can be made, and the towns these camps will turn into can be connected)

(That’s fine, survival is actually better than stab. In that case I’ll stick around some and do another job here, whatever that is) (edited)

(would you want to take up that exploring mission I mentioned?)

(Sure. I dunno the details but that sounds fine. As long as it pays!)

(We heal your character level worth of HP per day getting long term medical care, so you'd be here for a bout a week recovering)

11:38 AM

Upon the day you are to be released from the clinic, one of the Lamplighter guards comes for you, with a data slab. On the screen there is a scan, waiting for your palm print before it will open, though you recognize this as one of the pads the organization uses when making an offer for work.

Grim looks at the pad for a moment before glancing up at the guard with a quizzical expression. He then nodded taking the data slab and placing his hand on palm before waiting to read the contents.

There is a short beep as your identity is confirmed. A briefing document displays and begins scrolling on the screen after a brief spinning Lamplighter Foundation graphic appears. It appears as though an exploration mission is being planned to find new routes across the planet. Much like a living organism, old settlements fall and new ones rise, and as the population moves they will new ways to get around. This settlement has a companion on the other side of the grass sea, and on foot this route would be almost impossible for a party to cross on foot due to the dangers, the difficulty in navigation, and so on. The locals here are beginning to get technology again, but a road leading through the sea would help them far more than electronic mapping right now. A road is being planned from here to the settlement on the other side of the grass sea, and the foundation has tapped you to try to be the one to map it.

Grim moves the slab in his hand to his side as he ponders, scratching his chin with his free hand. He reached into his side bag and felt the tip of the large talon he had retrieved. After those two beasts, a bit of survivalism seemed easy in comparison. He nodded to the guard in agreement before speaking. “I accept. I will need some time to prepare before heading out.” (So I need to make a cloak out of those pelts and I need to but that pavis. I should probably stick up on some other supplies like rations and maybe a transponder or something.)

(Let me know, make a shopping list and I'll let you know if something isn't available. The survival kit does have an emergency beacon in it if I remmeber correctly) (edited)

(Just a large advanced sword and the pavis. You mentioned before crafting for the hides but not sure how that works)

(I know you mentioned a cape, I think you can make one for about 10 credits worth of materials if you're not planning on their being some kind of mechanical benefit to it)

3:01 PM

(if you wanted to do something more elaborate I'd need some kind of pitch of what you'd want those things to do and we can see if something can be worked out)

(I can double check my book when I get home but I don’t think anything too crazy. Maybe some sort of bonus to sneak because it comes from a sneaky cat boi? Or maybe some bonus to survival to resist the elements maybe? I more want a cool cloak) (Maybe some sort of boost to intimidation for this big monster cloak?) (edited)

(Which do you want, survival or sneaking or some kind of talk based skill then

(I think sneak would be my preference, since the closest thing to intimidate is talk which doesnt seem to apply...)

(okay, I think that being the case we'd need about two days to complete the work, also using a unit of spare parts to make things like fasteners and something to keep it comfortably around you. It would be a 1 enc item that needs to be readied for you to get the +1 sneak bonus, and I can add it to your sheet) (edited)

1

(Sure sounds good. I do have the two pelts and the two talons, so I figured between both of them it’s be enough for one nice one.) (Also, the survival kit does come with one beacon. Not sure if they just want me to walk across and then walk back with a group or like leave beacons for a path.)

(Your compad would record your route. Basically just make it to the other side and share the data )

1

With his injuries mostly healed, he set about preparing for the journey across the grassland. His survival kit would see to the necessities, so Grim instead packed extra water and rations for the journey. With those requisitions done, he set about curing and tanning the hides for a cloak. Using the two pelts, as well as the talons, he managed to sew together a fine cloak- resistant to the elements while still retaining the dark, shadowy characteristic of the creature. He whittled down a fastening from the talon and attached it to the neck. Satisfied with the work he swung it up and over his shoulders in a flourish before feeding the claw into the other side to button it closed. With a nod to himself he gathered the rest of his gear and set about making his final purchases. (Can I get the pavis and weapon here?)

(Pavis and weapon here yes)

Speaking once more to the quartermaster, Grim exchanges some of his old gear- his small blade and his self made spear, along with a significant stack of credits- for a pavis and large sword. After familiarizing himself with the gear he gathers all of the items and prepares to head out.

(d10 for our first hex leaving camp east)

(7)

Heading east, you leave with a slightly different route, and begin heading into the grass sea. You have the location of the central great tree still loaded into your device and its location is a natural center point of the route as it is a a good landmark. You enter a zone where biological readings are too many to specifically pick out, but there is one reading you are familiar with, where it seems another of the creatures you'd previously hunted has left its forest home for the possibly more abundant and less hunted prey in the grasslands.

Making a mental note of the creatures heading and the tree in relation to it, he drops to a knee to firmly secure the hood of his cloak and his gear firmly beneath it. He had managed to best two of the beasts during his last outing, but there was no point in fighting this one unless he needed to. He continued on cautiously, keeping his eyes wide for changes in his surroundings. Noting it’s lair might be beneficial, but it was hardly his priority at the moment. With the sun still up, he continued on.

(Did you want to find the den then, or move on? We'd have to do something to try to find it so we can mark it)

(Nah I don’t think so, just keeping an eye out for signs. Not getting payed to kill any extra)

(okay, D10 then)

(6)

Moving off from the suspected hunting grounds of an apex predator that will no doubt maraud unprepared travelers coming this way, the bike begins moving off towards the east, entering an area with tall grass and several giant mushrooms the size of houses. The area is thick with spores, and the shrooms exude something of a natural reddish yellow glow, though it is low.

(It seems like you’re insinuating I should fight that thing. In my defense they shouldn’t be unprepared, because I would be telling them there is a creature there and if I die… did they want me to secure the route or just chart it?)

(I'm not insinuating anything to happen right now. I am laying out seeds for future missions should we want to do them so there's a running list of things we might do that are somewhat accessible and within our wheelhouse, like I do for everyone)

11:20 AM

(there is no railroading here, but by the same token I think there is some virtue in keeping a list of possible things handy so no one feels bored or directionless) (edited)

(Fair point, I just wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing a direct objective or something. Maybe in the way back) (With regards to the murder mushrooms- can I identify them, or otherwise go around them? )

(This plant has not been documented before, anything we know about it would come from any observations you make , and its just the feature of this area, it can be gone around)

(I guess I will try and examine them then. Is that a survival check? I’d mainly be concerned about if they are dangerous or not.) Grim pulls his cloak tight around him and covers his mouth with the cloth of his clothing. As he checks the survival kit he purchased and does not find these mushrooms, he sighs and decides to attempt to see if they are dangerous.

(We could try a survive check if you like)

9:48 PM

(With wisdom, int wouldn’t apply since we don’t have info to recall about these )

1

(9)

You are not sure how eating them might go for you, and getting close to the spores might also be a problem. The mushrooms don't seem to be doing anything to attack you, and may not be any more aware of you can a conventional mushroom might be.

8:13 AM

(they're not getting out of the ground to attack you)

(Right. Can’t tell if the spores are poisonous though? That was the main concern. If I can’t tell I’ll just move on and make a note)

(by just visual observation I don't think there's a way to tell, but if you can think of a way to test for it we can certainly play that out)

(I don’t know a whole lot about mushrooms but I assume my guy knows some. I think it’s more like examining it and looking for similarities with other toxic ones. If there are dead animals around, or maybe the total absence of animals, that would also work. If not I’ll just note down ‘weird mushrooms’ and move on) Grim slowly walks the outskirts of the patch of mushrooms, looking into the odd fungi from afar. He was not familiar with this particular species, but he had some experience with other species and looked for similarities. He also checked for any changes to wildlife- dead or dying creatures, and the presence of absence of any life within the cloud. Without a certainty of the danger, he decided caution would be best, but making clear mental notes of the trip was important. (edited)

There do not seem to be any animals here, and you see no evidence of pieces being taken out of any of them so no animals have eaten here. You do not see any dead ones, but it seems maybe they know to stay away.

For the time being, that information would be enough. If the scientists of Lamplighter wanted to look into this flora further, they could do so. For now, he noted that information and continued on. (If you need another d10, I rolled a 1...) (edited)

(We'd be coming to that tree now, as night is beginning to fall , so we can continue on in the dark or camp there)

Returning to the tree the marked the midway point of his journey Grimgar set about securing the location for a camp site. Walking around the tree he looks for any signs of animal, or other camps that may have been made here. Finally he sets down his pack and begins preparing the site for the night.

You see the birds have made a home here again. Invasive and offworld in origin they have made a home here and do not seem pressed to move anytime soon. They caw lazily at one another from the upper branches

Grim continues to build his fire, thankful for the grass and branches nearby, hopefully sufficiently dry. He sits down for the night, taking out his bedroll and putting his back to the tree as he looks up towards the tree. He hoped the night would pass uneventfully and pulled the hide cloak over himself to sleep.

!roll d10

Nekosmash Roll: [1] Result: 1

The night passes uneventfully, though upon waking you can see humanoid footprints have made several circles around your camp. It doesn't look like anything has been taken, or tampered with.

Grim rises to his feet slowly, reaching for his weapon as he looks around the area. He quickly bundles up his equipment and returns it to his pack before stomping out the embers of his campfire. Tracks so close to his camp made him uncomfortable... whatever it was, it had not attacked him. It had also not made its presence know however. Too many unknowns made him uneasy. As he gather his supplies he tore into one of his rations quickly before checking his gear and heading off to see if he could find where the tracks led to.

From the tree, the tracks head north off the path you were scouting and into a patch of grass that is taller than you, especially thick and especially dark. You can make out for distinct sets of prints but if the unknonwns walked single file, or close together these tracks might represent several times that number

Grim grumbles to himself, looking back between the tree and the tracks leading off ahead. Whoever or whatever this was, it hadn’t attacked him, so he would have to hope his luck held out. The tracks would need to be examined otherwise he would have to mark another large swath off the potential route. Pulling his cloak down over his head, he crouched low and moved slowly after the footprints. (Not looking for a fight if I don’t need to, but I gotta find out what these are.) (edited)

The grass almost looks to form into paths. It looks to be simple to move through them and it reminds you of a network of roads, and it is after a few moments more where you find the first stone arrowhead. It looks human in origin and evidently some of the former world culture has made it to a relative sense of safety out here in the tall grasses, though they have endless places to hide amid this large sea.

Grim crouches down, looking at the tracks before stopping on the arrowhead. He reaches down to pick it up, examining it in his hand before placing it in his pouch. With a sigh he stood knelt up and cautiously began heading back. He would report this information, but for now he still had a path to find, and he continued back to find it.

(d10 as we push on!)

!roll d10

Grimgar Roll: [3] Result: 3

Heading further east past the tree you find a place where the grass seems to be drying out and dying in strange circular patterns, despite most of the region being green and thick with growth.

Grim checked through the survival kit he had acquired earlier for any note of what these markings might be indicative of. Assuming they were not man made, they might be some sort of creature... or odd growth. Regardless, he decided to treat the situation as hostile until he was certain it was not so and continued onwards.

(onwards to more path, or into the dead zone?)

(Dead zone. I wanna move through it carefully)

Looking at the grass you can see something like a sky blue fungus working its way up the stalks in patches and growths running up the plants and sucking the nutrients from them.

Grim grumbles to himself, making a note of the fungus. Dealing with fungal growth and classifying fauna and flora were not his specialties, but he would still try to be thorough. Checking the suns position for direction, he continued back towards his destination.

(two more hexes and we're there, so one more D10)

!roll 1d10

Grimgar Roll: [3] Result: 3

Heading east you find yourself somewhat close to your destination, and the land here is a place you've traveled over before finding nesting birds and their eggs in the tall grass. It looks like they're all still here, though a species of something like a ferret has also moved into the area and looks to be on the hunt for unguarded eggs.

Grim continues walking through the grass, watching the wildlife engaged in its daily struggles as he continues towards his destination. He watched with mild interest as a ferret found a nest empty of parents and absconded with an egg. Such was the way of things he thought. Making another note he pushed on towards his destination. He was close now. (Rolled a d10 for 8 if you need it) (edited)

Returning back to the eastern settlement where you first landed on this planet and began helping the locals build something out of their society, you submit the route and the dangers you noticed along it to the Lamplighter command. They will review what you've brought in ,and other jobs will likely come from what you've returned. (3xp, 5000 credits)

(Nice! I helped some folks out and I guess I gain a rank with them now? I will have to think about what to do next… should probably consider heading somewhere else now)

(We do get that first rank with LLF, correct)

With the journey completed, Grim heads to the nearest bar or cafe he can find for a well deserved meal. Content to get off his feet for a while he rests while he can before checking back in with his original contact- the man with the SMG.

You're able to find him near the landing field where you first came to this planet. It looks as though he has a small office out there, where he can keep an eye on who is coming and going for his reports.

Grim gives a knock on the doorway of the office as he steps inside. He looks around the room before turning towards the man. “You got a name?” He asks plainly as he looks at them.

"Might, might not. Depends what you want it for." he says, giving you the vibes that he might be some kind of spook.

“I’ve been doing work on this planet for a while now. You’re my sole point of communication and information off world. I assume you know my name, saying ‘that guy by the spaceport’ is frustrating.” he says as he crosses his arms, looking them over.

"I'm with UNW intelligence, Agent Dorian, now you know my name. Did you need something ?" he asks, looking intent on the work in front of him.

“Better than Handrew the Handler…” he says, his expression not changing as he looks down at the man with arms still crossed. “Work. What’s available?”

"You think you have what it takes to kill a man?" he asks, shuffling through some reports.

He cocks his head at the man and his jaw tightens. “Wouldn’t be the first time, can’t imagine it would be the last. More bandits?”

"Not quite. Still people standing in the way of order and progress here, but they want something a little more cerebral than just land or resources. They want to stop the progress we are making here because they think tribalism is what this world deserves. They're calling themselves the Black Lotus, and essentially they're a Luddite movement. We've captured their leadership some months ago, and they're being held in a location I cannot disclose. That said, we've caused a situation where that group has formed cells here and we're in a bit of a needles and haystacks situation trying to dig them out.

Grimgar places a hand on his chin, rubbing his thumb along the stubble of his face as he ponders the information. "I'm somewhat more of a hammer, than a scalpel. If you know the locations of these people, I am sure I can remove them from the equation... but tracking down and eliminating people who live off the land is much tougher, and more expensive."

"They're somewhat nomadic. They follow herds of animals or places where they haven't picked through the woods quite yet. They don't really make camp, if you understand what I'm saying. We don't expect a single tracker to dismantle a network of hundreds, but any you do manage to remove from this planet we would pay well for. "

He reaches into his pack and removes an arrowhead from within before walking towards the desk and dropping it amid the pile of reports. “Found this, along with a set of tracks nearby where I made camp. It’s in those reports I keep submitting.” he adds dryly before continuing. “Single set of tracks, can’t judge the numbers, didn’t find a camp at the time but it led through deep brush. Could have attacked me while I slept but they didn’t.” he says crossing his arms again and looking towards the man to read his expression.

He looks over your gear for a brief minute, giving you a study. "Your equipment. You don't have much on you that's all together that modern. Maybe they mistook you for one of their own from another cell?"

He shrugs. “Maybe. You try talking to them? Just leave em alone and they leave you alone? No difference to me, you’re paying me.”

'If that worked we wouldn't have put bounties on them. They're not going to go away, our views on what's best for the people that live here are opposed as much as it is possible to be"

1

“Can’t just give them a chunk of land for themselves? Back on my home planet, tribes were always fighting- the strongest exerts their power and they prosper. If you’re not looking for diplomacy you might as well send out teams and start cleansing the wilds.” he says with a shrug, pausing before continuing. “Just wanna know what I’m dealing with here. End of the day it’s your credits.”

“Do you want the job or not? I’ll just ask someone else if you’re going to debate politics with me” the agent says, moving to revoke the file.

1

“Relax, pal. I’m still not sure what you want from me. You k ow where these people are or not? You want me to track them down and only kill their leaders? Or do you know where the leaders are and you want me to get rid of them?”

(That grassland camp area you were looking at is where I planned to send you back to, especially since you brought up the lead )

1

(Gotcha. So he has intel that the guy is there and I’m supposed to go get them then… I’m really just trying to get any info on the target I can first)

(Yeah. You’re a tracker. They don’t really know where these guys are and you stumbled on something so he doesn’t have much. Your skill come into play here Becsuse you can get the information they need)

(So it’s finding the camp not killing the guy? Either way I need to find the camp first)

(Find the camp and kill anyone there)

1

2:23 PM

(It’s both)

(It’s like Avatar except I’m the bad guy! Either way I will accept.)

The job promises to pay well , and will pay once results are obtained. For now the agent doesn’t have any further information.

Grim nods, accepting the contract and exiting the office to plan his next moves. There was not a lot of information to go on outside of his previous run in with their tracks. He had no doubt that this group would be self reliant, and have a good understanding of their surrounding terrain… but if he waited until night, the goggles might help give him an edge. He also thought on the transponder in his pack. He might be able to hide it within the camp to another team to finish clearing it out. For now he would need to stay flexible and adapt it nice he knew more about the camp.

(Did you want to do anything while we are in a camp, as far as gear or anything else or should we toss you back out to the woods)

(I don’t think so… I don’t really know what to expect outside of enemies. Assuming I have rations and stuff I think I’m alright)

To: Watchman Grimgar
From: Lightbringer Grim 

Congratulations on your promotion to Watchman. Your contributions to the Foundation are greatly appreciated. Attached you will find copies of the ship requisition forms, that will allow you to request use of any LLF ship not currently being utilized, an account has also been opened for you that allows you to access LLF funds with details for doing so attached. If you need anything please don’t hesitate to reach out.

V/r
Lightbringer Grim

5:44 PM

(Basically if you need to spend money on anything and can reasonably tie it to LLF interests just send me the bill, within reason like no 100 million bills with out a conversation first. If you want to use any of our ships just ask, if they aren’t currently being used by someone else for a mission you can use it. Also if you want a ship built we can build you one as well. Basically now that you are LLF, if there’s anything you need or want just ask)

Soren (Grim)

(Basically if you need to spend money on anything and can reasonably tie it to LLF interests just send me the bill, within reason like no 100 million bills with out a conversation first. If you want to use any of our ships just ask, if they aren’t currently being used by someone else for a mission you can use it. Also if you want a ship built we can build you one as well. Basically now that you are LLF, if there’s anything you need or want just ask)

(I don’t think I could spend 100million if I wanted to… but thanks! For now I should be fine with my sword. Appreciate the message!)

(sounds good, lets get a notice/wis as we move back to the grasslands)

(9)

You can see once you return to the campsite from the day before- now it being late afternoon- that this place seems to be frequented by the group that looked at you while you slept. You estimate five sets of footprints in the trodden down grass.

(So this grass- is there a way to move around/through it so that I can try and find the camp without waiting on the only trail?)

(Physically pushing through it, hacking it down with a blade, ect. You're pretty free to think of something plausible and its up to me to put mechanics over that if we need them) (edited)

(I think I want to step out into the grass and try to sneak through, pushing my way further.) Grim knelt down a moment, examining the expanse of tall grass with a quiet sigh before pulling his cloak tight around his form. Moving through the grass would be more difficult, but it was less likely he would be spotted immediately- or something he hoped.

(sneak/dex)

(8)

You are quiet and you sneak off to the edge of the grass lanes, and your movement is slow and careful. You disturb very little as you pass by, but smell the scent of smoke in the air and a nearby cookfire.

Grim pauses as he smells the smoke wafting through the air. Although he could not see it, he must be close. He made sure his gear was secure and drew his weapon slowly before edging his way closer. Slowly he headed further within, reaching out with all of his senses for any information he could gleam. Most important was to remain unseen, but just below that was finding a location to observe the camp until nightfall. So he moved slowly and searched.

The three insurgents you find are hunched over a small cooking fire away from you. Two rodents are on splits slowly rotating over the low flames. They small actually fairly good.

1

Grim observed them from a distance, ignoring the slight rumble in his stomach as he watched from his cover. Three men was hardly a guaranteed win, but he had been expecting more. Three insurgents in the bush was too much for the armed guards to flush out? With the group in sight he continued to wait, watching them intently until the conditions would be more advantageous to him, and learning as much as he could for now.

This doesn't seem like a main force. They are heavily fitted to be traveling in the wilds and don't look like they are close to any kind of settled area given the amount of pack space they've got devoted to their gear. This looks to be a scout element.

Grim settled in for a long wait, pulling his cloak tightly around his head as he nestled into the foliage. (This isn’t the camp I am being paid to remove right? Or is it, but I realize there’s a bigger one?)

(This is not, these are scouts possible from it, or who might know where it is though)

2:39 PM

(This is just what we ran into first as part of the adventure)

(Right just making sure I was on the right page. I think the plan is still to wait and watch them for now)

(So plan is now to wait until night and then attack. I have an unarmed style so the hope is to take one alive.)

(Sneak/dex)

12:09 PM

(we're gonna be here a while, this is just your attempts at staying quiet and hidden over the next several hours)

(8)

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [6, 1] Result: 7

You're not noticed as the three scouts widdle away the hours and bed down to sleep, their fire burning low with their meal done. They seem to know enough to not give away their position at night by letting it burn.

(Can I do an assassination to knock a guy out here? Otherwise I will just try and kill one to start)

(Execution attacks can only be used to kill)

(Cowabunga it is. Plan is to murder two and knock out one. Do you want another roll for the execution or should I rp staking the guy?)

(As it stands, we have 3 people here. You passed your most recent sneak check which means they're unaware of you, and you've remained near them for a full minute . Melee executions automatically hit, but with everyone this close together I think what will happen is after we execute the first guy, I'll roll a notice for the other two , against your last sneak. If nothing happens, we can say you down another one, and then once we're left with one we can see how things are going, scene could change an awful lot depending on the dice)

1

As night finally falls on the camp, and the group slowly falls into the daily rhythm of camping, Grim rises to his feet with murderous purpose. Sliding the night goggles over his eyes, he begins to move along the outside of the fire light as he stalks the guard keeping watch. Moving slowly with the blade of his weapon to the side, he strode towards them on three limbs, crouched in the night like the creatures whose cloak he wore around himself. Even taking his time, it was not long before he had circled around to the guard on the outskirts of the light. He stalked ever closer, raising the blade high as he closed the last few feet towards the man. The blade came down quickly in a measured slash, dark and silent in the night. (edited)

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [3, 1] Result: 4

(4 v 8, so the other two do not notice for now)

7:44 AM

The kill is largely silent except for a stunned gasp as his snoring is cut short. In the darkness, the blood looks black rather than red but you know when the morning light comes this sleeping bag will look like a crimson smear among the green grass of the plains.

(Try two, then) With one of the men down, he turned to look over the camp. It seemed that his luck continued to hold- for the time being. Slowly he began stalking his way towards the next target.

!roll 2d6

Nekosmash Roll: [4, 2] Result: 6

(6 v 8, so second one is down, third guy doesn't wake up and since he is prone, your attack will hit, so we can just say you knock him out)

(Understood. I’ll RP that out.) Circling around to the next man, he disposes of him in similar fashion. Taking a moment to clean the blood from his blade he sheathes it in his scabbard before finally making his way to the last of them. In a quick and violent motion he knocks the man unconscious. With the camp neutralized, he drags their packs into the fire light to examine them for intel and items of use.

1

They were working on a map and it looks like they've been watching the western lamplighter camp you departed from a half week earlier (the western one when you started mapping the road) for quite some time. The drawing is detailed and they've even estimated distances from the edge of the grass sea to the closest of the buildings . You're not sure if this is necessarily heralding an attack, but the information is very detailed and specific. They do not have much in the way of food or water now, and you think they might have been returning to wherever their home is, rather than deploying out to the field.

(Nothing on the map about where they came from?) Grim examines the map thoroughly, committing as much of it to memory as he can before folding it up and placing it in his pack. Removing a length of rope from the pack he begins binding up the unconscious man before leaning him up within sight of his fallen comrades. Taking one last look through the camp he takes the remains of one of the men's canteen and dumps the content on the man's face, crossing his arms as he waits for them to regain their senses. (edited)

(they know where they live so they didn't need a map to get back)

(That’s fair, They might have indicated it or the absence of it or something. Maybe they’re dumb? In that case I’m gonna interrogate this guy)

(they were primarily interested in mapping the LLF camp. Which they've done. They're natives so we can assume they otherwise know the lay of the land.)

(Understood, well hopefully he talks. My looming over him and his dead friends will hopefully loosen his tongue… either way I wait til the guy wakes up.)

It’s close to morning by time he wakes up and realizes he is doing so alone. He starts , before seeing you looming over him

"You look like the kind of guy who thinks he's hard, and maybe you are." Grimgar says as he takes a drink of his canteen before fastening the top back on and returning it to his side. "But that didn't matter for your friends. This is nothing personal, you understand, but I have business with your camp." he says, moving closer to look into the man's eyes. "You give me the location, and I let you live. You don't, and we see how tough you really are before you die. Alone. So your choice- live to fight another day, or waste everyone's time and make me cut it out of you, and then bleed out anyways." He says studying the man, his hands at his hips.

(Talk/cha)

(3, so probably not)

He laughs, for the moment this seems to be all talk, and he does not feel like betraying his fellows

Grim nods, kneeling down to look at the man straight on and drawing the short sword from its scabbard. “Brave, but foolish.” he says as jams the blade of the weapon into the meat of his leg and pinning it into the ground. “I will give you another chance to reconsider. But time waits for no man, so decide quickly. I won’t be asking again.”

7:52 PM

(If this doesn’t work I’ll just kill him and try on my own. Or I’ll tie them up and let em go, either way I’m done here)

He has seen his two companions killed in their sleep. Whatever business you have with their camp, where this man’s friends and loved ones are , keeping them safe is worth his life and he does not talk despite the sword wound.

Relenting, he stands up and give the man a quick end. He sighs deeply as he cleans the blood from his weapon and lays the man beside the others of the camp and finally removing the rope and quickly doing a once over to muddle his tracks before looking for the trail leading out and hopefully towards the enemy camp.

With the LLF camp to the east, and evidence of a larger number of the Black Lotus possibly working from around the mid-point tree you'd seen in your survey, your travels have taken you there, to where the scouts have been waylaid. You were on the cusp of finding something more significant in the grasses in that region heading northeast, and as the morning sun begins peeking over the tree tops, you are tired but none the less continue your hunt. Birds scatter from the tree as you begin your day , and plunging back into the grass you re-enter the region where the nesting birds had made grass nests for themselves and their eggs .Many rodents and snakes that eat them must be in the area, all filling their own niches in the ecosystem. Evidence of hunting is found closeby, namely in a stone arrowhead embedded in the ground.

Seemingly back on the trail, and closing the distance between himself and the hunters, he opts for stealth and caution over speed. Moving low and quiet, he pulls his cloak down over his head and looks about, checking the tracks cautiously. He had been fortunate to come across the hunters unawares, but there was no guarantee that the same would happen again. Nodding to himself and resting a hand on the pommel of his short sword he continues on.

8:15 AM

After an hour of walking you approach what looks to be a clearing of grass from the south, as it borders a significant woodland. The rad counter is rising a bit but you are safe for the moment.

(So five tents and wall around them… and to clarify is my job here to kill everybody or just the head of the camp?)

(leadership and anyone who looks likely to replace them)

(Better hurry up and wait then. I camp out and observe. I cant see the area father out but I'd try and find a spot to observe for a bit) (edited)

(notice/wis)

(6)

You can tell the leaders hut after an hour of watching , as the most traffic seems to be coming in and out of the central one. There look to be thirty people at this camp , ten warriors , their non combatant families , and the leader themselves. They’re armed with a mix of spears , bows , and a few battered looking Rimworlder semi auto rifles though there only look to be three of those in camp.

Grimgar sighed quietly to himself, rubbing his eyes from the shadowed observation post. He considered his options as he looked out over the distance. He did not want to wade through a village full of families to seek out a handful of men, but separating the warriors from the 'innocent' would be a challenge itself. (So... thinking of options. I came across that one cave of the cat beast things a while back, I know where they live and what they eat. Could I maybe draw it towards the camp?)

(you certainly could try to do that yes, thats a pretty creative idea)

(Then that’s my move. Trying to keep some semblance of honor as I murder folks here.) The camp would have to wait for the time being. Slowly making his way to a crouch he began circling away from the camp and towards the den of the fanged creature he had passed on his way across the grass sea.

You are able to find it without much trouble , you remember the region and the landmarks, and sneak up to the cave. You hear the sounds of wet feasting inside, signifying the creature is currently home.

(So how far is this place from the camp? Could I make it in a run? Otherwise I need to bait it.)

(You need to bait it, You're a solid 20km from the camp, so some well placed out bait can lead it)

2:58 PM

(but we'd need more than just one piece half way or something, its interest isnt going to be kept)

(That's fine, just needed an idea of what I was dealing with here. So I have seen these things eating, have I seen the things they eat anywhere else? The thought is I will hunt one and cut it up, and then drag a trail)

(Works for me!)

7:58 PM

You know the creatures this one eats live nearby. Your job has become finding one and handling it from there.

(Hunting in order to hunt so I can hunt. Want a survival roll? And does the kit bonus apply here?)

(kit bonus applies, and that is fine lets roll it up)

(13)

Your lures are placed at the perfect intervals and you estimate you have enough time to conceal your smell and get to a vantage point. From there, you can act.

Moving as quickly as he could while concealing his trail he moved up into position on an overwatch near the rear of the camp. Pulling his cloak back over his head he sat and waited, watching the elder’s tent in particular as he searched for the leadership.

There is a crashing sound from the woods followed by a scream as the creature smashes into the first tent. Over the next several minutes there is nothing but the sounds of screams, gunfire, and the sound of wet feasting as the creature slowly destroys the camp. You can see the elder, and two of his bodyguards trapped at the top of the settlement, and it seems like he was the only one here keeping orders.

1

Moving in under the blanket of chaos he begins stalking his way to the top of the settlement, keeping his eyes on the elder while doing his best to be mindful of the surroundings.

(The monster is still going to be there once you enter the settlement and though you're armed you're still food)

(Where on the map are is the elder? Regardless of the beast I need to kill the elder, so if they don’t engage it and they’ve just been sitting there, I will try and get the humans while they’re distracted) (edited)

(they're trying to escape , looking for a route around the beast to do it, they're not trying to fight it. The beast is in the middle of their camp)

(Ah yep, so in that case I want to move to intercept them so they either need to go through me or the beast.)

You see the eastern side of the village is the more logical escape route since it's going to take them furthest from the path of the beast, and you position yourself there as they begin to move from their vantage point into the forest. One of the guards is not so lucky, pulled into the gaping maw of the beast.

Grimgar moves into a position to ambush the exiting villagers. Dropping into a crouch he draws the long sword from its scabbard on his back and waits, watching the carnage continue with grim determination. Almost done now. He thinks to himself, watching the beast tear apart the camp. (Is this beast particularly big or did they just get caught unawares?)

(It can just only occupy so much area at once)

8:13 AM

(survive/wis to try to head them off)

(I more meant these folks got murdered, and I managed to fight a few by myself) (Roll is 11 without the kit)

(I am not sure what you're asking or saying then. )

(I am asking if this beast is especially dangerous, larger or more fearsome than the previous ones I encountered) (edited)

(Well, you did run from it last time, and it looked to be pretty dangerous. I don't think we really have more information than this to work with)

(In my defense I merely chose not to fight it, but fair enough. I already rolled to cut them off, so that’s the plan. Either I kill the elder or the beast does, and then I sneak out or fight the beast if I have to.)

(There's no reason to take defense, I'm just trying to communicate we don't have the information you're asking about) The beast looks to be rampaging through the camp, and the elder looks to be running alone through the woods, separated from his other guard. You see him pass across your path 10m in front of you, passing from left to right through the thick trees. (edited)

1

(Sorry, tone is lost in this text. Not offended, was just I’m saying I didn’t run away but it was meant in jest.) Now was the time to strike. As the elder moved closer Grimgar leapt from his cover, closing the distance between them with his weapon leveled at him ready to strike.

(initative)

Grimgar Roll: [6] Result: 7 Reason: init

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [5] Result: 5

(You would be reacting quicker!)

Grim speeds on towards the elder, his blade leveled with both hands in a charge as he races towards them. (14 to hit, 8 damage)

Your blade is turned aside by the elder's shield and you can see his own sword is out, prepared to tangle with you. "Out of my way fool, there is a monster behind me and it will see both of us dead!" he shouts. Distant roars seem to underscore his point. He stabs toward you, the point of the dueling blade seeking your heart.

12:30 PM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [14] Result: 19

!roll d6

Nekosmash Roll: [1] Result: 1

(19/1)

(That hits me for 1, my shock is 3/15ac if it matters. 11 to hit on the next attack) He swing another attack but the blades sails wide. He frowns and looks between the man and the noise. “I come to investigate the noise and you come running at me! If there’s a beast then turn and fight, we have a better chance together, we can kill each other after if you want. These beasts rarely tire and can climb a tree in an instant. he says to the elder, hoping to further press the chaos of the moment. (edited)

(He's got a shield and you're only attacking once per round as most characters do, so we're both effectively ignoring shock damage each round since its a 1v1 fight)

7:55 PM

"You attacked me first!" he shouts, trying to slash you with his dueling blade

7:55 PM

!roll d20+5

Nekosmash Roll: [6] Result: 11

You are simply not there as his descending blade chops through the air.

(Another miss) Grimgar ducks under the blow and swings out again, missing wide as he steps back. “We‘ll be here all day.” he says as he rotates back, keeping the elder between noise of the beast and himself.

"We might be, but how do I know you won't stab me in the back when the fight is done?"

“I give my word that until the beast is done you have nothing to fear. If I have to stab you after that it will be eye to eye.”

"Alright, we cooperate and kill the beast, and then we see where the chips fall, shall we?" he says. His blade is held back, showing you he's not preparing to strike you, but he does have his shield in a defensive position if you decide not to be true to your word

Grim nods, turning slightly to put the beast ahead of him and the man to his side. (I just realized I have shocking assault, does that change stuff moving forwards?) (edited)

(he has a shield so he is ignoring the first instance of shock damage anyway, even though you're lowering his AC to 10. If the beast strikes him in a round and then you do , for example, since the shield already stopped an instance of shock, then Shocking Assault would do something, but in a 1 on 1 fight the way we have it, and both of you having shields , we're basically ruling out shock damage for the fight)

(Ah right I forgot about shield. We both have those, I just reread what the foci does and forgot I had it.) (If it’s my turn I’ll wait cautiously for the beast to come at us.)

There is a roar deep within the woods and the sound of breaking trees as the beast senses living prey nearby. You can see the thin screen of leaves passing between it and you, and it is currently 30m away.

12:17 PM

(we can do you, elder, beast if that works)

(Sure I go first then? It’s two far away to poke with a sword so I wait until it’s closer I guess.) Grimgar widens his stance, holding his blade in two hands before him and readying himself for the beast’s approach. Breathing in slowly, he waits for the creature to come into his striking range.

(Don’t have anything ranged ?)

(Nope!)

(Not sure if my message was lost or if you are waiting on me for something)

(It didn’t light up)

1:00 PM

The elder removes an ornate pistol from his holster and fires at the creature , wounding it slightly as it barrels into melee range.

1:00 PM

(Back to you, beast double moved )

(I will attack. Does the readied action happen when it comes to me, and then I attack? Just need to know if I roll once or twice.) (Miss and shock of 3 on first, second is a 12 to hit and 4 damage if that hits) As the beast barrels into them Grimgar slashes out with his blade as he pivots to the side of the beast. The attacks are wide but the tip of the sword manages to draw across the beast.

(Yes so you’d basically roll two attacks)

(Cool, I rolled twice just in case. Neither was a very good roll though think it’s just shock twice)

The creature's thick hide looks to be capable of riding out the blows as you jump into melee with it, though now you have a comrade to help you. Revolver and shield drawn, the elder fires one more shot before dropping the now spent crude looking pistol.

7:55 AM

!roll d20-1

Nekosmash Roll: [1] Result: 0

(missed)

7:56 AM

The creature barrels into combat, one of its long tentacles lashing out at each of you in turn as it tries to batter and constrict you.

7:56 AM

!roll 2 d20+4

Nekosmash Rolls: [7] Result: 11 [13] Result: 17

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [7] Result: 7

The elder suffers a massive gash across his leg, and looks to be suffering terribly.

7:56 AM

(back to you, creature missed you)

(I did no damage even with shocking assault?)

(You did not, no)

(Rolled a natural 20 for 25 to hit, damage is 18) Steadying himself he turns in place, shifting his weight to bring down the large blade in a massive swing towards the beast. (edited)

There is a groan of pain from the animal, you're not sure if it sounds mammal, reptilian, or something else, but the creature has undoubtedly been hurt as scales, fur, and muscle along its flank are parted. Greasy blood pumps from the wound and the weight and momentum of the blade itself has broken some of the creatures bones

12:08 PM

The elder does what he can from his down position to fend off the creature, reloading his crude handgun

12:08 PM

!roll 2 d20+4

Nekosmash Rolls: [10] Result: 14 [20] Result: 24

It doesn't seem to be enough, as two of the tentacles lift the elder into the air, ripping him apart into two large pieces before swallowing the once living meal.

12:08 PM

(Back to you (

(22 to hit for 8 damage) Grim sidesteps the sudden gout of blood and stabs at the beasts side.

The creature howls as your cut severs something inside, bleeding and struggling to keep itself upright, it looks to have had enough of the battle

8:00 AM

(its going to take fighting withdrawal, and is going to run, if you don't chase it, combat will end)

(I will try and chase it… I guess I can grab the gun and shoot it?)

(Yes, the revolver was reloaded before the elder fell)

Grimgar mutters a curse under his breath as he rolls to the ground beside the remains of the Elder. Grabbing the discarded revolver he quickly aims it and fires at the fleeing beast. (16 to hit but a 1 on damage. Not sure if shock works on guns)

(Not sure if post didn’t light up?)

(it did not)

6:31 AM

The shot strikes the beast, it continues leaving the area, moving another 40m away

Grumbling once more he takes off after the beast, leveling the pistol and firing at the quickly fleeing beast. (Not sure how far that puts us apart with us. It’s moving but I still have my warrior ability to make an attack a hit)

6:33 AM

(Another one damage. If it’s still alive I let it go)

(it was in melee with you, it is 60m away now since its very first turn once breaking off was fighting withdrawal so it only got a move instead of a double move)

6:34 AM

The shot hits the creature, and it runs away, doing its best to not end up on a trophy rack.

Grimgar curses loudly at the weapon in his hand, looking down at it with disgust. “Worthless.” he says with a sigh as he turns back to watch the creature move out of view. With the threats either eaten or run off, Grimgar set about returning to and looking through the camp. Perhaps there was still valuable intel or equipment for him to gather before making the trek back to the Lamplighter facility.

(notice/wis)

(Only a 4...)

You don't see much of value here. They were a nomadic people and kept few written records. They also did not use technology, and you find no compads or anything with electronic information stored on it to give them.

Grim takes one final look around the camp and sheathes his blade. Checking his equipment he makes his way out of the cave towards the Lamplighters. While he did not find much at the camp, he had managed to find the map on the scouting party. That, along with his observations, would need to be enough.

(3xp, 5000 credits )

1:02 PM

Returning to the Lamplighter camp, information is taken and you relay your report. This is one drop in the bucket in terms of eliminating the movement but at least for the moment a soft site like this is safe from the pending attack. It is thought that the troops would be coming from outside the region. A movent like that would be hard to ignore now that the Lamplighters and other local security know to look.

Level Up Level: 4 Old HP: 25 HP Roll: 35 New HP: 35 Current AB: 4 Strength increase 2nd - 2 Notice 0- 1 (edited)

(Did you have a point banked earlier ?)

(My second stat bump is two points, and going from 0 to 1 is one point right?)

(0 to 1 is two points. It is one plus the desired skill level. So we wanted level 1, 1 + desired level of 1 is 2)

(I think there’s a miscommunication here. I am going from untrained to 0, that’s just 1 point right?)

(yes, that is correct. You said notice 0-1 so I read that as going from 0 to 1)

(Yea my meaning was getting rank 0 is 1 point, but I see why you’d think that. I’m not sure why to do next. Maybe another planet or something…)

(Alright. We have turned in the info here, we have plenty of other interesting worlds out there. If you had a general idea even of something you think might be fun I can get something together )

(Sorry been a busy weekend. I am not sure where to go. I wouldn’t mind meeting some other folks possibly, and maybe dealing some higher tech planets. I haven’t sat down to iron out details yet)

(sounds good. Game to help you when you're ready then, just replying here so you know I've seen this)

1

(Right! So I think I would like to go somewhere with more lasers and space ships. Higher tech stuff I think. Maybe meet another player or something? At least meet somebody besides all the jerks on this planet)

(I think almost everyoneis out at the Chimeran front right now and their missions are all well underway, so adding someone new isn't going to work right now. Did you have a general type of mission you'd be interested in? I'

8:06 PM

m sure you're sick of combat)

(Unfortunately, Combat is really all I am good at currently, and scouting... could do some sort of bodyguard stuff maybe? Give me an excuse to get better at talking. Or just kill some more laser pirates or something. I think a big city would be a nice change of pace)

(Alright. I’ll think up something then)

With his current objective handled and his pay transferred to his account, Grimgar went about seeing to his injuries and taking a does of the anti-rads at the medical facility. Grimgar thought for a moment as he drank from his canteen about his prospects moving forwards. He had done a fair bit in his time here, and he was certain the Lamplighters were better off now than they were before. Nodding to himself he stood up and decided to make his way to his contact. His wanderlust had begun to set in, and he knew there were more fights to be had across the galaxy.

(Just checking in here.)

(I’ve been traveling. Updates tonigjt

(Want to explore Mariam and accompany a dive team into some old robotic ruins?)

(Sure sounds good. Didn’t mean to rush, just wasn’t sure about the updates.)

(all good, I was in North Carolina getting my sister moved into her new place all week so I've been very much busy during the day, followed by the 10+ hour car rides to get there and back. Things should be a bit more steady this week)

7:57 AM

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/mariam-article?preview=true

Mariam

(Sounds rough, take your time. This place looks cool, I am excited to ~~die there~~ start.)

(We have four days of downtime to apply to something and then we can kick this off )

(Sure…. I would probably train and spend some of these credits. I will see what items I need.)

(sounds good, I saw you posted in help so we can continue once we get that sorted out)

(Not sure what to spend money on… I guess just an icarus harness for now, assuming I can get one.)

(its TL4, it is available. Any purchases you want to make beyond that just ensure we list out here before we get going)

(Just that for now. Without knowing IC what I’m doing next that’s it)

3:37 PM

Before bidding fairwell to the Lamplighters, Grimgar trades in his Woven Armor for an Icarus Harness. Wherever he ended up next, it would hopefully help serve him well. Next, he returned to the Handler to see about booking passage off planet, and what might be available.

"How do you feel about the cold?" he asks, looking over a spread of plans and messages on his desk.

Grimgar shrugs, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall of the office. "Apathetic. Better than the heat." he replies.

"So you'll take a mission on Mariam then? " he asks, unsure what the reply is supposed to mean. "There's an expedition trying to get into some old robotic ruins on the planet. Bots are gone, got absorbed into the Imago Dei, but they left quite a bit behind, or so the UNW thinks. There's a team planning to go in and explore, and find out"

He nods. “That’s fine, send me whatever information you can. How cold? I don’t mind the cold, but am I going to need gear just to operate there?”

"You won't need anything other than your standard gear, the locals will be able to assist you with any further details when it comes to dealing with the conditions there, and as a UNW expedition we will of course also be lending supplies to the effort. "

“Good enough for me. So decommissioned bots, then. Some are still active I take it… and liable to perceive us as unfriendly?” he pauses briefly but continues on. "Sign me up then. I'll head out on the next ship." (edited)

"I'm not sure exactly but an eventuality like that is why the expedition wants to bring someone like you along. The next shuttle leaves tonight, and we'll get a message out to them just ahead of it so they'll know to prepare for you"

He nods and turns to exit, raising a hand to wave as he leaves. "See you around, Dorian." With that, Grimgar headed towards the landing port and went about seeing to his gear. Cleaning his revolver and sharpening his blades outside.

(We did this a bit out of order since I thought we were just moving on, but we did downtime and I guess shopping earlier. )

(Yea if we dont need to RP it there's been some downtime before and I guess me waiting that it could have been done. Otherwise if you wanna do a scene we can)

(what would you want to do )

(Its just shopping, I say skip it. Not much development to be had I dont think)

(And this shopping was the stuff we worked out earlier? )

(Yea just the armor for now.)

(Sounds good)

11:08 AM

Arriving over Mariam you see that the expedition team is outside the ruins of Pinepearch, making their way to the destination already. They have a snowcat vehicle and plenty of room for yourself and any cargo. The shuttle begins its landing approach as you prepare.

As the shuttle set down, Grimgar went about preparing his gear. Pulling the buckles of his new Icarus armor tight around himself, he set about pulling his cloak tight around his shoulders and strapping the long scabbard of his blade across his shoulder. "Don't waste any time do they." he muttered to himself.

The cold bites at you but is a long way from becoming something to worry about as the ramp lowers. The expedition looks to be made up of ten figures, two of them look to have more of a bookish and techish slant to them where the rest are what you'd expect to form the muscle of an expedition team diving into a dangerous place. You seem to be the only one using a sword, but the explorers don't seem to immediately have anything to say about this.

Grim makes his way through the chill, his boots crunching the snow as he approaches the group looking over each of them in turn before speaking. "Well." he says plainly. "Which of you is leading this expedition?"

A figure in a trim fitting environmental suit jumps from the snowcat's roof and takes a moment to dust the snow off his goggles as he walks over. "Call me Cap" he says, pointing to the captain's stars on the lapels of the jacket's collar. "You the extra muscle we asked for?"

“It would seem so.” he said gesturing to the large weapon on his back with his thumb. (edited)

He takes something out of his pack which looks like a heating pad with two wires on each end. "Ground each side on a metal spot within your armor. It'll keep you warm"

He nods, taking the device and examining the wires. He runs the wiring up to the sides of the harness on his back and connects them to it before clipping the device itself to his belt. "Briefing was light on details, have you been to this site before? I can track and fight, but I wont be reprogramming any of these machines if they come for us." (edited)

"We've been to the outside. There's no automated defenses in the first gallery at least, but beyond that, we're not sure if they left anything behind"

He nods, pulling the hood of his cloak down to keep the snow from his face. “When we get closer I will look for tracks. No telling what we will find.” he looks back towards the two brainy times before turning back towards the captain. “They’re paying me to watch out for you folks, and if we are smart and careful we should be fine. Swords real good up close, but worthless at a distance. So if we see something angry, you stay in cover and draw fire while I circle around, alright?”

"Once you've closed with it, if anything has a gun , it won't be able to do much with it. I think you'll be a good fit for what we're trying to do"

(He is agreeing right? Just making sure.) “Lead on then.” he replied.

(He is, he's telling you how to be of help)

(Isn’t that what I am saying too though? If I get close to something it can’t shoot. But I’m not gonna just charge headlong into every fight and hope I don’t get blasted apart, so if they get to cover and draw it’s attention I can rush it and then it can’t shoot.)

(yep i guess it doesnt matter)

11:31 AM

(we're splitting hairs)

11:31 AM

With a nod, he gestures for you to hop into the cab of the snowcat, their modified vehicle meant to help get them across the snowy dunes toward their destination.

(As long as we’re on the same general page) (edited)

Grimgar adjust the blade on his back and climbs into the snowcat. Finding a seat, he rubs his hands together for warmth and looks out the viewport, scanning the area for anything of interest as they travel. (edited)

The world looks to be unbroken white as you pass by with the occasional tops of buried buildings poking above the snow drifts. The landscape begins to change the closer you get to the abandoned robotic facility, becoming more metallic, with taller buildings breaking through the ice, before the transport comes to slow outside of an exposed subway tunnel.

As the transport came to a halt, Grimgar slip the door open and swung his legs out and down to the snow. Looking around at the white landscape he breathed deeply, filling his senses with the snow and bright before turning his attention to the relative dark of the tunnel. Drawing the sword from its scabbard he began to slowly make his way towards the opening, looking around for any signs of danger. (edited)

(notice/wis )

(4)

You see no outward signs of physical security measures here. The locals look to have taken those with them or deactivated them when they left the planet. Stepping into the darkness of the subway tunnel you can see there's no security here all the way to a massive vault door about 500m away, that looks to be raised.

Cautiously, Grimgar makes his way from the entrance and further inside. Slowly moving inwards towards the vault entrance as he waits for the others to move closer. (edited)

The rest of the team begins moving in as well, checking angles and covering one another with their rifles. If there is any security left behind, it has not activated, and one by one you each make it to a defensive position around the vault door. All appears to be silent for the moment. There is a few moments of rustling as the expert among the group begins plugging in a line shunt, the data slab in his hands slowly working away at trying to guess any number of the possible combinations the base entry port might have. From the darkness of the tunnel, two of the other soldiers begin turning their attention to a frozen over robot frame that has been left behind.

Grimgar grumbles to himself as he looks towards the frozen frame, deciding to move towards it besides the soldiers and examine it. Better to see if he could learn anything before it started trying to kill them.

The bot is frozen and half buried. It is humanoid in appearance but taller and bulkier, with its right arm held low replaced with a large multi barreled cannon that spins as it fires belts of solid shot ammunition. It looks like its ammo feed and magazine pack have been removed, and the weapon is cracked, hanging limp on damaged joints.

Grim makes a slow circle around the robot, examining it for whatever he might perceive as a weak point. The cannon looked like it would make short work of anyone foolish enough to attack it. Unfortunately, that would most likely mean him. It might have a generator or hydraulic cable he could focus on if he managed to get close enough. He continued observing it until they were ready to press forwards.

There looks to be the remains of hydraulic lines looped around the arm and plugged into the gun to help keep it level and stable.

Grimgar nodded to himself, walking over to the soldiers and pointing the hydraulic line out. “Like a tendon, cut that and it might lose the arm.” he says to them before heading to the others and looking towards the door. “Shall we continue?” he asked.

The door looks to be winding up now that the hacker has brute forced a way into the system. You enter a large machine gallery where a computer terminal dominates the western wall, and some kind of work station with parts and tools occupies the east. A second set of bulkhead door leads further into the facility and is likewise locked- as though this entry area was some kind of security airlock.

As the doors slide open Grimgar's hand tightens around the grip of hi sword. Moving to hold it with two hands he steps inside, looking around for more machines or defenses. He knew little about the security systems here, but if something were to trigger them it was most likely better that it be him and not a scientist. Moving past the terminals he slowly made his way to the opposite door.

The interior airlock is likewise closed, but the hacker thinks they have a better idea about how things in this place are arranged now, and he should be able to get it open in a faster amount of time. This being the interior door, if any security systems have been left behind to ward against intruders- they might trip when it opens, and the time spent now looks to be best used making preparations, just in case.

(I’m not sure how much preparing I can do myself aside from getting behind cover. The captain is telling his own guys what to do I assume and I’m just muscle, not leading right?)

(correct, but if you have suggestions to think to pass on to him, he'd be receptive. )

2:47 PM

(he seems like he's running things more by committee here for right now)

“Get your men to cover, captain.” Gringar says as he ducks behind the cover of the sides of the door, his weapon tensing in one hand as he waits. (edited)

The door begins to rattle open. (Notice/wis)

(5)

You do not notice the automated turret that folds out from the floor behind your position , 10m away. It begins to fire into the backs of your comrades and you can see one is wounded by the sudden burst of fire (edited)

(So I would like to smash it. If I can get to it and attack I would, otherwise I would duck between cover. I am not sure how far I can move) “Cover!” he screams as he looks for a path to the turret.

(Your move is always 10m unless you're encumbered. )

1

(In that case I will try and run for it and attack)

(sounds goo,d just need the hit/damage when you've got time)

(19 hit 5 damage) Grimgar charges the turret, skirting around the cover and driving the blade into it. (edited)

The turret is scarred by the blow and now with you in range it cannot fire on anyone else. The laser tries to track you before the machine shorts out, the damage you inflicted enough to take it offline.

Grimgar lets out a deep breath, turning in place to make sure there are no other active turrets before making his way back towards the rest of the party. His weapon still in his hand he moves towards the injured explorer and looks over their wounds. "We will need to be on high alert. Even I cannot see everywhere, captain. How is your man?" he asks.

He stands from the body, hand covered in blood before sadly shaking his head no. "The gods will remember his name" the captain says, helping to drag the body off to a corner of the room where they will be covered with a blanket or tarp until it is time to leave.

Grimgar watches the scene silently. As the man is moved he steps through the now open door warily, looking for further turrets. "What sort of facility is this? Why all these defenses?" he asks quietly.

"This was where the robots used to live, for a lack of better words. This was their home, or lair. They never expressed a hostility towards us, but maybe they didn't take out everything they needed when the Exalted Path evacuated them?"

Grimgar grumbles and shrugs. “Whatever they did, they don’t seem friendly. Whether it’s old programming or some malicious faction doesn’t matter if they’re shouting us either way.” he says with nod. “We should move with a purpose, captain. Everyone on their toes. Hopefully the next trap we can spring on our terms.”

The doors winch open revealing a large chamber ahead of you where eight reactor bays continue working on low power. Pipes and tube lead to some kind of massive 10m tall war-form, something the faction had never deployed to the surface of the planet. The engineering here looks to be the work of humans, not bots, judging by the shoody construction and plugs into the robot. You are not sure if anyone is in the room now.

Grimgar stops short of entering as he looks around the chamber. There was plenty of places to hide an automated defense or defender, and that large figure would certainly be a difficulty if it decided to wake up. "This room is different than the others..." he says back quietly to the team. "Human work? Might explain the defenses..." He cautiously peers out into the room, pulling his goggles down to sit on his forehead. (I dunno if it is dark or not but I have those night vision goggles if I need them)

(The lighting is actually more or less how it is in the picture. We have some soft lights from glowbugs and the reactors, but otherwise the goggles would pick out the places you couldn't naturally see)

(Then on they go. 8 for my notice roll)

(what for?)

(To see if I see anything that will murder me in there before I go in. Maybe I was being presumptuous, sorry. I said before I was looking carefully and figured I would roll and you could use it or not. Either way he is looking after that turret) (edited)

(nothing hidden in this room)

8:05 AM

(so we've got a few things to individually look over, but no traps or foes)

Grimgar relents after a moment, stepping further in carefully and scanning the room before waving the rest of the party in behind him. Stepping towards the center he looked out at the machinery and knelt down towards examine the papers strewn about.

It looks that whoever was in here was trying to get the war-bot working- though in doing so the programming and individualism would be stripped away- effectively turning it into a drone or one of the slightly dumb expert systems that are seeing more common use in civilized parts. They were close to getting the start up process correct after a few dozen attempts, and it looks like the work has been paused for now while an extra power source for the remainder of the work was located.

Grimgar stood up, looking around the area once more and dropping the papers at his feet. "Whatever they are doing, they seem to be close. Turning that big thing into a drone... would be a big power shift, having that thing on your side." he says testing the weight of the sword in his hand. "This why we are here?" he asks, looking towards the captain and trying to read his expression.

"Not as a direct consequence, but I don't want to think about what might happen if some third party got their hands on it. We don't even know who that might be right now. "

Grimgar nods, looking about the room once more and moving towards the wall. Somebody had been here, perhaps they left a trail to follow.

There is a small airlock door built into the left side of the chamber between the first and second reactor cores on the left. It looks like it has been forced open recently, but the door is currently in a closed position now.

Grimgar whistles loud enough to get the attention of the others and gestures towards the sealed airlock. "I suggest we follow whoever went through there." he says to the captain.

(notice/wis)

(Again? A 5)

Two voices can be heard in the room beyond the door you found. They stop short upon hearing your whistle, and calling the captain over. (edited)

5:48 PM

(Yes. Again)

1

Grimgar holds up two fingers and gestures towards the door before holding a single finger to his lips and moving beside the door frame.

Whoever is on the other side is an amateur. Or several amateurs. You can hear their ragged breathing and from here almost hear the sounds of their beating hearts. They must be right up against the door listening for you ,just like you and your team are listening for them.

As the rest of Grimgar’s group moves into position he stood to the side of the door and reached over to press the button. Gesturing to the others to stay in cover he opens the door, looking in front of it in an attempt to unnerve whoever was on the other side.

The door opens and two would-be raiders fall onto their faces at the sudden lack of a solid surface in front of them. They both look to be in their mid teens, covered in grease and loaded down with tools and parts. They each have old Pinepearch logos sewn onto their shoulders though the jackets look to be at least a size too big for them. They both look up, doe eyed, at the circle of armed men and women surrounding them.

Grimgr frowns and mutters something about ‘punks’ under his breath as he reaches for the nearest raider and tosses them out into the center of the circle. “We’re not here to kill you, just stay calm and talk true and you will be fine.” Grimgar looks to the captain waiting for them to take the lead here. He didn’t know this planet very well and assumed the captain might have a softer touch. (edited)

You seem to be doing well so far, and have gotten through to the scared teens, and for now the Captain is not going to interfere with a situation that seems to be going well, He nods for you to continue.

Grimgr grumbles and kneels down beside the kids. “Were you the ones running this tech? What were you doing here?” he demands, looking each of them in their eyes in turn.

The male of the group nods once slowly, that they were the ones trying to get this bot online. He does not answer the second question yet. You notice their eyes continue flickering between the muzzles of the various weapons pointed at them.

“Lower the weapons captain. I don’t need them to handle these two anyways.” Grimgar says as he sheathes the weapon on his back before standing with a hand on his hip and gesturing towards the two with the other. “You were saying?”

"Thought we could get it working again" he gasps, looking a bit relieved as the thicket of weapons is removed from being directly in front of his face. "Rest of the clan is gone now, just us. Thought this might keep us safe"

He nods and thinks. “Just the two of you? What happened to the others?” he asks.

"Dead" the teenage girl chokes out, tears welling up in her eyes. "Out in the snow. UNW killed them when we tried to hit a supply convoy"

Grimgar just nod solemnly. "This is the way of things. You were strong to survive on your own, you should be proud, but today you lost." he says plainly as he takes out one of his rations from his pack and kneels down once more, handing it to the teens. "For your bravery." he adds before turning back to the captain and stepping next to him. "What now?" he asks.

“We cant leave them here and I want to know how they figured even this much out. I think we should sweep that hall and see what’s beyond it’s far door. Maybe call an actual salvage team to get here and take a look at the bot”

Grimgar turns back to the two teens and calls out to them. "How much of this facility do you know? We need to secure this station. Once we do we can see you to safety, but until we do you are stuck with us."

"Some, we know about the level downstairs, but not the very basement" she continues, looking a bit less nervous now that they're not surrounded by guns, but only a bit less so.

"Will you tell us what you know?" he asks in a voice that does not seem to expect the possibility of a no. "We cant leave until we are done here. We wont be done here until this facility is clear. This means you are stuck with us until I finish my job."

(Talk/cha. They're going to help, its just a matter of how forthcoming they are with the info)

8:03 AM

(If that helps you conceptualize why I'm asking for the check)

(Yea thats fine. I am not going to roll well, and dont think I make the best point of contact so my words are more to explain that it needs to get done rather than convince anybody haha)

8:41 AM

(An 8)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [5, 2] Result: 6

They look contrite, understanding the best way out of this situation is to play by your rules.

"So tell me what you know so we can all get out of here." he reiterates.

(They'll be giving advice as we move through the facility. I'm not going to type all that out in one giant block of text, chances are most of what they say is going to get glossed over that way)

(Up to you, I just dont want to walk into a trap and have them say "oh yea, we forgot there was a trap here" or whatever)

(you passed the check so thats wont happen)

"Then let's keep moving, we are wasting time." he says as he heads back into down the hallway to look about how to proceed, drawing his weapon once more. (edited)

(The hallway they came out of us uneexplored, there are two rooms there, and then some stairs going down)

(Fine I thought it was a room behind them but whatever it is I am going that way. Down the hallway behind them.)

The hallway has two rooms in it, one of them is not marked and is closed with a simple mechanical flywheel, The one on the right does not have a door. It did once but looks to have been kicked in by something with tremendous force. Inside you can see some kind of tool bay where bots would have gone to be worked out before being deployed from out of the main chamber. The stairs leading down to the sub level below this one have a tripwire trap attached to a claymore on the bottom step, set by the two teenagers you now have under your custody.

Grimgar steps through the destroyed door, examining it as he passes to see what might have hit with enough force as he looks inside to ensure the chamber is secure. (If that room is clear I will head move towards the one with the flywheel and look at that one)

A smaller pattern war bot occupies this room and its jackhammering foot looks to have kicked the door down in the past. A serrated combat knife in the spine just below the skull has disabled the bot, and it has no other signs of damage. It looks like there was a brutal firefight in this room as its arm mounted cannon systematically laid waste to the work benches, tool racks, and companion bots still in their repair cradles here.

Taking the room as a loss he moves across the way and towards the sealed door. With a nod to the others he carefully steps towards the door and looks it over before putting an ear to frame. With a nod he places a hand on the wheel and prepares to attempt to turn it.

The door opens, and inside looks to be an engineering room. The power controls for the eight reactors in the other room are located here and with some effort the machines could be brought to life again. The teenagers did not risk coming in here, they had thought the sealed door looked to broadcast some kind of danger. No traps or enemy war-bots are inside.

Grimgar looks around the room but steps back on once it appears clear. Moving up besides the technicians he gestures inside with a thumb. “Seems like this room might be worth your time. Looks like this floor is cleared then, we should continue on. I’m on your bill captain, but I say clear the rest of this facility first.” he says as he rolls his wrist that holds the blade and looks down towards the mined staircase.

7:16 PM

“Maybe leave a technician and some guards with the kids up here to get started.” he adds.

"Yeah, lets do that, the rest of us will continue down and make sure nothing weird is going to wake up once power begins coming back on"

Grimgar nods in agreement and looks towards the two youths giving a solemn nod before heading back into the halls. Moving towards the trip wire he examines it from a distance. (If I can just move around this thing I would leave it to keep an alarm, otherwise I guess I ask somebody to disarm it)

(You can step over it now that you know where it is)

11:13 AM

(without us needing to stop to do anything else) The next floor down is a large engineering bay where a hundred support cradles for the repair and refurbishment of robots would have taken place in better times. Six of them have human sized war bots in it. The rest of the industrial scale space looks to be a massive forge where metal would have been refined, pressed into all manner of components, and then used to repair or assemble more of the bunker's former inhabitants.

Grimgar looks around the bay, picking out the machinery he could from the ones he was unfamiliar with. Turning back to the others he spoke quietly. “Could be automated defenses. And those 6 bots in the support cradles might still work. If you think you can program your way into something useful here I’d say start with that, otherwise we take this slow and clear it quadrant by quadrant.” (edited)

(they'd have to spend some time tinkering with things to get an answer on what they might be able to do, so the options become hold and wait for them to do that, or explore while they do that.

(How far into the room would the tinkering occur? If we need to go all over the room I’d just as soon clear it first.)

(we dont know yet, I'd have to roll a check for them to see how long and I don't think we'd have any idea IC when it comes time to make a decision)

(Yea it’s more about like where they need to go around the room, where the terminals or access or whatever is, but if they don’t know that’s an answer itself.) “Let us clear this bay. I do not want Andy surprises coming up behind us while you work.” he says as he looks around, cautiously stepping towards the repair bay.

(I don't think they;d really have a guess here thats anything beyond a guess, this is foreign technology to them, almost alien in a sense)

1

(I just start clearing the room slowly, heading towards the robots in the bay first)

(reacting with an emote doesnt light the thread for me so I appologixze if you've been waiting)

1:08 PM

As you begin clearing the room you notice there are deep cuts into the floor with inlaid circuitry below something that looks to be a resinous surface. The lines all move through the floor and up the walls in delicate patterns to the reactor room above that you just left, and the more you begin to search it looks as though the floor of this room is one giant circuit board.

Grimgar looks across the chamber, trying to follow the lines of the circuits as he thinks on their function. After a while he shakes his head, this sort of technology was not his strong suit. "These circuits seem to run up to the reactor above. Maybe if we follow them we can see what's drawing power." Grimgar says as he picks the nearest tract and begins to follow it.

This room looks to be the main control for the entire facility -along with the computer system that once gave orders to the various bots sworn to the cause here. If there are any dormant within the facility , left behind by their fellows, they may reactivate if power is restored.

Pointing this out he calls over to the Captain. “Best not to turn on the power until these are deactivated it seems. Seems like your technicians will want to work from here. Once it’s secure.” Grimgar says.

At the extreme north side of the room there is a small man sized door. It reminds you of something like an access for to a subway tunnel, and even has the word CAUTION written on it in a fading once white, now yellow placard.

Grimgar examines the doorway, looking it over for any signs of disturbance or other hints as to its purpose before placing a hand on it and listening for any movement.

There is no movement on the other side of the door. You're reminded of subway access tunnels you've seen before in better days.

“Sounds quiet. Might be access to some other main ten episodes or something.” he says with a shrug. “Still on your dime, Cap, but this room at least seems cleared.”

"Alright, lets check that door then, just to be thorough"

With a shrug Grimgar moves to the door and pulls it open, reading the ominous warning as he does so.

A subway train is on the other side just after a small cement platform. It is human in manufacture and looks to be both intact and running off whatever remains of its own power

“Hm. A subways system.” he says as he looks around, trying to find some designation or map to tell them the purpose of this transport. “I believe taking this to wherever it goes would be firmly outside of the jobs description. More pay for more job.” he says to the Captain as he walks the length of the train.

If there is a map of where the train goes, it looks like it will be found in the drivers car, on either end of the train. The captain thinks it would have on board guidance or mapping of some kind.

2:48 PM

(if you're calling it here that's fine, I know what the XP and rewards are going to be generally ahead of time based on mission length/difficulty, so I was not planning on cheating you out of anything since you didn't ask in character,. )

(Ah no worries, I didn’t think you would cheat me on xp it’s more the RP. More to say that clearing out whatever this might be is not what he was told when he started. If that’s fine with them I’ll keep going)

(we technically have done the bare minimum for the original mission, if you want to explore more you can, if you're keen to get into something else, this is a natural stopping point )

(Mission was to explore, it’s just we cleared this section and they probably have a lot of work they could do here. Going further could be like a munch bigger or potentially longer excursion. Didn’t know if they wanna keep going because in horror movies this is where stuff would start to go bad.)

Stepping into the train, Grimgar makes his way to the nearest driver car and checks for any sort of navigational system or maps.

There is a brief ping as the power system is restored, and it looks as though this tram is connected to another station. In better days before the planet frroze and the cities were not buried in tens of meters of snow and ice, this would have serviced civilian traffic. It looks like an industrial district was connected to the other end of this tram line, and once the planet froze, and the people were gone, these awakened bots must have used it to loot the industrial capacity from what is on the other side. You see evidence that machine parts and grease once stained these cars.

“Seems like this connects to an industrial district. Looks like the boys were using this to transport their salvage.” he says as he finishes his walk through the train. “Bound to be supplies there somewhere. No telling what else though. Should we go?”

"What do you think? Us two would make a lot less noise, and if the robots were going there...they probably cleared enough of the danger out...right?" The captain says, mulling the choice over as hard as you are.

He nods, thinking. “If the goal is to scout and not clear the facility, less is better. I would say I would go alone, but I don’t know this places history, and I’m not the best technician.” he says with a shrug. “Two us could do it.”

"The two of us could do it. What do you think, couple hours, we get there, see what we see, and then come back?"

8:18 PM

He checks the charge in his laser rifle, and looks satisfied with the current power level.

Grimgar just nods and heads back towards the controls of the train.

The controls look to be very easy to figure out. There is a lever for speed, and another to control if the train is moving forward down the track, or reverse back toward this station.

As the captain boards the ship Grimgar nods to him. Setting the controls to forwards he gently pushes the lever to control speed forwards. (Down the track brings us to the industrial district right? That’s where I am trying to head.)

(yeah its only forward and back, until we get there and there look to be toher tracks, but its beyond what we planned to explore. )

8:19 AM

(we're heading down a dark tunnel with minimal illumination from the train we're in, lets get a notice/int to see if we notice anything in the tunnels on the way there)

(Nope. Rolled a 4)

You do not hear the sound of claws that sound like needles being scraped over bones, retreating into the dark as the train goes by. The industrial complex is a short ten minute train ride away, and you arrive on a loading platform with a broad loading ramp going upwards into the ground floor of the dark and frozen facility. Discarded crates and boxes sit on the platform, destined for distant settlements for people that are now long dead. (I'll get you a map of the ground floor)

Grimgar steps out cautiously, looking around the area with his weapon drawn. “We should try and find a control center or security center, but I’d settle for a shipping manifest.” Grimgar says as he eyes scan across the complex. “You been here long? Give me a run down if what happened here.”

"Not too many native Mariam'ers left I don't think. Not since the freeze. I'm from Terezinho originally, tried my hand at polity service and ended up in the exploration corps. Didn't quite have the cops for solo contracting like yourself. "

8:38 AM

(top right room is where we are coming up the stairs into, which is basically empty on purpose so the ramp wouldn't be cluttered)

Grimgar nods, walking forwards quietly as he looks around the area. "We just play this smart, and careful. Watch each others backs, and we both get back to the rest of the team." he says plainly as he heads further into the room.

(d100)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d100] Roll: [42] Result: 42

Inside one of the spilled industrial crates it looks as though a pretech component has been scattered among other industrial salvage such as gears and wires.

Grimgar's attention shifts to the tipped box as he passes. Raising a hand to the captain he drops to a knee, and looks iniside. "Keep an eye out, gimme a moment." he says softly as he reaches to the components and examines them, placing it in his pack.

It looks valuable and you can think of a number of personal uses for it. Even selling it might fetch a handy sum, enough to secure something nice for yourslef.

Slipping it into his pack he stands back up, tossing a nod to the captain as they continue on. “Any idea what we can expect here? Seems like there’s plenty of tech around. I’m surprise there’s not teams of scavengers everywhere.” he asks quietly as they walk. (edited)

"looks like this was all collected and left here ,probably for the train. Construction looks human- don'tt think the bots were the original creators of this place"

He nods in response, continuing forwards. "Whenever I find anything of value untouched and abandoned, it is safe to believe there is a reason. Maintain your guard."

Almost as if on cue, something shifts and falls witihn the main factory floor, several rooms to the south. The echoing report sweeps though the corridors, before settling again.

Grimgar's knuckles tighten around the hilt of his blade as he continues on. Dropping to a crouch he moves slowly, turning back momentarily to speak with the Captain. "There's something in there. Just stay quiet and cover me while I take point."

(sneak/dex)

(Rolled max for 14) (edited)

(that is what anything out here will need to oppose to try to notice you, so nothing happens right now but you've set the DC for me for anything I need to do later. )

1

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 10/10/2022 9:14 AM

Moving into the next room, you see something like a conveyor belt running across the southern wall. To the west, there is a checkered floor looking room that looked like once it was an employee lodge.

Pausing momentarily to look out across the room, Grimgar decides to make his way towards the lounge in hopes of securing the floor room by room. Moving up towards the door he examines it looking for signs of conflict or danger.

The worst you can see right now is a coffee stain on the ground that was left to sit for far too long in the bygone days of factory operation. You can still smell the chemically roasted bean scent in the air, and scattered coffee cups are spread out on the ground everywhere, you can see a few from the threshold of the room without peaking inside. It remains as dark as the rest of the facility.

Pushing lightly against the door he eases it open looking through before stepping inside.

A broken Soy-Boy coffee machine has been turned on its side and its contents have leaked everywhere. You can see the cabinets have all been opened and have been worked through- anything not immediately valuable or meant for human consumption has been smashed and scattered about the room. A few broken pieces of another vending machine have also been left to rot on the ground. You're not sure what Cola company this machine belonged to.

~~(We're not leaving until I figure out what kinda soda this was! Grimgar screams)~~ Stepping back from the ransacked lodge he nods to the captain and turns towards the far exit of the room, continuing further into the facility. (edited)

(I mean we certainly can try to restore it! Maybe Grimgar is a hobbyist!)

9:08 AM

(we can go south into this room and examine it, or we can pass through and go west to an industrial space, your pick )

(Collects vintage bottles in his spare time?) (Let’s head south please.)

(never know, the more a character is fleshed out the more tools we have to use someday)

10:30 AM

Heading south you see this was a storage room. Ore carts and replacement parts for the metal stamping machines in the eastern gallery have been staged here for when the factory was still in use. Two of the robotic bodies have been taken apart by something with tremendous strength and litter the ground in this room. One of them has come to rest against an overturned ore cart, while the other has been pulled apart and scattered across the floor of the room in six different pieces.

Looking out across the wreckage, Grimgar tries to imagine what might have been capable of doing such damage. Shaking his head as the answer eludes him he silently gestures towards the wreckage, turning back to whisper before heading further in. “Cover me and watch yourself, going to take a look.” Grim adds before sneaking out.

(further south, east into the next room, or at the broken robot? )

(If the robots are in this room with me I would like to investigate them. After that I would go south.)

(know/int, or fix/ int and we can try to figure out some mroe about them)

(a 9 for know)

Something with a tremendous amount of torque has ripped the limbs off this robot, you see evidence that it was at least partially clamped into place while the tearing was happening.

(So more likely a robotic clamp of some kind than like rending claws?)

(Yeah it is looking more like something mechanical did this as opposed to a big animal or something similarly organic)

1

Moving back besides the captain he conveys this information quietly. “Looks like something mechanical, not claws.” Grimgar says with a nod before turning to head out the southern exit.

You find two work stations at the southenr side of this room. There are tools scattered everywhere here as workers would have once finished stamped metal products here, rounding edges, hammering rivets into place, and so on.

Moving up towards the work station, he examines them for anything of value before heading towards the lower right door. (On the map the lower right room)

(We would have to go to the middle right or lower left to get in there, so which of those paths did we want to take to get there)

(Ah sorry I thought we were at the lower left, I go to the lower left then)

The robot looks to have two large vices for arms, meant to crush and compact whatever it finds that looks like trash. its back is turned to you right now, but it looks to have been responsible for the destruction of the robots you'd seen in the other room.

(Okay… so two questions. This thing is big, does it look like it can get through all of the hallways and stuff? Also does it look like there is anything in the room that I could drop or knock over on it?)

(it can hunch through them, but it fills the space very closely. Nothing in this room it can be dropped onto)

(Is there anything else in this room I can see besides the giant murder bot?)

(Since its dark , not really, and I don't think we could really interact with much of anything anyway before it notices)

(In that case I will ignore it for now. Moving into the middle right room.)

12:13 PM

Quickly looking over the large robot Grimgar backs himself out the way they came in, pointing out the bot to Cap before gesturing for him to follow along in another direction.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6+2] Roll: [1, 1] Result: 4

(with your previous sneak, a 4 is not gonna do it, so we'll move on)

3:50 PM

The right room looks to be a forge of some kind. Liquid metal was cast into all manner of shapes here depending on what was needed by the local community that sprang up around the factory's shadow.

3:51 PM

Large cauldrons hanging on chains each the size of a truck seem quiet now, cold and dead as the rest of the planet around it. There are several of these meant to be suspended over flames, before machines would have poured them slowly into molds

Moving further into the chamber, Grimgar looks out across the machinery and contemplates it’s use. Gesturing over the Captain he speaks quietly to them. “Enough machinery to turn this to a forge, but that robot would be tough. If we lure it into here, we might be able to drop those cauldrons on it. I’d just as soon stay quiet and move back to the train once we’re clear.” he says as he looks about.

(its up to you if you want to fight it or not, he will support whatever decision you make since you saw it and he hasn't)

(I do not want to fight it if I don’t have to, I guess the real question is like does it need to die for me to complete my mission?)

(no, but you asked him a question and I told you what his answer would be, so if you choose not to fight, he will agree)

(Okay, ignoring it for now then. If we have to fight it maybe he can shoot stuff in here to make it fall. Still need to check bottom right I think?) With a nod, Grimgar makes his way south to the most southeast room.

The bottom right looks to be a well equipped cleanroom. While the factory was in operation special components would have been made in here requiring precise manufacture and the melding of static free electronics, and precise metal work.

(I search for loots) Grimgar makes his way through, checking for any components that might be of value. (edited)

To you personally there’s nothing in here that looks immediately valuable or useful. To a growing city of civilization the tools, and metals are of vital importance as is the way to access the factory you have scouted.

(I would be looking for the crew as well, not just myself but it’s all the same I guess) Continuing up north, Grimgar moves cautiously hoping to map out the rest of this section.

(Yeah I mean we don’t have a way to dismantle and carry entire work benches with us at the moment )

11:30 AM

(There’s nothing handheld of any immediate value )

1

(Not sure if you are waiting for me, my plan was just to head north to check the rest of the rooms.)

(I was waiting for you yes, my last post was answering your question and emojis don't make the threads light up)

8:41 AM

(not really a course of action for me to follow from you until now anyway)

(I mean I emoted out that I continued north back on 6/15. You had said before you don’t like double posts and I had already said what my intention was. Just confused about what you would like me to do?)

There doesnt seem to be anything of immediate value on the way back out of the facility. By this point in the day it looks like you've seen the rooms in this metal shop, and have taken what looks to be of the most immediate value back with you. The presence of the crusher robot is noted in your report as you and the expedition captain meet back in the room leading down to the tram.

Grimgar nods to the captain and speaks quietly, but above a whisper, as they exit the facility to wait by the tram. "Can wherever you came from mobilize a team to take care of that big robot in there? This place seems like an asset but that robot seems like a tough fight." (If they can just send in another team I am fine with that, but if its gotta be me I would rather do it now)

(They'll send another team if you dont want to be involved in it)

(Whatever might as well. It may be a meta decision but I say we fight it. I would like to draw it into some place and set a trap for it. My thought was the captain sets up in the forge and then I pull it under the hanging smelters, then he shoots one to bring it down. Would that work?)

(we'd need some description of how you're setting this trap up exactly but yes)

Grimgar considers their options for a moment as he crouches down, thinking aloud and scratching a small diagram into the ground with his small knife. “I have considered one possible solution to the robot problem, if you think you can strike a small stationary target from cover.” he says as he outlines the forge room they had passed by. “If I loop around the long way skirting around to the robot, while you set up behind cover near the hanging smelters in wait, I believe I can lure the bot to that room. If I attack it and then flee to that chamber, a well placed shot into the mechanism holding the hanging containers will hopefully drop it. What do you think?”

"THat might work. THe furnaces are off though, we can use the weight to crush it, but we're not going to be able to burn it with molten metal or anything like that. If we start the forges it might hear us"

He nods in agreement. "I think it would take too long to start the forges, they have been cold for some time and there are more than one of the smelters we might drop, if we need it. You just stay in cover and let me keep its attention." he adds.

“Find some cover. I’ll wait a minute and then make my way to the bot.” he says with a nod before circling around.

(I think it's been long enough in scene where another sneak/dex might be reasonable, especially with the sounds of trying to get this trap made in the background)

(an 8)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [6, 3] Result: 9

The trap looks to be halfway completed as the two of you work to the best and most quiet of your ability. Two of the hanging ore buckets have been filled and strung into position on the ceiling, with dump chains rigged, though it is not as many as what you wanted when the third one in the line falls, scattering its cargo all over the floor. A distant screech that sounds like an alert chime sounds, and the bot is coming.

“Now is as good a time as any.” he says aloud before he rushes to meet robot, drawing his weapon as he goes. (8 for init if I need it) (edited)

/roll d8

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d8] Roll: [5] Result: 5

(The robot will be 20m from your trap site and you when it enters the room. You’re first )

(I am not sure mechanically how to like… spring the trap. Do I go attack the guy and attack and then run? Or can I hold an action maybe? I think you know what my intention is)

(You said you were fighting it, so I figured the captain will trigger it once the robot is In range )

(Yep. I figure I am the bait to get it into position, so that is what I want to do.)

(it is 20m from you and I figured you'd be at about the area of trap construction. Held turns are a thing in this system, if you wanted to hold now, you could let it close and would likely be risking an attack, but then you'd get your held turn, and then it would move ot the next round, with you going first as well)

(Okay. I think the move then is to wait by the trap and ready an attack so it moves up to me and under the trap, I attack it, and then attack and move on my turn? And we ((hopefully)) shoot the thing)

(Holding your turn will let it go, so it will get to move and attack, so you'll be risking a swing from it, but then you can attack, and then it'll be round 2 staring with your actual turn)

(So moving my initiative rather than waiting for a trigger. Can I hit the thing and run away?)

(Yeah there’s no trigger actions. Right now 20m would be your move and a main action to dash, so no if you went now you’d have nothing left to respond with when it closed with you)

(Stand here and wait then!)

The robot pounds into the room smashing its way through the hatch door. Its claws open and close rapidly as its long stride brings it to grips with you, one of the claws sweeping out at you in a crushing blow.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d20+5] Roll: [19] Result: 24

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d8] Roll: [1] Result: 1

(24/1 , your held turn, and then next round begins with you)

(So I take 1 damage?) Grimgar manages to duck away from the bulk of the strike before swinging back with his blade. "Get ready to fire!" he shouts out as he brings the blade down on the robot.

9:28 AM

(14 to hit, 7 damage with the great sword.) Swinging the blade he rolls away from the bot and towards the second trap location, sliding to a halt to turn and face the foe.

(yes, 24 is above your armor class, so you take one damage)

9:40 AM

The blow doesn't seem to have broken through the armor (if you're not taking fighting withdrawal as your main action it's going to get an opportunity attack on you)

(Yep. I was just making sure that the 1 was the damage dice, and yes it gets to attack)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d20+5] Roll: [19] Result: 24

As you dash away from the bot, its claw lashes out one last time to try to grab you.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d8] Roll: [2] Result: 2

(24/2 for that one) It moves to engage you again, now firmly underneath one of the two hanging ore carts you and the Captain have set up.

(Sorry I am confused, it moved and attacked and then I moved away. Shouldnt the captain have dropped the thing on it before it attacked again? Does the captain use my initiative? Or was he waiting for the thing to move? Sorry just trying to understand) (edited)

(The captain needed the bot to move under the cart, which it just has)

10:12 AM

(you get your turn and he's gonna drop it)

(Ah sorry, I thought it was last turn since I was waiting at the position? But whatever no big deal, guess I misunderstood. I will do a fighting retreat here then) Seeing the robot is now in position, Grimgar gives the signal to the Captain and batters back one of the metal arms before ducking away and out from under the trap. "Do it now!" he shouts as he ducks away.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [1d20] Roll: [20] Result: 20

The ore Cart falls, smashing into the robot near its neck and pinning it to the floor. The captain gets in position to hit it with another, gesturing for you to give him a hand with the stuck chain. The robot struggles, unable to shift the weight on its back.

(Can we hit it with another cart here without it moving if I help with the chain?)

(Yep! Would be an exert/str as your main action since its stuck and he needs help freeing it, but if successful that second cart will come down and smash the bot)

Grimgar nods and runs beside the captain. Quickly sheathing his weapon he reaches up to grab the chain in both hands, pulling down with all of his might.

(Only a 6)

The chain rattles as the ore cart falls, smashing the clamping robot in the back. There is a whine of power shutting down and a shower of blue sparks.

Letting out a sigh of relief as the ore falls to the ground Grimgar turns to the captain and gives a nod. “Good work.” he says plainly, looking around before adding. “Now let’s get out of here.”

(3xp , 5000 credits. I'd imagine we'll return via the subway to that other site, and re unite the team. Discovering whats going on with the abandoned bots down there would be a long time to wait, and I'm sure you'll want to do some other missions )

1

(did you need me to pitch one? )

(Sorry just been busy lately, that’s be great. I still haven’t met any other players yet ((aside from the Brie from Grim)) which is a bit disheartening)

(Everyone else was doing war stuff but it’s over now. You’re a member of the UNW server , you can coordinate with people )

(It doesnt sound like there is anything to easily fit you into right now. If you had any thoughts on another mission I can get that going, or I've always got something myself)

(Is it better to wait for something as opposed to hoping it works out on its own?)

(My concern is that as it is, all I can really do is kill stuff and that’s all I have incentive for. My hope is that if I meet some more players and maybe see the other stuff going on with them I might have a hook to do other stuff? I think I wrote my dude a bit too narrow, in hindsight, without like a party)

(there are hundreds of hooks out there. You can do plenty of things that aren't strictly related to your background with a little bit of creative thinking. The pidgeonholing or role-limiting is not something I've ever tried to impose on you)

(Didn’t mean to imply you had done anything. I know there is a lot of stuff out there that is interesting to me as a player, but it’s hard to find a way for my guy without metagaming. Something he would be good at and also have a reason to go do combined with the fact that I don’t know most of what’s going on is not your fault)

(I didn't tihnk you were. There is a lot going on, the news has some hooks, world anvil has others and those are both things players would know. The UNW server discussion we can also count, since you would have a way to communicate with your fellows in universe)

9:51 AM

(You could go back to Thojhild and help Akira escort some locals across the rad belt)

(I do need to figure out what to do with the pretech component as well. Thojhild would be alright, spent a fair bit of time there so that could be fun)

(So that puts me at 18xp and 6 lamplighter missions done.) Level Up Level: 5 Old HP: 25 HP Roll: 39 New HP: 35 Current AB: 5 Kenjutsu Style 0,1- 3 xp Foci Lvl 5- Shocking Assault 2 (edited)

(Correct on the book keeping. If you had anything you wanted to check out we can, if not, I can figure out a mission )

(6 lamplighter missions put me at rank 2, but I am not sure what that means. The faction page says relic?) (I also have some stuff I found that I should try and sort out with some downtime: That weird metal sheet and the pretech part?) (For missions I dont have anything planned, but I do have a goal to win a sword duel.)

(It says relic, the faction will give you a relic weapon, or relic armor they have in their stock, but there's nothing super specific there because what is useful for one person might not be really all that useful for someone else. SO let me know weapon or armor, and I'll give you some info from there)

1

(I think a weapon would be my preference.)

(Did you want to continue with Akira? )

(We can I suppose. I don’t have anything pressing for Grimgar to do)

(any preference on a mission type? I know Grimgar is only specced for a few different things, but there's def some value in expanding into new things too)

8:30 AM

Noticing your penchant for large weapons, the Lamplighters have found sometihng in their stocks that might interest you. It is a large two handed sword, reminding you of a claymore or some other sword of its type. It is known as a windcutter, and a small readout for its specs is attached, Windcutter: Windcutter armaments are invariably edged melee weapons. Their pretech manufacturers had an obsessive interest in maximizing weapon penetration, one carried to an extent that was very impressive, if perhaps somewhat impractical for field use. A Windcutter blade can slice through any substance short of advanced pretech armor plating, inflicting full normal damage on vehicles, including gravtanks or other targets subject only to Heavy weapons. For Shock purposes, all targets are treated as if they were AC 10. Against all targets, the blades have an effective +1 bonus to hit and damage

2

(I am having trouble adding this to my sheet. It isnt in the drop down and I get an error if I try to do it manually)

(There isn't because its still a large advanced weapon, i'll add the modifiers for you, you just are going to have to note for yourself that the weapon has the properties of a heavy weapon and is shock 10. The relics aren't in the database on purpose) (edited)

(Understood, I will note the characteristics. I wasn’t sure about the +1s since it calculates for damage and hit)

(Yep, I added those to the current large advanced weapon section of your sheet. there are boxes where the weapons are listed for attack and damage modifiers that are part of the weapon rather than part of your skill level/attributes. )

1

( looks like Akira is moving off to their own mission, so its up to you what you might want to do next. )(

8:07 AM

(Sorry for letting this wait. Emojis' dont make the thread light up, so I was the last actual bump and it didn't light up for me to come back)

(I was waiting for some word on the mission, next time I will reply.) (I am ready to start branching out now, but I’m still not good at anything besides scouting/survival/murder.)

(I think so too, Did you have a specific direction for branching out that might interest you?)

(Maybe more leadering? Commanding dudes maybe?)

(there still might be a scouting component to that , or at least an exploration component to it. By definition of how big it is, the UNW has a lot of frontier and if you were going to get command of troops it would be to instruct them on something you were an expert in, I;d imagine. We're not really in the middle of any wars or anything right now, so there aren't any space battles or ground skirmishes to lead troops in at the moment)

(I am using Conan as a archetype here. It’s not perfect since he is also a genius, but you get the idea. I imagine there is mercenary stuff though right? Small stuff is all I would really be comfortable in now anyways.)

(You can check #bounty-hunters-guild to see what’s available there. No one’s deploying mercs against each other right now , so that’s what we have )

(So I guess my question is- do people not have to worry about like pirates and stuff? Or neutral or no major polity folks who need to do stuff? I don’t mean to command an army ~~at least not yet~~ but taking a group of guys against some target like in the snow tunnel mission with the tram?)

(If you looked at the attached thread you'd see several of the bounties there are for pirates, freebooters, and other general criminals that folks are operating outside the law, and are a threat to life. A ship outside polity use this close to The Scream is a major thing, there are some pirates, but ships with functioning spike drives for now are by no means widespread. As far as neutral groups, they're all "doing stuff" and have threads, with missions available to do them down in the same section you'd ahve found the bounty hunters guild thread. There are dozens if not hundreds of hooks available with something like that as a premise I'm happy to spin a smaller scale team leading/exploration type mission up if that's what you decide to do instead) (edited)

(The only stuff I saw in bounty hunting was ships, which is not exactly what I was looking for. The other stuff I don’t know enough about the names there so I’m not sure what is applicable. I get that there’s a lot out there to do, I just don’t know the setting well enough to know it outside of my characters personal experiences… I’m sure there’s something perfect for me but I’m also sure I don’t know what it is.) (Self direction is difficult since I haven’t read through the huge wealth of lore and stuff here, unfortunately. I trust your judgement though and I’m sure whatever you put me on I will enjoy.)

(Alright, I'll think of something. For reference anything on the world anvil is character knowledge, if that helps give things some context)

(Fair, I meant as a player I dont know anything I havent experienced in game.)

(how about leading a small squad to explore a border system we don't have much information about?)

(Sounds perfect)

(alright, I'll take a look through WA and pick one)

(how about here? )(

10:38 AM

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/amphinome-location

Amphinome

1

(That place sounds truly awful! No life forms and all poison? But if you think theres stuff for me to do, then sure.)

1

(I can pick something else if you're not interested. It might be us throwing a few ideas back and forth until you're happy with something)

(I dont mind that. I can try and take a look through the anvil tonight maybe, let me take a look.)

(alright, let me know how things end up going, if you don't get a chance I can grab a few more options)

(Found the Umlaut, they seem cool. Wouldnt mind hanging out with them. Is there a way to look for stuff in a smaller search? I am looking for the map but some stuff doesnt have entries and I dont know what to do other than searching each thing individually)

(another player is mid mission with them right now, and are not available. If something on WA doesn't have an article when you search it, it means no one has been there before, so we do not have any information about the place. ) (edited)

(I think I will just wait for your suggestions then.)

(A ghoul hunt on aslief with a small team? Exploring the old Brotherhood of Fenris stronghold on Savita for lore? leading a human uprising on Agamemnon? https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/agamemnon-location

Agamemnon

(Those all sound cool… I have three goals currently, and I think they could all be achieved with the uprising one.)

Decontamination from the radiation zone takes a few days before you're given the green light to leave Tjodhild, and the Lamplighter foundation's relic gift to you is secured on your back. A request for you comes in, not from the Lamplighters this time, but from the United Nations of Worlds itself. A shuttle has been diverted from the Inter Polity Transit System, and has been modifier to be low observable, and this will be your ride to the destination should you accept the mission. Word has come to the UNW from a former operative, Seung Whitaker, who remembers a world called Agamemnon where the humans lived in bondage to a species of robots. These robots are intelligent and have their own personalities from what the scouting report has determined. The humans there are kept in squaldid and low tech conditions, as the robots blame them and their psychics for The Scream. Witch hunts for psychics were not uncommon. Both the Psychic Academy, and the polity have an interest in overthrowing the Knights of Automos as they call themselves, and your skills in survival, stealth, and fighting would be boons to any sort of emergent rebel movement.

Grimgar reads over the request with a stern expression. Hard living and low technology were common on his homeworld, as was the precarious balance of strong vs weak. After only a short time to deliberate, he accepts the request and gathers up his supplies and gear for the journey.

(It’s going to be 15 days of downtime from our current location)

(Sorry, hectic with the holidays. I think Grim spends that time learning as much as he can about the planet and it’s history- memorizing what’s in his briefing if there’s no way to look stuff up)

(All we know is what’s on the world anvil. All we had as far as previous contact was a brief scout ship pass but when the robots were confirmed hostile they pulled out)

(I dont think I have anything else to do then. Just wait and exercise)

After fifteen days, the shuttle enters the system and is able to shield itself from ground based sensors on the planet. For now, you are here silently, and the crew begins doing what they can to try to get a map of the world together, so you can determine a place to land.

10:04 AM

(I have to draw it still, I've been on mobile until this morning, so I'll have this done by tomorrow now that I've got a computer back)

1

(All good, thanks.) Grimgar makes his way to the cockpit of the ship and gives a nod to the pilot before leaning down to look out through the viewport at the planet. Doing his best to scan as much of the world as he could, he tried to pick out anything of importance as the ship moved.

(We know of a few landmarks from when Seung was here, the smaller settlements and ruins dont have names because no one has been there)

(Do we have coordinates for the people who requested help? Or can we see them?)

(the entire human population of the planet is being oppressed. This is how the planet looks, we'd have to pick somewhere to try to land, and make contact with the locals somehow to see what we can do)

(Alright, if thats the case I would set down somewhere about a day or so out from a settlement and then try and move up stealthy to observe. UNW did get a request though right? I dont have the specifics but all it said was something like 'help'?)

(Which settlement, there are about ten on the map. And correct, we have their request for aid, and the scouting report as information Grimgar has)

(With no specifics one is as good as another I suppose... The top one, by the Donjon, between the trees and the mountains. I look for a clearing in cover somewhere and make my way on foot)

(sure, lets get a sneak/dex for our deployment from landing and we'll put this together )

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+1] Roll: [20] Result: 21

(oof what a waste of a crit, I rolled the wrong thing...)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 7

The shuttle lands in a wooded clearing. The ramp lowers and you exit before it heads off into space again to hide near the system sun and scoop fuel for a return trip. That process will take four days. The woodlands here are dense and quaint. Flowers and weeds grow amid bushes and tall trees and the leafing canopy provides excellent cover from overhead observation. The settlement you identified from space is a kilometer from here and you can hear the sounds of hand tools striking stone and the bleating of beasts of burden

With a small nod to the ship's crew, Grimgar gathers his pack and slings it over his shoulder before sheathing his weapon across the other. "Stay safe, and stay hidden. I do not intend to make contact unless absolutely necessary." he says with a wave before hopping down onto the planet's surface. Taking a deep breath through his nostrils he takes in the sounds and smell of the place before pulling his cloak's hood down and heading further in land. Cautiously, Grim makes a lap around the exterior of the settlement, observing it from distant cover and attempting to stay hidden. He knew the planet needed help, but sometimes folks would stay loyal to live on scraps, if it meant having more scraps than someone else... better to be certain. (edited)

A group of peasant workers labors in the field under the whips of a towering robotic taskmaster. There is a long leather cord in each of its four arms and it seems content to lash anyone it judges as moving a bit too slow. 500 people live here, possibly more depending on if the thatch and log builidings you see have sub levels to them. A distant hill is occupied by a stone and metal castle that most of the humans here seem to be forced to build. This second group is being watched closely by robotic men-at-arms and their own labor taskmasters.

Setting up for what may be a long wait, Grim looks towards the sun’d position in the sky and watches. With any luck, these robotic overlords would allow their workers rest at some point. As it stood, his only real advantage was surprise and stealth, and he did not want to throw those away without need. So he would wait, and watch, until an opening presented itself. (My plan is to watch the robots to see what I can learn, as well as see if I notice anyone who might be resistance)

(notice/wis, lets see if we can pick out some clues)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 7

The robots seem to be tireless, watching their underlings with remorseless and relentless efficiency. Near the edges of the work parties, out of sight for the fleeting seconds it can be found, it looks as though some of the workers are passing hand signals to one another. The robots do not seem to notice this, despite the incredible risk these people are taking. None of them outright look to be rebels just because of how they appear.

Doing his best to memorize the faces of the individuals using hand gestures, he splits his attention between them and the robots as he waits for the cover of darkness.

At early evening the workday is allowed to end and smaller men at arms units bring the locals back to their homes, keeping watch on the streets as the people are kept inside. A ration cart with four attending guards and three robotic workers begins moving through the street handing out meals to every resident in each of the homes.

Grimgar frowns as the scene unfolds ahead of him. He reaches for the handle of his weapon above his shoulder and stops, shaking his head and continuing to watch. “More a prison than a fiefdom…” he mutters under his breath. (How many guards are there currently? Has the number gone down or stayed the same?)

(There are intervening buildings between your spot and seeing the complete layout of the settlement, it looks like between 20 and 30 men at arms are responsible for the village itself )

(Okay... my current plan is to keep watching and wait. I am hoping the guards leave, but if they dont I will try and make contact at one of the houses that had somebody making the hand signals once it is dark.)

The robots do not tire, but do run out of charge and as the sun goes down, half of them head up the hill to the castle that is currently under construction, leaving ten in the village to the best of your ability to count. Five of them occupy the town square, keeping watch on the public buildings, while the other five patrol the streets alone, each of them taking winding routes through the disorganized rows and spirals of slum housing.

“This is probably my best chance.” Grimgar thinks to himself as he pushes up from his cover and pulls the hood of his cloak tight around his head. Waiting for an opening in the patrol he makes his way towards one of the houses he saw using signals.

(sneak/dex)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+2] Roll: [4, 4] Result: 10

You are able to sneak into the town and approach the back of one of the homes at the edge of town. You saw someone using the hand signals go inside with their family. The closest patrol from w hat you've been able to follow is three streets away and should not be here for another few minutes, giving you some time to get inside or convince them to help you.

(Is there a way to sneak inside this place? I dont want them making a scene)

(Breaking into someone's house with the occupants unawares would likewise cause a scene, there's not really a way to sneak in without alerting them since its all slum housing)

(It was more about causing the scene inside and keeping it quiet as opposed to where folks could see, but I’ll just knock on the door then.)

9:03 AM

Grimgar steps to the door and gives three quick raps before listening carefully for a response.

“Who’s there!” Someone within asks in reply. Their normal inside voice is absorbed by the door somewhat. The door is solid with no peep hole carved into it. Flickering light can be seen from under the door.

"A friend from off world. I'm here to help." he replies as he looks both ways down the the street for the patrols. “Your robot friends will be returning soon, maybe we can talk inside.” he adds. (edited)

The door opens a crack, and upon seeing you there clearly from off world in off world kit, it opens wider and you're pulled inside. Two families live here, and a total of eleven people stare back at you from around their rectangular dinner table. Dinner tonight is a thin , watery strew with the barest scraps of meat and vegetables in it. You're not sure what exact shade of yellow the broth is supposed to be, and the people here are all clearly slowly suffering under the conditions.

Looking at the assembled people he sighs and crosses his arms. Families, clearly suffering, but hardly an intimidating force. “I observed your village today, picked you out using hand signals and waited for darkness. Somebody sent a message off world, you happen to know who that was?” he asks as he looks at each of the people inside one by one.

"Seung Whitaker. We were asssembled by the task masters to meet him, the task masters wanted him to see we were a productive and prosperous people"

4:22 PM

(Seung found this planet and under the guise of "fixing their communications equipment" sent a message off world to Galatea about the situation here, and a few of the locals figured out what he did )

Grimgar nods and finally shrugs. "Well, plenty of folks in the galaxy and I don't keep up with current events. But they sent a message, and here I am." he says plainly before gesturing towards a seat and moving to sit down. "Right now, it's just me. On my home planet, things aren't too different from here. You work hard every day, sometimes somebody stronger comes and tries to tell somebody weaker what to do, and they tend to keep doing that until somebody makes them stop. I might be able to help you with that last part, but you folks are gonna need to earn it yourselves."

"Sure, and we're trying. Are you here to help, or...what are we doing here?" the peasant who let you inside says,still standing near the door. "Easy to wax on about freedom when you haven't seen one of those...things...fight." he says again after a moment of thought. "They're big, but they move faster than you can imagine. And the way they fight- no movement is wasted. Everything is calculated, clean, the most effect for the smallest amount of movement. Our best have tried , none lived to tell the tale"

“I am.” Grimgar says in response to the first question, standing up and gesturing to his weapon. “I have no doubts that I can kill these things, one or two at a time and I’d bet on me any day. But once they learn I’m here, and mobilize? Bad news for everybody.” he steps back towards the door to listen before continuing. “I can teach you, but it takes time to learn, and years to master. Better off fighting to your strengths… how many are there? And how often do they come from their keeps?” he asks.

"One hundred in this region. They come down every day in groups to get us to work, or for other tasks. Some of us also help build their keeps and fortresses and those people sometimes will stay up there for a few days at a time before coming back"

(So I am a bit uncertain here out of game. Am I supposed to help the whole planet? That seems like a long and deep investment of time. I am afraid to just start killing stuff here because they will just come back and kill everybody? Not sure what the depth and scope of my current objective is.)

(the goal was to start the resistance movement. If you are having fun and want to see it through to its conclusion over the course of what will be several missions you are more than welcome to do so, if you choose to spend a couple missions here trying to get something established, and then the people fend for themselves with what you taught them, that is also up to you. )

(Okay cool. I think we start it and then see where it goes from there.) "This all starts with scouting. Observing and collecting information, looking for weakness and memorizing patterns. If you can't fight them clean, you need to take advantage of what you do have- the element of surprise and the knowledge of your home. Now tell me, does the number in the camp ever change? Do the robots ever get injured and leave for repairs?" He asks as he watches the group.

"Sometimes. If it is bad enough they are taken to the keep, or somewhere else for repairs. They always come back in a few days. I have only seen it a few times, usually accidents."

He nods, considering. "And how long to travel to the keep from here?" he asks.

“An hour on foot. It’s at the top of the hills. You probably saw it if you got here during the day. It’s hard to miss. “

(We did see it on the way in, just briefly, so we know he's not trying to trap you) https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/975768797216641105/1058974560734691399

(Sorry! Was a busy few days and I didn’t see this message) Grimgar nods, contemplating. “These machines don’t seem to give you much in the way of free time. I see you can pass messages, but it will be slow moving… for now the most important thing is gathering information and remaining unseen. I will leave some instructions, and then go to see this keep for myself.” he says before checking over his gear, preparing to exit.

8:42 AM

(I am not sure how leadership works in this system, I will need to read up a bit. My plan is tell them to look for weaknesses/patterns. I tell them how to be sneaky and then I tell them how to fight a little. Then hope.)

(these would be probably the meat and potatoes of the mission here, you helping them do these things)

9:15 AM

(but we can move into you scouting the keep for the night. We'll need a sneak/dex for getting out of town and up the hill, and we'll fill in some informationn from there)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+2] Roll: [6, 2] Result: 10

It is close to sunrise when you manage to make it to a vantage point to observe the fortress. The fastness is alien, not built for the comfort of humans ,and instead meant to suit the needs of the robotic overlords of this planet. There is a smell in the air reminding you of cordite and Sulphur as the indentured peasant workforce smelts metal , shapes it into the components the robots need , and turns it over to the robotic engineers to be installed in the fort. This fort looks to be about 75% complete. The framework and most of the exterior plating is completed and in place, and most of the work now looks to be on finishing touches and internal construction.

3:07 PM

A work camp made of cheap and rotting burlap tents and pathetic looking cook fires extends down the slope around it. A dozen robot patrolmen walk up and down the various rows of tents, ensuring their captives are where they belong until the work day begins

Grimgar settles down into cover and pulls his cloak over himself before finding whatever shrubbery and dirt he can to help hide his position. With the sun coming up he would do well to rest if he could, and watch when able. It would be important to see if the humans around this fort were any different than the ones he had met, and to make note of any defenses the facility had. (So I don’t wanna move around in the day since that seems busier. I will try and find a spot to rest/eat a ration and observe.)

(It will be about 24 hours of being awake if waiting for night to move again. Would Grimgar try to push on through being tired, or risk sleeping? )

(Light sleep I think, after watching for a while. I wanna find a safe-ish spot and cover it)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [2, 1] Result: 3

You are undetected as you slightly relocate to steal a few hours of sleep. The peasants near the keep are treated worse than the ones in the village and are watched much more closely. You see no evidence of resistance or rebel activity here as they would have been caught instantly. There are 200 humans here working under their robotic overlords. Like down below in the village there are four robotic taskmasters here, and five guards that keep order. The castle itself seems to be home to many more of the robots but they do not come outside.

(There are no incoming or outgoing ships or anything right? Do I notice any communications arrays or the like?)

(the robots do not have any spaceships. They just had a couple communication satellites in orbit, but they don't have much in terms of hyper advanced comms or anything like that)

(I am asking because I am wondering how interconnected these things are. Disabling their ability to call for backup would be nice.)

(We don't have a way to really gauge that with the information we had beforehand, and so far we haven't managed to collect anything better with what was done so far)

(That's fine, I am just saying that is what I am looking for specifically. Nothing obvious at least, like antenna and stuff.) Grimgar continues watching until night falls once more. Under the cover of darkness he gathers up his gear and makes sure to leave as little trace of himself as possible before heading back to the same house he had visited previously. He watches and waits once more for another opening.

(No, there's no obvious communication equipment on the outside of the castle) The patrol looks to be somewhat regular and you are able to slip back to the front door of the home you had spoken to the previous night. You're let in without fuss this time and the same number of inhabitants are inside. A place at their table is made for you so you have something warm to eat.

Grimgar nods and sits, taking the food with a grateful grin before looking to the others. "I've seen the Castle. It's a hard target." he says as he takes a bite. "Tell me what you've learned? Did you speak with any of the others?" he asks.

(You didn't give them anything to do, I looked back over the old posts and you mentioned they can pass messages, which is true, but then you said you werent sure how leadership worked in this system and we jumped right into the mission,) "You didn't really give us anything to talk to them about so we didn't risk it, not until there was a reason for it. Passing messages is already slow, "

(I said I would leave instructions, but didnt actually write them out. Right under that though I say tell them to look for weaknesses/patterns) (edited)

With one day under their belts they have not had enough time to search for patterns, but promise they will continue to do so.

“Tonight then I will teach you some basics, about sneaking and about defending yourself. It will take time. After which I will move to another house and do the same. Remember that staying quiet is the most important thing right now.” he says with a determined nod. “No enemy is without flaws, we just need to find these and exploit them.”

The locals agree and will do their best to be more dilligent in looking for them, especially now that there is an ember of hope. they finish their meal and clear the table, waiting for you to instruct them in tonight's lessons

(So I help them learn stuff? Im pretty good at stealth so lets start there.)

(You said you were going to, so I thought we would play that out. If you're not sure what to say we can just say Grimgar gives them a few pointers he learned from his own time as a tracker, and we can move into the next day)

(Sorry I can do some, just not sure how to do so. Wasnt sure if I had to roll or something.) Grimgar explains his time as a hunter on his homeworld, using cover and shadows to hide and disrupt his outline. He mentions briefly the benefits of staying down wind, but adds that it most likely will not matter with robots. Before the night comes to an end he gives them the basics of moving through cover and hiding.

The locals spend the night trying to use the shadows cast by the flickering candles to hide themselves, practicing with the limited time and resources they have. Morning comes far too quickly, and as the sun begins to peak over the horizon the locals begin to prepare for another grueling day of labors.

(Is it possible to hide inside the house for the day? That would be my goal I think, stay in and observe through a window or something maybe)

(yeah I think they'd let you by now, so long as you were careful not to draw attention to yourself. We can't see the castle from here anymore but we could get information on the patrol routes of the security bots through the streets during the day)

(Patrols and schedule would be enough.) With a nod to the others he find a hidden corner to get some rest, after which he heads towards the whatever window had the best view of the village to observe all he can about the patrols and schedules.

A patrol bot comes through this street at a variable schedule, making a pass every eight to fourteen minutes. You are not sure the reason for the variance. The patrol is a single large security bot armed with a laser rifle, and a large sword the bot would use to fight in hand to hand with. It would need two hands to use it based on its size and weight. The bot is also accompanied by a simple camera drone to improve its level of awareness. This drone is about the size of a coffee cup.

Grimgar continues his vigil, watching the enemy and looking for weaknesses. Unarmed and untrained, the villagers would most likely be swept aside quickly… with some training by and a decent plan, they might stand a chance. There was little more he could do now besides wait. (Gonna need to keep training and staying quiet. I’d like to teach this group some basics about fighting and then maybe do the same at another house or two. Hopefully then they can do the same and spread the training.)

(what would you teach them about fighting? Just trying to figure out narratively what they might be able to do when the time comes )

(Well, they only have their fists and farming implements right? So I will teach them how to swing a hammer or pickaxe or whatever. Tell them where on the robots I think they should attack. I would also say that if there are any of those robot eyes they should try and knock em down with thrown rocks)

(lead/cha)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6] Roll: [5, 2] Result: 7

(Hm... I have a reroll I have been saving.)

(up to you if you want to use it or not then. This isn't a fail, but its barely a success so they're not going to retain much) (edited)

(I guess barely a success will do. They can learn more later maybe)

(Alright) With a single night of learning to sneak, and another with some basic conditioning exercises to make swinging the hand tools more effective, this home of locals is as prepared as it is possible to be right now. A handful of adults does not a rebellion make, and on this third day the bots once again rouse the families from their homes, to select a work crew to head up the mountain to the castle, while the rest work here to farm and handle other tasks to maintain the settlement .

(So next step I think was to try this at another group of people right? I am not sure how my chances look now... one of me against however many are there.) Grimgar continues the same routine for now. Without something drastic to tip the scales more in their favor, he was doubtful that this fledgling rebellion would persist even if they did manage to throw off these particular oppressors.

(All we've done so far is observe, which is good for gathering information but we only have a few people with even rudimentary skills. We could try to recruit more, or try to strike back somewhere opportunistic. How we do this is really up to you, I don't have a set roadmap that you're supposed to figure out) (edited)

(I want to train more people. I guess that means recruiting? I figure I would go to the folks who were also using the hand signals but if they are all here then I want to recruit)

(they all live in the settlement but are not all in the same house, realistically it would probably be a person or two from each house, they would probabyl know not to concentrate like that anyway without being told) The next morning you return to your observation post in the fields and can see that the routine of the bots does not change aside from what has already been intentionally built in to their patrol schedule , even the randomness has a pattern to it. Two humans are sneaking away from the group at the midday break for a meal, and you can see the slight movement of the long grass on the hillside, moving even though the wind is not. The robots do not seem to notice either, their attention kept on a sudden fight that breaks out between two of the locals, that to you looks as though it is being staged.

Grimgar focuses on the disturbance. Anything that disrupted their routine would provide useful info, and seeing how they react might be useful. Tensing slightly he grasped his weapon- just in case.

The peasants are allowed to pound on one another for a moment or two, and where it looks like someone might be seriously hurt, the guards finally step in using non-lethal flop weaponry to stun the two fighting down at the worksite among the other peasants . The two sneaking away make it to the top of the hill to the edge of the woodline, and look to be discussing something among themselves.

Grimgar splits his attention between the now stunned peasants and the two on the wood line. He was not sure what they had intended to do now, but a foolhardy action now might end this rebellion before it started.

The two peasants in the woods look to be talking to one another in low tones. You cannot hear what they are saying from here. One points to the castle at the top of the hill, while the other looks to be making notes in a notebook. The two stunned peasants are being given rudimentary medical attention by their robotic overlords.

Grimgar think on this for a moment before turning his attention back to the village. Scanning the area, he looks for any possible advantages to terrain, or possible areas that might be leveraged as traps. (So I am wondering if there’s anything we could topple over, or drop them in maybe? Or even areas that we could close off and trap them. Anything that might be an advantage.)

The fountain in the middle of the town square has been left intact when the robots took over. At the top of the fountain there is a 5m statue of a human knight, sword outstretched to salute the point in the sky where the rising sun would first fall over the settlement. This is the only large or tall object around. The peasant homes are much smaller.

12:28 PM

The fight between peasants is taking place far from it, in the fields around the town where crops are grown.

(Would it be possible to topple it over maybe when the groups were going to/coming from the fields to work maybe?) Grimgar thinks on this as he rest his hand on the handle of his weapon. Hopefully nobody did anything foolish just yet.

(Yep, we could, I think we just need to make a play to get it to come down when you want it to)

(I’m not sure what to do day by day other than training right now. I think for the next few days I just keep doing this. Observing/teaching.

3:15 PM

(Also, just thought of this, what are they farming here? Can we make some bombs?)

(They are farming. As far as bombs it depends how you would go about it and how you’d want them constructed. That would be something to play out )

(Fertilizer could work as a base, assuming they have animals and stuff I dunno. I am just looking for any way to give dudes with sticks a chance against robots… I have nothin else to do until the next night so ready when you are.)

(They do. Getting the materials or convincing the people to get it for you is one thing that could be played out.) You spend the rest of the time in the hills observing and by now are confident that the robots stick to a general pattern of movement and that daily life does not change much for the people here. They are given one day of rest per week and it looks as though the following day will be their small break from their labors. In the morning the group laboring at the top of the hill will be allowed to stop working on the castle to come home to their families, and in the morning after this coming one, the next group will be taken up,. Night falls over the settlement as the people return home.

Grimgar waits for the group he has been speaking to to return home before seeking them out. Reporting his own observations he asked them if they have learned anything themselves. (So stuff to do: 1- see what they know, 2- teach them, 3- ask about fertilizer+metal for bombs maybe? 4- go find more folks and repeat, 5- once that’s done try and fight these robots unless something changes)

The locals are happy to see you have returned. There is a rebel movement brewing in the north and it sounds as though the robots are going to be moving someof their forces there. Though the robots do not talk out loud aside from issuing commands to their serfs, stockpiles of things the Robots would need for a trip have begun appearing around town and some of todays work involved the humans porting those goods from warehouses or small cottage factories to large cargo sleds that will be hauled north.

Grimgar nods at the new information thinking on it. On one hand, a portion of the robotic forces leaving to head north would make their job easier, but it would make the other rebellion much harder. “What are the robots transporting? Do they use a fuel source by any chance? I have been thinking on ways to level the playing field, and if we can steal or destroy these supplies we help ourselves as well as the other settlement.”

"Power cells. They're charged in the castles and other strongholds normally. THey don't normally take them out of strongholds like this. No reason. None until now, at least"

“Hm… doesn’t sound like we can pass up this opportunity. Do you have any word on what sort of security they have?” he asks.

"Camera eyebots in the air. Six of the men at arms were with the sled earlier today and seemed to stay close to it. Probably can count on it being six"

“That’s not great odds. Seems like our best bet is to try and sneak in, or draw some out while I sneak in.” he says as he thumbs the stubble on his chin. “We should move soon, while the info is good… This is your homes, any thoughts?” he inquired, crossing his arms.

"We can probably distract some of them. Another fight, or something bigger. Then you can sneak in and will only need to deal with a couple of them" with only a few days of formal instruction behind them, they're not much more skilled than where they were , with little time to practice thus far.

Grimgar thinks on this for a moment and then nods. "Then we should go. Don't try to fight them up front. Noise... a fire maybe, something to pull them away. Stick to the shadows and stay quiet and mobile, you'll do alright." he says as he checks over his gear carefully, piece by piece. "You use mirrors? For shaving and the like maybe? We can use them to signal." he asks.

"We have mirrors. Small ones" he says, showing you the palm sized piece of glass they are each allowed as part of their meager overlord allowed possessions. Each family member has been allowed one, and it seems that male or female the robots have issued the same kit to everyone to ensure all have the rudiments of survival in some form or another.

"Good enough, simple communication then. You take one, aim it towards the person, and you move it up and down to catch the light. It works if you know where to look and what it means, get it?" he says gesturing with his free hand. "Get us some, at least two. Then we go." (So like a few signals- safe/danger/wait/come)

(we can say in character everyone has the signals worked out, so they'll know what to signal for each of those things with the mirrors)

1

2:14 PM

Everyone in the house has a mirror, and you've got four of them available from those who are willing to part with them. This is a chance to strike back for once, and if this goes well this defiance may soon become a more organized movement.

With the instructions made clear, Grimgar waits for a gap in the patrols before leading the volunteers towards the warehouse.

(sneak/dex, and we'll have four volunteers with us)

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [6, 2] Result: 11

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6+32] Roll: [2, 1] Result: 35

(should be plus two, so that's a 5 total, your sneak is successful)

9:53 AM

The volunteers creep through the woodline and long grasses with you as they make a wide circle of the settlement. The cargo sled is on the north side of town, between the settlement and the castle as it takes on supplies for the journey from both. The full guard complement is there still as the signal has not been given for the distraction, but as soon as it is, you expect you'll only be needing to take on two or so of the robots.

(For a moment I was very concerned by that bonus) Grimgar gives a nod to the others and gets into position before removing the signal mirror and flashing the predetermined signal and waiting for the response. After which, Grimgar draws his weapon and waits...

(haha yeah that would have been crazy if it was real. I just took their actual dice result and added the proper modifier instead of re-rolling it, since that felt more unfair) Five long minutes pass. There is a brief check in half way through where one of the scouts signals "Danger" meaning the robots in the area are still present. You can see the first of the large men at arm bots 30m from you through the long grass. The signal changes at the end of the five minutes as the fight and distraction starts in the village, and all but two of the men at arms are left behind.

Grimgar returns an affirmative through the mirror as he waits for what seems like an eternity, but in reality is only moments for the two groups to separate. Focusing his breathing he begins sneaking his way towards the two remaining men at arms, his weapon held low and to the side as he approaches. (I am just trying to get the jump on them if possible, not really going for an assassination or anything.)

(We;d get a surprise round since the previous sneak check went well, if we decide to start combat. )

(Yea that was my plan, if that counts that’s great. Going to go attack.)

(Yep! we'll give you a surprise round, so we'll do that first and then we'll do intiiative)

Grimgar stalks his way towards the two robotic guards. Making his way around them, he manages to get within striking distance without being noticed. Grasping his weapon tightly, he lunges for the nearest robot.

The man at arms turns, but too late to stop this first attack.

8:24 AM

(just need the hit/damage)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [7] Result: 16

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [1d10+3] Roll: [3] Result: 6

The man at arms is staggered as you charge into them. Sparks and metal fragments spray from the impact of your sword.

5:15 PM

(initiative)

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [1d8+2] Roll: [2] Result: 4

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d8] Roll: [2] Result: 2

(You, the volunteers, and I'll give you their modifiers when they're up so we don;t clutter things , and then the robots)

Grimgar attacks the damaged robot again, hoping to press his advantage.

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [10] Result: 19

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [1d10+3] Roll: [3] Result: 6

The man at arms bot loses one of its weapon limbs and its large shield crashes to the ground as you sever the metal arm and its connecting cables. It still has its large blade and is capable of continuing the fight. The volunteers mob the other, fighting with whatever improvised weappons they've managed to get their hands on. (they would be at a +3 in total to hit with their farming tools turned melee weapons)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+3] Roll: [12] Result: 15

(each of the four gets an attack. This first one does not hit)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [3d10] Roll: [9, 8, 8] Result: 25

(all misses) The man at arms fighting Grimgar fights back using its long blade in a horizontal sweeping motions

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+5] Roll: [6] Result: 11

(misses you, between shield and your actual AC no shock damage)

11:45 AM

The man at arms fighting the peasant mob does the same, trying to cut down one of the 'dirty locals' it is fighting

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+4] Roll: [4] Result: 8

(also miss, back to you)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [1] Result: 10

(Shock is 6/15ac if it matters)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [4d20] Roll: [16, 13, 10, 2] Result: 41

(So 19, 16, 13, 5 for the villagers.) The villagers continue to attack with their rough weapons, while Grimgar attempts to stab the damaged robot as the combat descends into a melee.

(Shock for you does not go through, but one of the villagers hits, their hand weapons do D6 damage. Let get that result and we'll see if we've brought one down)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d6] Roll: [2] Result: 2

ONe of the militia villagers has managed to wound one of the bots, as both of the men at arms bots continue fighting.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+4] Roll: [14] Result: 18 Reason: Attack on Grimgar

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d6] Roll: [4] Result: 4

(18/4 on Grimgar) The blade punches through the air and makes a whistling sounds as it parts the particles in front of it. Dust is dragged in a downswept motion, and there is a clang as metal hits metal. The man at arms bot fighting the peasant mob turns its attention to another of the locals it is fighting.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+4] Roll: [12] Result: 16

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d6] Roll: [2] Result: 2

One of the mob is wounded, but continues fighting. (back to Grimgar)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [8] Result: 17

(hits)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d10+3] Roll: [4] Result: 7

(For my sword, then the other guys)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [4d10] Roll: [10, 10, 5, 4] Result: 29

(Nothing from them)

The man at arms fighting Grimgar falls, bisected in half. The head unit crumples upon hitting the ground and the lights and sensors inside go out. The peasants fighting the second of the bots do what they can against its armored hide, but their farm tools struggle against the advanced composites the bot is made from. It swings downward at them, trying to put one of its attackers down.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+4] Roll: [7] Result: 11

(missing)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [5] Result: 14

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [4d20] Roll: [11, 7, 6, 3] Result: 27

(Whole bunch of misses...) Grimgar turns his attention to the last remaining guard and manages to duck under its attack. The villagers attack along side, but none of their attacks manage to pierce the target's metal plating.

The bot swings back at Grimgar, having detected their companion is down by his hands.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+4] Roll: [13] Result: 17

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d6] Roll: [4] Result: 4

(17/4, I don't have access to sheets right now, so if it doesn't hit, your armor is also too tough for its shock. plus you have a shield, so you and tthe villagers are up)

(My ac is 17 but yes I have a shield) Grimgar and the villagers redouble their efforts, spreading out around the robot and attacking together.

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d20+9] Roll: [14] Result: 23

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d10+3] Roll: [6] Result: 9

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [4d20] Roll: [12, 12, 10, 2] Result: 36

(17 has the damage going through, since we need to meet or exceed armor class) The residual shock damage as the bot is battered by so many weapons unbalances it and causes it to fall. Sparks and flame emerge from its busted carapace, setting the dry grass on fire. The fire is small, and could be easily stomped out should you decide to.

(So shield doesnt stop the hit since its not shock damage, got it) Quickly looking around the area for any signs of reinforcements Grimgar kicks out the fire, stomping the dirt until it is embers. With a sigh he reaches down and pries the weapons from the robots and tosses them to the villagers. "Better than shovels and picks, but you will need to hide them. Cover them and then bury them somewhere outside of the village." he says softly before moving towards the sled, holding a hand on the slash he received during combat with a growl. "We need to take this as well. If we cant use it we destroy it, so long as it doesn't end up in your enemy's hands." he adds, looking to move the sled. "Now hurry up, before they come back." he adds.

(Correct. It’s first instance of shock damage per combat round ,not any/all damage sources) (edited)

3:19 PM

(exert/con, the sled is heavy since it’s designed for the bots)

(Do I get a bonus from the other folks helping push?)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 9

(You told them to hide the weapons so they're off doing that right now. If you wait for them to come back it will take too long, but a 9 passes anyway)

11:14 AM

(so you can move the sled or do whatever you want to it)

(Ah I assumed they would do it when we got back closer but no big deal. Do I know a place to hide this stuff maybe from my recon?)

(the woods are pretty dense. We don't have guarantees it wont be found but its easier to conceal there than it would be by burying it or in the fields)

(Woods are good, maybe a cave? I can roll survival maybe?

(sure. we can roll a survive/wis to try to find a cave or good spot in the woods)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [4, 3] Result: 10

Grimgar pushes the large sled back towards the village. As he moves he looks towards the hills and tree line, thinking back on the recon he had done in the days prior. Considering as he travels, he thinks over a good place to store this gear... a cave possibly? As he moves, he searches.

The winding paths in the woods lead you through a dense thicket of trees and shrubs, and then to a creek. Following it north, you find a small cave which looks to be the source of the spring. It is out of the way and your goods should be safe here for a few days until you have more time to decide what to do with them. The locals have buried the swords closer to the settlement so they can be more easily retrieved when the time comes to need them.

Using his blade to remove some branches sporadically he covers the cart in the cave and quickly begins making his way back to the village. No doubt the robots would redouble their efforts after this blow, but it was still a victory for the resistance.

(3xp, 5000 credits)

9:17 AM

(if that doesn;t level you we'll move on, just wanted to pause for that first)

(That puts me at 21 xp. Not sure if that’s a level, need to check the book)

(next level is 27, so not yet then, but that was still helpful! ) Returning to the settlement and hiding in the long grasses to watch, it looks as though the robots have started some kind of lockdown. The work crew from the castle is being driven back down the hill to be locked down in their homes, though you do not hear any robots issuing orders aside from telling the locals to disperse and return to their homes, as those found outside will be imprisoned, or worse.

As the others are slowly herded into their homes, Grimgar finds a spot to continue observing. As an outsider, it was probably better for everyone if he was not found within the walls of the village. Once more, Grimgar watches the patrols and the houses looking for patterns and watching the enemy's response. If things had cooled down at all by nightfall, maybe he would be able to make contact. (So depending on how this goes... I guess next step is to try and blow up some part of their keep I think? Use the weapons we got and rig up the fuel somehow maybe?)

(We could do that. The villagers are going to be corraled back to their homes and anyone missing is going to be an issue,so you'd be doing it solo, but I could certainly see you doing something to that effect with the fuel cells)

(I don't want to get corralled inside with them... I am thinking maybe like sneak over during the night, tell the group my plan and then see if I can do something sneaky with the fuel cells)

(Yep I knwe you weren't entering the village, I just meant this lockdown is not going to be lifted by nightfall, so you'd have to do the sneaky castle stuff alone)

(Are there a lot of robots here? Enough that it might make getting inside easier?

(Where is here, the village or near the castle?)

(I am outside of the village now right? I am wondering how many robots I can see from wherever I am hiding. The hope is that some of them came out here to help lock up the village and left the castle less defended)

(you were yes) You can see twenty robots here now. Five patrol the streets while the other fifteen maintain a loose circle around the settlement, tirelessly scanning for any wishing to leave the settlement. Their attention is focused inward , trying to keep people from leaving, as opposed to looking outward into the lands surrounding the village.

Shaking his head, Grimgar contemplates his options. For the length of time he had been here, he had not seen this many of the guards in one place. With some luck, that might mean the castle itself was less defended. Either way, this was a chance he would need to take- there was no telling if he would have a better opportunity. Slowly making his way back and out from his hiding spot he moves towards the hidden sled and begins gathering up the fuel cells, as many as he could carry without being slowed down too much.

(they're 1 enc each, and there are twenty here total. We don't really know much about them in terms of their expected blast radius or anything, so up to you how many we take, or if we leave anything behind here in order to grab more. )

(So my total encumbrance is 13, and my strength is 18, so I can take 5 of these things I guess?)

(It would depend on what you have readied and stowed, and how much room you have between both. I can look at your sheet and tell you if you need me to)

(I guess so. I know I can have a certain amount of stuff readied, but these wouldnt need to be readied. I also believe I can carry up to my strength score in encumbrance right? So everything I own is 13, which should leave 5? But if you could look thatd be great)

(You've got 13 free enc so we can take everything)

(Big bag full of bombs it is) Grimgar loads up his packpack with all of the Fuel Cells he can fit. Pausing only briefly to consider the probably poor idea that it is to strap what is essentially a bomb onto his back, he slings the backpack over his shoulders and heads out of the cave. Looking to the sky to get an idea of the time, he makes his way towards the castle. There were worse ways to go, at least he could hope for glory.

(sneak/dex. there are guards and whatnot near the castle, so if any of them need a notice check for anything we do coming up ,that's the DC they'll be rolling against)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [6, 2] Result: 11

Heading sneakily up the hill toward the castle, you do not see any robots outside of it. The garrison looks to have been taken in for the evening given the sabotage and fighting in the countryside, and the bots that would normally patrol outside have been deployed to the village. You can see a floodlight on each of the corner towers making lazy passes across the countryside, but the beams mvoe slow and you're able to avoid them.

(So a way in? Climb up to something? Go in through a vent?) Grimgar takes some time to look for an opening through the lights, as well as a way inside before making his way towards the walls.

The robots to not need to breathe so you do not see any vents or air exchangers outside the walls. The brick work is not perfectly laid and you can see the uneven stones provide handholds that could be climbed. It will be very hard work with the weight of the items you are carrying, but can be gone.

(No vents for the machines or whatever? Hm. Climbing then.)

https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/975768797216641105/1082692813965238382

1:13 PM

(No vents, lets get an exert/str)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [6, 5] Result: 14

1

The handholds are easy for you to scale with the assistance of your armor and your natural strength, and you are able to vault to the lip of the ramparts. Peering over it, there are no guards on this facing of wall at the moment. A tower to the north and one to the south both have doors that lead inside them, and possibly stairs or ladders or elevators that lead deeper into the castle. You can hear the distant clanking sound of a robot patrol, and the dim glow of their lights from far away. They'll be rounding the corner from the south in about a minute from what you estimate

Quickly taking stock of his surroundings, he drops to a crouch and moves to cover and takes out one of the cells before moving towards the nearest tower. Uncertain as to whatever yield these explosives might have, perhaps he could set off a chain reaction… put bombs on anything that looked important and hope for the best.

(Nearest could be either, I'm assuming north since we're not running into the patrol then?)

(Sure, sounds good. North it is.)

Moving into the northern tower you open the blast door leading inside. The tower is empty. A ladder leads up to the loft above w here there is a hum that sounds like machines are running. An elevator set into the floor is flat, with a small set of controls on it, and looks big enough for a single bot to move below into the castle beneath at a time. The elevator is on this floor of the tower with you and is powered and the controls look to be unlocked.

(I would like to plant one of the bombs here at the top of the shaft. Do I need to roll for that?)

(no we dont need to roll for that. I think we should determine now though are these timed, or are you going to remoteiy trigger them)

(Hm. Can the be timed? I though they would have to be remote.) (edited)

3:30 PM

(If they are remote I will set them for like 70 minutes ((not sure how huge this place is)), if I can remote them it’s much easier. If I need to like shoot them it’s much harder.)

(They can be either timed or remote) (edited)

10:55 AM

(We don't need to shoot them)

(Remote it is then.) Taking a moment to look over the tower and elevator, Grimgar does his best to find an inconspicuous spot to tuck a charge into and readies it for his detonator. Picking back up his backpack, he steps into the lift and looks over the controls.

The lift is at the top floor it can reach now here in the tower. It can descend to a basement level, a ground floor, and a second floor below this one. You cannot read the machine's language but the gear symbols by the basement level and the lightning bolts by the second floor indicate those might be machine spaces or places where equipment important to the bots might be kept.

Frowning at his choices, he presses the button for the gear and hopes for the best. Stepping back from the terminal, he rolls his shoulders and waits for the lift.

There is a winding noise as the elevator moves down the enclosed shaft through the second level. You pass a set of metal doors and cannot see into the mid level of the structure. The doors open and you enter a warm machine space. There is a complex series of pipes and tubes that wind through the ceiling and walls. Water bubbles inside some of them, and has a frosty sheen to it in others as the water cooled machinery responsible for charging power cells, running sensors, keeping lights on, and manufacturing replacement parts is here. The room is industrial sized and is run autonomous but highly limited worker bots. These robots are not as robust or powerful as the soldier bots you have seen patrolling the village. They pick through a conveyor belt, separating rock and worthless debris from iron nuggets that are then thrown into a furnace for reinfement. Most of the heat and cooling in this room is centered around this work.

Grimgar ducked behind cover as the room opened up, looking up in surprise at the forge works. He had seen machines before, and assembly lines, but was more familiar with smaller forges and machining than operations such as this. Thinking back on his time in the machine operated forges on the ice planet, he tried to see if he could single out machines that would be the most integral. Antyhing that fed machines, or cooled machines, would be a safe bit. But where were they? (I guess I would like to roll to see where to plant stuff for optimal boom. If nothing else I put it on the cooling and conveyor belts.)

(what skill would you want to roll, just looking for what you want to use and your justification for how it applies. I'm not opposed to you rolling, I just can't really suggest anything until I see how you're going about this)

(Oh I was just trying to roll something I am not good at like yall suggested lol. Whatever makes the most sense here)

4:22 PM

(Know?)

(I think know/int would be a good one to frame it with)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [3, 2] Result: 4

You're unable to identify one particular weak point over another. You know the batteries will make explosions and cause damage in this room but cannot determine a spot where any blast will be more effective. You do believe that taking out the machinery here will cripple the war effort if it is destroyed.

Grumbling to himself, Grimgar takes out two of the charges and begins the process of setting them up. Some at the entry points of conveyors, and some at the base of where’ve that water was feeding. ‘Couldn’t hurt to be overly cautious’ he thought as he placed some extra. (So belts and the cooling. I dunno how many that takes but I will put some extras.)

(I think to play it safe , we can do six around the machines to make sure we get all of them. We also have the one we left at the top of the tower you came in at , so we have half of our power-cell bombs left)

(Perfect. Next stop then is whatever the other thing on the elevator where I will use the rest.) Grimgar nods to himself. He wasn't sure exactly what was important, but with the amount of explosives he had used he was bound to hit something that mattered. Checking over his remaining charges, he pulled his pack back over his shoulder and returned to the lift. There was still one location marked on the lift, and he might never get another chance like this to strike at the heart of the enemy.

The middle floor is the one with the "waves" icon next to it, and upon entering this level the doors open with a small mechanical ring. The hallway opens into a large machine space. It is also industrial sized and on the western and eastern walls you see dozens of charge cradles. Each has one of the robot warriors within it, powered off and recharging their internal power cells. A pair of eyebots are facing opposite you, 30m away nestled in the ceiling,working on repairing some cables that trail in from the roof.

Quickly ducking behind the walls of the lift as the doors open up, Grimgar curses softly to himself as he looks out into the room. If this went badly, it would go very badly... Doing the mental math of his remaining charges and the chamber in front of him, Grimgar contemplates what to do with the remaining charges. (So sneaking and planting bombs... know or awareness for where to drop em? If I cant decide I would try to put them on the stations)

(with what you have left, planting one every five cradles or so would ensure every single charging spot in the room is getting hit with either blast, shockwave from the blast, or both)

(Works for me. Stealth?)

(How would you apply sneak in this case?)

(There are eyebots right? I would like to use intervening cover and time my movements and stuff.)

(they're working on something in the ceiling so are facing the other way, but i get what you'e going for now, so sure, sneak/dex)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [4, 2] Result: 9

The eyebots do not see you as you sneak around the room. they are mono-tasked to work on their own project, and the only time they stop welding is to slightly reposition to move on to another part of the project.

Grimgar begins setting the cells, taking them out one by one as he moves and activating their remote switches. Evenly spreading them out among the rows and keeping a watchful eye on the bots on the ceiling, he eventually finishes his circuit and returns the now mostly empty pack to his shoulders. Wiping his brow with a free hand, he turns back towards the exit to get clear of this place before the fireworks began.

The elevator brings you back to the tower and it looks like you have jsut missed the guard rotation here. They have just exited the tower and have turned the corner, heading for the western ramparts. Their backs are to you, and you have a clear access to your climbing equipment from here.

Saying a silent prayer to the old gods of his homeworld, he thanks his luck and grabs his gear. Quickly moving towards the ledge, he looks down to make sure the bottom was clear before preparing to descend.

The bottom is clear. The ropes have not been moved and nothing is at the bottom of them. The spotlights are continuing their predictable path and there is nothing in between you and the safety of the woods so long as you time your movements around them.

Grimgar begins his descent, slowly lowering himself hand over hand as he makes his way towards the ground. (What is the range on the detonators?)

(It’s not specified in the book directly but generally it seems like a kilometer at most is what KC uses for situations like this )

(Hm… and I assume the village is more than a Km away? I guess the plan then is to move to the edge of whatever that range is and detonate… then I will hope things don’t go south too quick in the village. Maybe we can get those weapons to some folks.)

(the village is 3km away)

(Welp. Just Gotta hope then.) Grimgar waits for a lapse in the patrol and sneaks his way back to cover. Putting as much distance as the range of the detonator would allow, he turned back towards the fortress and ducked behind a tree. “Well, here goes.” he mutters to himself before clasping the trigger of the device and watching.

There is a mushroom cloud on the horizon as your explosive charges and their battery pack accelerants detonate. THe castle is reduced to rubble, and a series of secondary explosions from ammunition and other stockpiles of sensitive equipment inside are touched off one by one. Sirens begin going off in the distance as other settlements detect the explosions but it will be a long time before a response is coming. you're not sure how the robots in town are responding from here.

With a moment to revel in the explosive conclusion of his work, he turns to move the remaining distance towards the town. Making sure to keep an eye open for eye bots and whatever else might be around, Grimgar heads back towards the settlement while staying off the roads where possible. At this point, all he could do was hope that the farmers were alright.

(were you going to dig up the weapons on the way back still? I'm asking since it will help me gauge how much time has passed between you leaving the castle and getting to the settlement)

(I guess I will. If they arent all deactivated by the time I get there the weapons will help.) Quickly stopping at the location the weapons were buried, he looks around before setting about to recover the items.

Without the bombs weighing you down, you are able to make good speed to the weapons cache and even carrying all of them with you at once does not match the weight of the bulky power packs turned improvised explosives. The robots are autonomous and are not drones, which you can confirm upon returning to the settlement and seeing the guard bots still active. Without orders they have resorted to keeping the populace inside their homes. No reprisal attacks or purges have happened yet.

Looking around at the robots along the village, Grimgar does the math as he counts out the forces he is capable of spotting. Even with armed soldiers, this would be a tough fight, but there was no better time than now. And more importantly, there would not be another chance if they did not capitalize now. Scanning their movements, he looks for an opportunity to sneak past their patrols, hoping to make contact with the villagers and distribute the weapons (If possible, want to get these weapons to the folks inside.)

You have memorized the patrol schedule by now, and the most direct approach to the home where the most sympathetic of the locals live. Only a day of sneaking and a day of fighting training has passed, and their odds are not good in a direct fight with the security bots in town, but they will never have a better opportunity than this. As you make your way in through a back window, you are welcomed, and then assailed with questions about what happened up the hill and why the bots are behaving like this.

(I forgot how little time had passed...) Grimgar raises a hand to quiet the group, hushing them softly as he explains the what had occurred within the fort. Recounting what he had done with the fuel cells, he explains that for the moment, the robots in the village are alone. "I have done what I can- The rest is up to you. I cannot fight an entire army by myself, but I saw the opportunity and the means to strike at your foes and I took it." he says rolling his shoulders as he cautiously peers through the slit in one of the windows before returning. "Two swords. Two rifles. Enough for a chance. If we take them unawares, then you have a chance. Might be able to draw them to me and buy you folks an opening, but it wont last long. What do you think?" he says as he looks towards them, trying to read their response. (Are there any commander units or anything? Anything to distinguish one from another?) (edited)

(Know/int to figure this out )

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6] Roll: [6, 5] Result: 11

1

There is one unit in the center of town that has markings on its shoulderpads in the form of ancient roman ranks, signaling it is a centurion. You do not see any bots with anything that would rank higher in this ranking system within the town. Its war gear is much the same as its companions, and is distinguished only by the paint job on its shoulder armor.

(And do these things like talk? Do they have personalities? I am considering a duel here… I would ask the folks in the house.)

(We have seen them shout orders at the locals before. We don't know if they have personalities or not, we haven't been watching them for long. We spent more time in space travel getting here than we've spent on the planet so far, so we don't have a lot of detail right now)

(Yea I ask the guys then.) "Do these things talk? Do they have personalities... ever question or contradict? They get meaner than normal, stuff like that?" he asks the villagers.

"they talk if they're bossing us around or giving orders. I've never seen them talk to each other. If they ask a question it's something like what are you doing, where are you going..things they want us to tell them, stuff like that"

“Hm. Well I guess we’ll find out. I’m gonna sneak out, and find a way to make some noise. I’m hoping that’ll give you a chance to get the others- hit small targets, and use the weapons. I’ll show you how the blasters work.” he says with a nod as he begins to demonstrate. (Is there a church here with ideally a bell? Or something else that can be loud?)

(We haven't seen anything resembling a place of worship or public assembly area, which makes sense given the enslaved population)

(Yea I am just trying to plan and it’s hard for me without visual aid… something tall? A watchtower or something?

1

(there is a fire watch tower in the center of town that has a roof. Basically its just a tall structure that lookouts stand in so if there is a fire in town or other danger , the lookouts notice it)

(That’d probably work fine. I’ll go up there and draw their attention somehow.)

1:01 PM

“Look to the watch tower, you’ll know the signal. As soon as you see the opening get whoever you can.” he says as he draws the large sword from it’s sheathe on his back. “It’s now or never. You throw off the leash now, or they build you an even stronger cage tomorrow.”

The handful of villagers here will do what they can to support you. The hope is that upon seeing things happening out in the village itself ,they will rise to the aid of their fellows who will already be fighting. There is nothing to do now but put the plan into action.

Waiting for an opening in the patrol, Grimgar slips out of the building and begins making his way towards the tower. Staying to the shadows he cautiously approaches the watch tower and begins making his way towards the top.

(sneak/dex)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [2, 1] Result: 6

(Pretty not great… I have a reroll. I need to see how they work.)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+3] Roll: [6, 5] Result: 14

1

Though security is tight, you keep to the shadows and time your movements to coincide with the movement of the patrols and distant noise to disguise yourself. You approach the base of the 30m tall firewatch tower to approach the metal ladder leading up. Thick steel columns keep it sturdy and support the structure, and their thickness helps conceal you from anyone watching on the ground. A crossing lattice of steel provides lateral cover as you climb. The tower has two floors to it, the second being the open observation deck covered by a roof.

Moving up towards the elevated observation floor, Grimgar crouches down to look out from above. He had watched over the village for a while now, but never from this location. Turning his attention towards where fortress once stood he pauses only briefly to look for the smoke in the distance. Satisfied, he draws his revolver from its holster and aims the weapon into the air, firing three rounds in succession before holstering the weapon.

The stillness of night is shattered by the swift crack of three gunshots. There is no immediate response from the robotic guards, but you do not doubt they will be here within the next moment or two to investigate.

(So now I would like to try and challenge/negotiate a duel with one of the in charge guys. My thought is I might be able to say I have more explosives and I’d they don’t I will detonate them?) Grimgar bellows out at the top of his lungs, calling out to any who can hear him. “I have come for the rest of you, robots. These people are under my protection now. Look what just one man did! Your fortress smoking in the distance, and you stand guarding these people. You know what I can do, what will happen when the others rise up, hm?” he shouts. “We will handle this with honor, assuming you have any. Send me your best, and show these people your might. I am only one man, after all!” he adds as he raises the blade high in the air.

(Saying you have it as in bluffing? Just to be sure I understand you)

(Yea. My intention is to get them to agree to this duel and thereby get the folks to help out.)

At the eastern side of the square the robot you had seen with markings on it designating it as a commander or officer of some kind stands by the closest peasant hovels. It is waiting for you to descend from the tower before advancing to complete the discussion of terms before the duel.

Grimgar spots the robot and makes his way down the stairs. Stepping back onto the surface, he looks around before slowly stepping mid way towards the marked robot, waiting for the robot to speak.

“You have issued the challenge. Name your terms” the robot says as its draws its thick dueling blade

“If I beat you, your bots leave this village. If you win, no more surprise bombs. Nobody else interferes, blade against blade.” he replies as he shifts his weapon into a two handed stance. (Technically that’s not a lie, since I don’t have any bombs anyways.)

"I accept" the bot says, moving to 20m from you, an acceptable distance to begin the duel. It gives its weapon a few practice hefts. "No firearms. No explosives. This is settled by blades. If you agree, we shall begin"

Grimgar shifts one foot along the ground, sliding it across the dirt to widen his stance as he rolls his shoulders. “Agreed.”

(Initiative )

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [1d8+2] Roll: [5] Result: 7

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d8] Roll: [1] Result: 1

(you are first)!

(So too far away to attack... I will move up 5 and take the total defense action) Grimgar begins to circle around the opponent. Moving closer as he circles opposite his opponent's sword arm, he adopts a defensive stance.

The aggressive bot lowers its shoulder and charges into the fray , sword unsheathed catching the evening light. It barrels into combat with you in a stomping tide of machine noise. (double move to get into melee, so it can't swing)

(Alright, I will try and attack it. I have shocking assault at rank 2 so hopefully that helps here) (15 to hit, 13dmg)

(How much shock should be going through , 3? )

2:46 PM

(I’ll be away from the book until tonigjt )

(Shock range listed on the weapon says 6/ac15)

(thanks. was away from my computer and sheets for most of the night)

10:04 AM

The bot takes a large stride back as sparks spray from its damaged arm. The blade's flat instead of cutting edge itself made contact with the mechanical challenger, and the weight of the weapon and the strength with which you've swung it has hurt your opponent anyway. The robot adjusts its stance with some micro adjustments of its hydraulics and delivers a powerful blow in the form of a downward cut.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+6] Roll: [19] Result: 25

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d8] Roll: [7] Result: 7

(25/7)

(28 of 35 left) Grimgar raises his sword to meet the robot's blow, but the mechanical force drives it home regardless. With a grunt he pushes the blade away and alters his stance. Swinging his blade upwards at an angle he slashes towards his opponent.

10:41 AM

(27 to hit for 10 damage)

The robot takes a powerful step back and slams its foot claw into the ground to keep from tipping backwards. It’s sword swings back toward you, a clumsy blow but one with machine strength

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+5] Roll: [12] Result: 17

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d8] Roll: [5] Result: 5

(17/5, no shock if AC is over 15)

(So my ac is 17, so no damage?)

(the attack must meet or exceed the armor class to go through, so you take 5 damage)

(That’s what I thought, I wasn’t sure what you meant by ‘no shock if ac is over 15’ though) (23/35 left) (14 to hit, so just the shock damage of 6 maybe) Another attack from the robot draws a streak of blood. With a grunt, Grimgar lashes out with a powerful slash, battering agains his opponents defense.

The shock damage of the blade's flat smashing into the robot sends sparks flying. You can see you are hurting it and with every blow you land the robot's swings become slower and more telegraphed.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+5] Roll: [15] Result: 20

The upward swing is powerful, still assisted with hydraulics, and the blade cleaves into armor.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d6] Roll: [5] Result: 5

(dirty 20/ 5)

(28 to hit, cant roll less than shock so 6 damage) The battle seems to devolve into a slug fest, blow for blow until only one is remaining. The robotic precision makes the attacks hard to adjust to, and while Grimgar is able to continue to do damage, they are not the decisive blows he had hoped for. Continuing to move and alternating his stances, he manages to keep up the damage even as the robot does the same to him.

There is a metallic crunch and a spray of some kind of warm temperature liquid that comes out in a rainbow grease oil spill across your blade. Your opponent is struggling to maintain its balance and it swings its sword in a clumsy arc

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20+5] Roll: [8] Result: 13

(Miss and no shock)

1

(22/7dmg) Sensing an advantage, the barbarian presses forwards. Battering back the blades clumsy swing, he pivots his stance and wheels the blade back around with a downward strike towards where the shoulder would meet the neck of an human.

The blow is clean and there is a shower of sparks and oil as the head of the robot is severed. It tumbles to the ground. The body is large and with the foot stabilizers in place it does not fall over, but it does sag where it stands as motive power and muscle command is suddenly cut off. The fingers open and the comically oversized sword tumbles from the leader-bot's grip to plunge into the ground. A distant robotic horn sounds almost as soon as the leader is struck down, and one by one in accordance with the agreed upon terms, the robots begin leaving the local area for strongholds elsewhere.

With a long drawn out breath, Grimgar sheathes his weapon with one final look at the robotic opponent. With a wince he reaches a hand up to apply pressure to one of his wounds as he waits, watching the robots slowly filter out. Steadying his breathing and regaining his composure, he waits for the villagers to meet him in the center of the village.

The villagers are slow to get moving. Some of them have risen up with you and look like they have been in fights themselves. As this first group reaches the center of town, others begin coming out of their houses. From the outskirts of the settlement it looks as though the robots are continuing to follow their agreement and are withdrawing from the region in an orderly fashion as their stronghold has also been destroyed and they have nowhere to refuel.

(I assume folks are happy?) Grimgar waits for the villagers to gather as he crosses his arms and looks out over them. “I assume some of you have heard about me, but meeting each of you was impossible before now. For those of you that don’t know, my name is Grimgar. Somebody on this planet sent a message, and that message found me.” he says slowly and loudly. “But I couldn’t have done this without you. Your planet wants to be free, and I’ve seen you folks fight against steel and laser with heart, determination and pitchforks. This only lasts as long as you folks fight for it, and it won’t be easy. But it is worth fighting for. Today is proof that it can be done. For now, see to your wounded, open a cask of ale if you have it. I’ll be up on that tower keeping watch tonight. Tomorrow we can talk about what happens next.” his speech builds in volume and intensity until by the end he calls out loudly, his voice carrying.

(Right now it is more of a mix of relief the robots are gone, probably with some fear or apprehension of what the response will be)

12:12 PM

There are no cheers or screams of joy. The people here are determined. Some are beginning to organize firefighting details , others are beginning to pull the bot apart , hoping to break the fine metals down for scrap, for weapons, and for anything else that might be needed.

(I won’t lie, I was expecting some sort of congratulations lol) (I think next I wait until morning and then call the transport to land nearby and send a message to UNW? Not sure what that entails.)

(Comms are age of sail, so we could send a message but we're looking at a bout a month round trip between getting your message out and getting a reply from the UNW)

(Would it be faster to actually go somewhere, or would that be the same? I do not think I can do much more here armed as I am unless I just try and do the same thing over and over. I know there are other rebel elements here, but it seems like better tech and weapons would help a lot.)

1

(You can deliver the message in person, so it will only need to travel one way- but if you want to intervene further you'd need to travel back. I get what you mean though- that travel back time might be well spent if you're also doing so with a hold full of weapons and things the people need. )

11:57 AM

(the downside is we have no way of knowing what is happening on the planet in our absence)

(I guess the plan then is to spend a few days training the villagers and then take a ship to go get help.)

(okay, what did we want to train them on, and how? Detail is important so we can figure out what their capabilities actually should be) (edited)

(Probably more of what I was trying to do before. Stealth/observation/combat… the idea is to make them capable guerrilla fighters not great warriors. I’d also like to show them how to strip the fuel cells and use them how I used them before.)

As the next day rolls around and the sun begins to come up, Grimgar opens a weary eye and makes his way down from the tower. With a few nods to the villagers, he heads to the house he had spent time in before to tell them to round up the villagers for a meeting. He waits at the tower for the group to assemble before beginning. “I said before that this was the first step. Your freedom lasts as long as you want it to. For the next few days I will teach you what I know, show you how to fight these robots, tell you what I learned of their bases and defenses, teach you what to look for.” he says with a nod as he looks them over. “There are others who fight for freedom on this planet, so take heart. Together you are stronger than you are apart. After that, I will head back to the stars to tell the others about what happened here. With any luck I will return with weapons and supplies as quickly as my starship can carry me. If you are smart, and careful, you can come out ahead. So tell the others, and return in an hour to begin.”

(thanks for waitng. I was not on the game much over the weekend with the easter holiday)

1

10:42 AM

The word is spread through the village by a series of messengers, and within an hour 90% of the village has turned up for training. A few hundred people fill the town square, waiting to hear your words and follow along with what you do.

(Aside from the speech I woulda given before to them, I guess I just start by breaking the days up into like 3 parts? Morning is learning, afternoon is combat, evening is stealth) Speaking loudly from the base of the tower, he recounts his dealings of with the robots in the ambush and then the inside of their fortress. The first day consists of just recounting his experience with them individually- his combat, their behavior, ant the like. After which, the next sessions consists of combat. Having their caputured weapons brought out, he demonstrates a number of basic strikes and blocks using the sword, and explains the tactics they used in his duel and in the ambush- how to block, where to strike, how not to cut your self with the sharp parts. As the tiring day continues, he explains the basics of stealth and survival. Looking for tracks and watching the weather, followed by hiding your shape with camoflage and watching silhouettes and reflectsions Basic things, but enough for a first day. After which, the exhausted Barbarian excuses himself to find some food and shelter for the night, knowing this would all start over again the next day.

Spending the three days training with the days broken up int o three parts, there is no sign of a return of the robot army for now. The villagers are as trained as its possible to be in three days - far from professionals , but more stout than untrained peasants. They have a chance at holding their own if the enemy response is light. After three days your shuttle has fueled from scooping within the system, and it is prepared to bring you wherever you wish.

(Is there any way to leave these folks a way to reach out to me/us? I am not sure how they contacted the unw before but if I can I would.) Bidding the group farewell, he wishes them luck and reminds them that if they can reach out undetected to the other cells and build some sort of network they can help each other. With one last look at the village he shakes his head and steps aboard the transport. All he could do now was hope it all held together for the time being.

(they'd be bound by the same delay in communications but the ship wold have a comm server in their ships locker to let them get a message out)

1:17 PM

(where in the UNW did we want to return to so I can figure out downtime)

(Regarding the delay I am more concerned about them literally not being able since this is a low tech world. As for where, ooc I don’t actually know, but some place near like trade lanes and big with the unw I think- needs to be able to actually give help and have stuff.) (I also have a lot of credits I need to spend)

(Okay, we'll just go back to Gudrun, and the comm server will let them communicate with you. We have 15 days of downtime, and if you're looking for some new gear just make me a list and I'll let you know if everything is available)

(Is this part over? Not sure about xp/pay. I have some goals that I had written but I am not sure how they work. I think I did one or two of them here.)

(your second and third goals are completed, so this will net you a total of 9xp and 5000 credits. The first goal is not really one I can award xp for, fighting someone with a sword is just part of regular gameplay for your style of character and is not really a short mission worthy challenge)

(Thts fair. I wanted a duel and not a just hit stuff with my main weapon. It would be the same as like ‘make a remarkable shot with a sniper rifle’ as opposed to just shooting folks- but I get it.) (I will look into gear and make that list.)

(Alright , I;ll look over it when you're done ! )

(I’m going to ask for aid, would I need to pay for supplies myself? I know I haven’t asked yet but that’d affect the list)

(unless you ask in the UNW server and get polity funding for what you want then yes you'd have to pay for it. Its a polity decision to use polity funds and I think that should be in the hands of the players)

(What tech level can I look at for gear?)

(Anything TL4 and lower is available, and as a reminder we don't use the book medicine and pharms so no lazarus patches or lift, we use the frontier medicine in our rulebook instead. Certain items like black slabs require face, so thats part of making a list, if anything has a special condition I can let you know)

(Okay. So I have some personal gear picked out I would like to get. I am not sure how to go about the asking IC and what it actually entails, but here is the stuff for Grimgar: SMG- 200cr butterfly combat harness- 3000 customized armor- 1000 binoculars t4- 200 atmofilter- 100 power cell a x3 - 30 power cell b x2 - 200 hovercycle x2- 10000 (To be put into ship's hold) Hovercycle mods 40000 total base cost- 54,730) (edited)

(the customized mod takes a week to install. You have the fix level to do it, so that will be part of the downtime we spend traveling back to Agammemnon if you plan to benefit from that mod before getting to the planet. There might be a few days left over to put toward training something. Do the hovercycles have fittings? If so, build them in the omnibuilder. and post them in #vehicle-garage-channel )

(I didnt know I could upgrade bikes, I will put them in. So if I am just deciding the tonnage by what I want and I have 18 tons remaining, it would be: 8 tons of weapons, 4 tons of medicine, 3 tons of survival gear, 3 tons of communication/survey stuff. If that makes sense and is allowed?) (edited)

(I;ll have to look at suns of gold and get the credits per tonnage/see what those goods fit under. Since i'm going to have to do some book work it may take me a bit to update this)

(No problem, I appreciate the help.) (edited)

(Okay, totals are 8 Tons Small Arms: 60,000 4 Tons Medical Supplies (Post Tech): 100,000 6 Tons Colonial Supplies: 6,000 Total: 166,000 credits Survival Gear and basic telecom stuff all fit under the colonial supplies umbrella. )

(Sounds great. Do we need to RP out that stuff?)

(I normally don't RP shopping, just letting you know what it came to.) Several days after Grimgar's return to UNW space several changes happen in their life, notably leading a council session to petition for material support to help the people of Agamemnon, the construction of its first ever starship, and said starhip loaded with the goods meant to further the revolution. Since you have been back in UNW space ,only a single report from the planet has come in, letting you know that robotic scouts were seen in the area around the village- now named Liberty. With the slow nature of comms, you have no way to know at the moment if the scouts were the precursors for an attack, or are just keeping eyes on the region.

(Fair enough. I more meant the requesting and stuff but happy to skip that.) Grimgar busies himself prepping the cargo and seeing to the ship. This is easily the most direct and largest involvement the ex-Barbarian has had with the UNW proper. As the message comes in through his comms, Grimgar frowns as he reads it over. There was nothing he could do now but ensure that his time in the interim was not wasted. He sends back a simple reply- “Keep strong, look to the stars.” With the cargo loaded and his own personal items loaded, Grimgar boards the ship and plots a return course.

(8 days of downtime on the return trip)

(I think I would like to put that towards learning piloting.) Grimgar spends his time in transit familiarizing himself with the ship's systems, as well as the pair of hoverbikes in his hold, interwoven with his traditional exercise time and whatever little remained for leisure he spent reading dated fiction in his quarters. Eventually he finds a rhythm in the solace, but their is no way to fully ignore the tense wait for his return to Agamemnon.

(program/int on our return to the system, your automated crewman can do this for you if you do not want to roll it with Grimgar's stats, and they'd have a +2 in total to the roll)

(8 for them)

In orbit the the vessel begins scanning the surface of the planet, especially around the village. The robots have counter attacked and half of the village is in ruins. The comm server signal is still running and you recognize the heavily forested area and cave system where you'd originally stashed the weapons as the new source of the signal. The comm server would have taken many people to move , and though the settlement is ruined, it looks as though at least some of your would be rebels have survived.

Muttering a curse under his breath he moves to the ships comms and sends a ping to the comm server, waiting for a response as he continues scanning the area for a potential location to set down.

There is a clearing in the woods close to the cave where the ship would set down. You can see the comm server runnning, but without sending them a message, the locals may not know to send one back.

Grimgar sends a short message as he brings the ship down towards the clearing. “Grimgar calling Liberty, respond.”

Liberty responds. The robots had counter attacked the region when it was clear your ship had left. About 75% of the village has survived the attack and are hiding in the woods and caves now and there have been skirmishes with robot scouts though they have been infrequent.

He sets down the ship in the clearing, still cautious of who might be listening in, and tells them he will meet them at the caves entrance. Gathering his gear and double checking his weapons, he powers down the ship and sees to its security before heading towards the cave. Using the opportunity to check for what of his teaching had stuck, he looked for tracks and signs of them in the forests. Moving with purpose, but keeping his eyes opened.

(survive.wis, l ets see what we see and what lessons they may still need to learn)

(A 12 for survival)

You are extremely skilled at moving quietly and at tracking due to your background and vast experience doing these things on behalf of the UNW. You pick up a few traces of your companions fleeing this way or living in the surrounding area,but ti would take a skilled tracker to notice this, and thus far you haven't seen any robots that seem to be skilled in this sort of tracking. The lessons you taught were well absorbed and well applied by the locals as far as you can tell.

Nodding to himself, he continues onwards towards the opening. Remaining cautious, he does not sneak so much as move quietly and with intent towards the entrance of the cave. Trusting that there would be a guard placed somewhere, he continued slowly, keeping his eyes open for any threats or dangers as he waited for the villagers to come out.

You sense rather than see two guards with their eyes on the thin game trail leading to the hidden cave. There is the almost imperceptible click of a rifle hammer from a home made flintlock firearm being clicked into position, as the camp dwellers try to determine what you are.

“Sure would be a shame if you killed me before I had a chance to resupply you folks.” Grimgar says softly, only loud enough for his voice to travel far enough to reach wherever that noise came from.

Upon hearing you have a voice and are very much not robotic, the three sentries with their crude pipe rifles emerge from hiding. Their relief is such a powerful force coming off of them you can almost feel it despite not being a psychic.

“Who’s in charge here?” Grimgar asks as he looks towards the trio, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. (edited)

"Suppose you are now. .. " one of them says. They elaborate, letting you know they haven't been here long and a few of the people who had taken a more active role in resisting the robots are serving as de-facto leadership right now ,but nothing formal has been set into place for who is in command.

Grimgar grumbles to himself before placing his hands on hips and nodding. “I’ve brought supplies, but I will need information about what has happened while I was gone before we can distribute them. You’ve done well here, as well as can be managed… that’s good. I hope you did just as well gathering information.” he says as he steps forwards towards the cave entrance.

(if you have specific questions they'll answer them. Or we can wait and you can ask the people inside running things, up to you)

(Would I need to ask specific questions? I am hoping they will just tell me everything. An info dump would be ideal here on what since I left.) (Specifically though I want to know when they came back, how they attacked, what has happened since they moved to the caves, and if they have made contact with anybody else. Also what the status of the keep I blew up is.)

(Specific questions help me focus on what you care about, yes) The robots came back almost as soon as your ship was detected leaving the planet. They sent in the robots that used to be in this region along with heavier reinforcements and gun platforms, and began systematically tightening the encirclement they had on the village. Whent he robots got into the village itself most of the people surviving used the chaos to escape into the woods. Since getting here, those needing medical help have been cared for to the best the limited care that is available. Listening posts have also been set up in the woods, and hunters and foragers are doing what they can to keep the camp supplied with fresh food and clean water, though the things they return to the camp are not enough to sustain everyone. The locals think the amount of stone around the cave is keeping robot signals from penetrating it. Thus far they have not entered the woods, but they will eventually count the bodies and realize most of the villagers have not been accounted for.

9:05 AM

They haven't ventured to the keep area but have not heard construction from that region.

9:06 AM

(As of right now an NMC player is passing by, they haven't contacted anyone else yet but I'm not sure what they're gonna do, so that answer is up in the air for right now)

1

Grimgar nods, his face stern as he receives the information. Contemplating on how to proceed, he decides that the first move will be to ensure those here are fit and ready to fight or flee. After which, he takes a tour of the cave complex and how it has been inhabited to see what supplies are needed and contemplate a way to defend or flee if needed. Finally, he gathers up two groups of villagers and informs them of the nearby ship, and will begin to lead them to the supplies. It seems like the next few hours will be busy.

Weapons, food, and medicine are the three things the locals need the most. It is about to be the warm season so things like warm clothes can be pushed to a further off need. Tools are a distant fourth concern, as they try to improve the cave and will need them to maintain the gear you have brought with you - though the small arms do come with tool kits and replacement parts- giving them a leg up for now.

Best to start slow, Grimgar thinks. A few boxes of weapons and medicine, as well as some of the colonial supplies to make the caves more livable. Once the training begins in full, those best suited will be able to train the others. Too many supplies and weapons at once might lead to mishaps. After separating and splitting up the supplies, Grimgar checks the ship’s comms and scanners for any changes before sending a message of the updated status of the planet back to UNW space.

(in your mind are the supplies off the ship and hidden away somewhere, and the ship is in space now? Or are you keeping the ship on the ground and the surplus supplies on board? It makes a difference in terms of sneak/hide checks for if the robots notice)

(The supplies are on the ship currently, but I think its only been like an hour or something right? The groups of folks were brought to unload the ship- some of it at least. I dont think I can keep the ship in orbit without somebody to bring it back down to me can I?)

(Yeah someone’s got to supervise the bots, so looks like it’s staying on the ground)

(Stuff like this is why I was considering the stealth shuttle, but alas. I am not sure how big the ship is but it does have that stealth upgrade. Can I do stuff to help hide it?)

(nothing mechanically, as in there's no item or anything like that. We could do something via roleplay that you think might be plausible and we can see how that goes, but there isn't any established thing in the book)

(I was thinking branches or a tarp or something, but I am not sure how big the ship is and if that would work.) (Also, these folks are farmers- or were- is there stuff at their old village? Like stores of food?)

(not really. the robots only let them do the bare minimum to survive , all other time was spent working on the keep and robotic projects)

(I guess I just assumed they had more... not sure why. I dont think I asked, I just figured they farmed here and send teams to the keep? I didnt think food would be an issue so quickly, but oh well.) (So lock down the ship, send out that message back to UNW check the scanners once more before heading back to the caves. I guess after that it's time to give the stuff to the folks and then scout again.) Grimgar leads the crews to the supplies and sees them distributed back at the camp. With the gear inside, he begins showing them the basics of how to operate it. Passing out as many instruction manuals as came with them to the ones who seem suited. Next up, he begins checking how to fortify or improve the defenses. They had done a good job remaining hidden so far, but if something were to change they would need to be prepared with defensive positions and escape routes.

(Alright, we can spend some time scouting, jusrt need to know where, how many we're traveling with, ect)

12:00 PM

(that'll help me figure a few planning things out on my side)

(I have two stealth bikes that hold 2 people, so 4 seems like the number.) (The places would be the village and the keep to start.)

Keep-

5:19 PM

The keep has been abandoned. Scorched rocks and overturned piles of debris litter the site, leaving only the foundation of the building and the remains of walls, most of them less than a meter in height. The robots have moved through the site and have picked over what few scraps survived the encounter with your bombs. There is no robotic presence here now, as the site no longer holds any strategic value.

Grimgar nods to himself at his thorough work. Turning back to the others with him he explains how he had made his approach, what he had seen, and where he had placed the charges- in case it might be relevant in the future. Contemplating for a moment that they had not made any attempts to reuse or repair the structures he turns his bike towards the village.

(how close to the village did we want to get? Just trying to get an idea of what can be seen,and if the robots should be rolling notice checks or not)

(I would like to see all their defenses ideally. If the villagers say there are still robots there I will park the bikes and go on foot, but close enough to see what’s going on inside)

(okay, we'd need a sneak/dex then since there are robots there)

(An amazing 14)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6+2] Roll: [6, 6] Result: 14

(ties go to the player so you are not seen)

10:26 AM

There are a few close calls upon entering the village, but the robotic patrols do not see you as you pick through the burned ruins of the village. The population here was meant to be punished as an example to others across the planet. Though their dwellings are now scorched and burned, most of the people scaped into the forest, and the robots here occupy their time ensuring the escapees cannot return. So far, few patrols have entered the woods, and none have gone far. Anything of value from within the smashed ruins of the homes are being burned in the town square as the robots enact a policy of scorched earth. (edited)

With a grimace, he finds a place to hide and calculate the forces deployed here currently. With their charging stations destroyed, they must be getting reinforced from elsewhere and as unfortunate as it might be, the robots were better off here burning knickknacks as opposed to hunting down the remaining villagers. (So looking for anything of value to the resistance and learning as much as I can about the forces here.)

The robotic force is the same that was occupying the region previously. You estimate forty bots have been assigned to keep watch on the village. They have a charging station set up in the center of town as well, which reminds you of a large robot sized carriage, though filled with power banks and solar panels as opposed to containing passengers. You are unable to see much of what lies beyond through the surrounding trees but robots enter and exit the area from the east. You did not see any evidence of new fortifications there on the way in, but ship scanners were turned low to preserve a stealth insertion.

(So I know there was another village that was fighting the robots, and I know generally where it is because the robots were sending reinforcements that way. Do I know where that is now after my fly in?)

(We didn’t see it on the way in)

(So I have a map of the place that I got the first time I came over. Can I not assume which village it was? Or otherwise ask the villagers maybe? I am just a bit uncertain what to do next...)

(We can ask the villagers where and what direction. The planetary map we got on a single pass on the way in doesn’t have all the planets features on it

2:03 PM

(Just the major points of interest )

(I did use the scanners on the ship in orbit I thought? https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/975768797216641105/1098690420160077845)

Discord - A New Way to Chat with Friends & Communities

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(we can ask the villagers)

10:01 AM

(and yes, we did use the scanners, a single or even a couple scanner passes doesn't reveal the POI's in every single hex, for a number of in game and game admin reasons) (edited)

(Okay. I do have the survey sensor array upgrade on the ship if that helps, it just feels like I’m sorta stuck.) Turning back to the villagers, he asks them what they know about the nearby villages and any sort of resistance before or since his arrival.

The resistance is a subject that the locals have some experience with. There was another town to the east but there are rumors it has been reduced to ash. Survivors were thought to have fled to the mountains north of here, and the robots has decided it is not worth the trouble of digging the resistance out .The forest borders these mountainous lands, and a small tracking party might be able to make contact with them.

Grimgar nods at the information, considering before gesturing for the others to mount up and follow back to the caves. If the villagers were going to survive, they would need a network. But before Grimgar could leave to help bridge this gap, it was imperative to ensure that the rebels would hold in his absence. So back to the caves they went. He would need to take some of the communications equipment with him to help establish a comm system. (So go back, strength the defenses and help train the folks on the new gear before heading into the mountains.)

(strengthen them how? The reason I';m being so picky is because I need to see what the robots might notice. There is a tension here of trying to remain quiet and hidden, so lots of development or lots of activity is going to make their notice checks easier, so I'm trying to get an idea of what should be happenig in the background while we're on missions or away)

(So I dont think I ever really got a run down of the layout of the caves or what the current defenses are... I was hoping for a report or something but nobody seemed to be in charge so I am not certain where to start? I would like to train them with the weapons, but I dont know if there is a suitable place in the caves for that. Maybe I could get a better analysis of what it looks like first?)

9:12 AM

(Idk how legible that is. I can try to do something on inkarnate if this doesn’t help it’s just gonna take me a lot longer to do. Let me know what works best I’m happy to do either )

(That does help, thanks. Could I try and find another location? Either a different cave or like a hidden glen or something? A waterfall?)

(We could scout to try to find another place to move to, that feels like a good mission to get into next(

1

(Sounds good, some momentum would help me I think!)

7:05 PM

Grimgar returns to the caves and takes a thorough walk of their layout. They would suffice, but not forever, and the longer they remained in one spot the worse their chances of being spotted. Finding another cave system or other locations to hide in and build up their strength would be a good place to start for now. Informing the villagers of his intentions, he makes sure to ensure they are remaining vigilant, and tells them to familiarize themselves with the radio and survival equipment as he loads up one of the bikes with as much communication equipment as he can manage. Increasing their radio range and setting up redundancies would help benefit their resistance in the long run.

(how many people did you want to bring with you to look for a new place , if any?)

(I don’t think any. I don’t need random goons, these guys don’t even have names yet lol)

(Fair enough, lets get a sneak/dex against any robotic activities in the region as we set off looking for a new home)

(9. I would be on the stealth bike.)

The hover bike heads north through the woods, staying out of range of the robotic sentinels combing the outskirts of the forest. The tree trunks are thick and their leafy canopies are broad , giving you concealment from above. Thick brambles and bushes cover the ground of the forest an only thin trails made by the passage of animals through the woods, along the same paths over time, are the 'roads' by which you traverse this dense greenery. Driving for an hour has you a fair distance from the cave network where the townspeople are currently hiding and the forest shows no signs of thinning out. As you pull the bike to the side of the trail for a brief rest, a small patch of recently disturbed dirt catches your eye, as it is one of the new places where plants have not yet taken over the ground along the sideof the trail.

Swinging his legs down from the seat, Grimgar pushes the hoverbike behind cover and take a moment to look around the area- listening for wildlife and checking for movement before moving to examine the disturbed ground.

There is wildlife in the area and it is undisturbed by the robots, as several creatures are easily seen and do not hide from you, meaning they have not been hunted recently. Aside from small animals moving through the carpet of fallen leaves from the previous autumn, you do not sense anything resembling the recent movement of people, or robots through the area.

(So the disturbance is just from natural animals then?)

(We dont know what's going on with the soil. You said you were listening for animals and human habitation first, and we have animals, but no humans coming this way in a while, but that's not saying they never have)

Contemplating briefly the undisturbed wildlife, Grimgar turns his attention towards the disturbed ground. Crouching down besides it, he looks closely at it as he tries to discern the meaning.

Something has been buried here. There are bite marks around the edge of the hole where the shapes indicate shovels were used. The soil that was dumped on top has been salted , preventing plants from growing here and hiding it once again.

With a frown, Grimgar removes his small blade and gently checks the area for any signs of a trap. With his concerns at least temporarily assuaged, he gently begins clearing the area careful not to damage or disturb anything.

There is a thick wooden crate buried here, filled with packing material. There is no stamp on the crate, but you have been around armaments long enough to recognize a shipping container meant for rifle sized weapons, and the ammunition to shoot out of them.

With equal caution, he carefully edges the crate open using the flat of his blade. Looking around once more before removing the lip, he peers within.

There are ten rifles and twenty rounds of ammunition for each in the crate. A few hand grenades, and a tool kit are also in this crate. The weapons all show signs of being fired , though not recently. One of the rifles has several notches cut into its stock which to the discerning eye look like kill tallies.

Contemplating the information, Grimgar bundles up the items and secures them back in their places before returning them to the earth. Pushing the earth back into place, Grimgar looks around for any further disturbances in the area or potential tracks.

Whoever was here came here so long ago their tracks have been subsumed into the forest again , or was skilled enough to leave no trace. Thus far, all you have to go on is rumors the resistance is north of your encampment.

Committing this location to his memory, Grimgar boards his hover cycle once more and continues his journey North. This was the first sign of other resistance yet, so he took it as a good sign that he was on the right path.

(d10 for this next region0

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d10] Roll: [2] Result: 2

The drive further north lasts for another hour before you find the first signs of recent human activity. Several snares have been set to try to trap small game along this path, and each of them looks to have been set recently judging by the quality of the rope, and the tension in it.

Grimgar pauses briefly to examine the craftsmanship of the trap but leaves them in place. Taking the sign of life, he once more looks around for nearby tracks or disturbances. Resting a hand on the hilt of his belt knife, he scans the area.

Humans have been in the area as recently as two hours ago based on the tracks you can find, and they were acting in such a way that they were not concerned about leaving a trail- this lets you know that the locals here, whoever they are, tihnk they are safe.

Checking his gear, Grimgar pulls back the hood of his cloak and thinks on how to proceed. This would need to be handled with caution, lest he scare off any potential allies or worse lead to cross blades from some misunderstanding. After some deliberation, he decides to follow the trail in silence. With any luck, he would be able to observe whoever this was and gather information before making his presence known. But he would still need to find whoever this was first.

(are you still on the bike at this point? Just trying to figure out who in the local area would hear what, and when )

(I was wondering that myself. I am not sure how quiet it is but if it makes sense to hide it I will hide it.)

(It is quieter than a normal bike but the stealth fittings don't entirely negate noise)

8:29 PM

Moving quietly through the woods is a skill you've become well accustomed to lately, and twenty minutes of skulking through the brush has you approaching a group of hunters from 50m away. They do not see you as they fuss over the carcass of a recently killed large animal .

Grimgar takes up a position in cover to observe. There was still a good chance that these folks would not react well to unannounced visitors, and he was hoping to observe as much as he could before confronting them.

They are very invested in hunting and on harvesting a recent kill from their traps. Some of them have gear on them that looks to be made from reclaimed robot warrior materials.

(I am mostly concerned with: how many, what weapons, do they like the same as the others, are they speaking the same language. After that I’ll decide how to approach them)

(they aare speaking mandate common, not sure what you mean by look like others, they are each armed with a hunting rifle and a skinning knife)

(I have seen exactly one group of people, so I didn't want to assume. I dunno if they are tribal or what, or like if different keeps have different languages/equipment/culture.) From behind cover, Grimgar will step up slowly from behind the cover and position himself behind a tree before calling out to the group in the distance. "Hello there. I don't want any trouble, so I am letting you folks know I am here before anybody does anything rash. You folks willing to talk?" he shouts from the cover.

(I just didn’t know what you meant that’s all, it was my intent to answer the question- I just didn’t know what it was)

(I just meant to clarify my intention, didn’t mean to be rude.)

“Talk. Yeah. Alright” one of them shouts back in your general direction. “ you armed ?”

“I am.” Grimgar shouts back.

"Come out of the brush , slowly" one of the trappers says, None ofthem has raised their weapons yet

Grimgar pushes his way out of the brush and steps out into the clearing, his hands hands held out at his sides. “Wasn’t expecting folks up this way. Came from down south.” he says loud enough for the others to all hear and looks for their expression.

"Someone survived out that way then eh? Looks like you've done well for yourselves with all that nice gear you've got. You take that from the bots?"

“We took some gear from them.” Grimgar says with a half truth in an attempt to sidestep the question. “I saw some traps one the way in. I take it you folks live out here? If you folks are open to it I have some gear for trade, might be we can work something out for some food.”

"Sure, trade might be done. You look like you're doing well for yourselves though. Any news you can share on what's going on out there?" the lead trapper says.

"Stood up to the bots. We fought back them back, even destroyed one of their keeps, but they got reinforced. They came back and were none too happy- plenty made it out though. Damn bots burned all the food though, that's part of why I am here." he says calmly, watching the lead trapper.

"food we can help you with. You look like you can handle yourself in a fight, so maybe we can help each other out. There's something being planned, you interested in coming back with us, talking to the boss?"

“That’s the sort of good news I was hoping for.” he says with a nod and slowly lowers his arms to his sides. “If you’re fighting the bots you’ll get no trouble from me. I have a transport, not far from here- give me some time to retrieve it and we’ll go. One of you can ride with me perhaps, keep us all honest, if you wish.”

"You came here and started asking questions, and we've given you honest answers. We're going to stick together, but you're welcome to follow this path back to our settlement. " the tracker says, pointing north. The grips on their weapons tighten a bit, but they make no attempts to raise them.

“Easy friends. Just being forthright, don’t want any misunderstandings or surprises is all. If you don’t mind me leaving and you tell your friends ahead not to shoot me that’s fine with me. I’ll see you lot once I get my transport.” he says with a small nod as he turns back to recover his hover bike.

They promise to radio ahead to let their camp know you're coming. For them , the settlement is expecting meat tonight and they havre a job to finish before going back, so they will remain here for now and catch up with you after.

Not wasting anymore time, Grimgar nods and heads back for his bike. Dragging it from cover he walks it to the trail before hopping aboard it once more and moving slowly towards the camp ahead.

11:15 AM

Driving through the forest along the path as instructed you come to a forest camp, with two prefab buildings, a decomissioned personnel carrier being used as a listening post, and a circular tent where it looks like the camp kitchen and its excess supplies are kept. There are twenty other people all living here, all human and almost evently split between male and female. They are similarly armed with shotguns and hunting rifles though each of their weapons look homemade. The crowd begins to gather as you enter the camp- though told you were coming, they are curious, and feeling guarded.

Grimgar brings the bike through the camp slowly, moving to the center and looking around at the layout before powering down the bike and dismounting. Standing in the center now, he places his hands on his hips and looks towards the others. "So which one of you is the boss?" he says as he looks out at the assorted people, looking to each of them briefly.

"Boss is inside the long tent. You're expected, not letting you go in armed though" one of the more burly of the assembled people says as spokesman of the group. No one is reaching for a weapon yet.

Grimgar nods and begins to disarm, removing his holster and draping it across his bike. “Fine. Nobody touches my blades though.” he says as he continues, unsheathing the blade from his back and the second from his hip and laying them across the bike as well. (edited)

'We don't want to keep them. We just want to ensure our leader is safe. If we came to whereever you came from, you would insist on the same" the spokesperson says. They are not interested in tampering or messing with your belongings. Entering the tent, the leader of this small hunting detachment is a stern woman in her mid 40's, equipped in woven field armor, and carrying a battered void carbine. Several extra magazines of ammunition are halfway through being loaded on the table, and oil, and honing stones are also laid out here as she is in the middle of maintaining her kit. A small kettle is on a gas burner with the water inside slowly coming to a boil as you are invited to sit down. "You're in from the woods then. My scouts radioed ahead, said you were coming. and that you were an interesting person. You found us, so I'd like to know how, because if you did, the bots might be able to also. "

"Truth be told, I wasn't looking for you when I set out... though I had hoped to make contact with others like you. My priority currently is looking after the folks I am bound to- they requested aid, and that aid was me. Right now, that means food and shelter... bot's are still mad about the bloody nose we gave them, so I'm looking for backups to keep them safe. I spotted some of your gear and tracks on the way, and that led me here." Grimgar replies plainly, looking around the tent and examining the gear before settling his gaze on the woman.

"I see, so some of my scouts were'nt careful then. Good to know. So you said you gave the bots a bloody nose , we're in that business too. How did you accomplish that?"

Grimgar relays the details of his arrival via transport, detailing his first observations and then proceeding to explain how the recovered and then repurposed the fuel cells. He is vague about his own origins however, outside of being an offworlder and does not mention his ship currently on the planet- at least not yet. (I don’t remember all the details but I don’t leave much out- the ambush, the training, the raid and then the duel I tell them about.)

"I'm impressed. We're getting by here, but we haven't been able to make a blow like that on the bots. Most of us used to be military- trying to fend off the bots. You can see that didn't really happen. We're doing our best though. Every day we're alive we try to gather our strength and fight back. There's a refinery in the area that's critical to making those cells you destroyed. We've been trying to figure out the best way to destroy it, if we do, they'll have to abandon the entire region- and we'll finally have some breathing room"

"You help me look my folks and I will help you. You said you were the Military? From before the bots took over? There's not much info on what these things are and how they took over... you mind filling in some of the blanks?" Grimgar says as he crosses his arms.

"From before. The bots used to work with us .They were intelligent, partners. We created them, and in exchange for doing so, they were happy to help us because to them, we are not alive for long, and the things we asked them to do is nothing compared to how long one of their frames might last. Something happened during The Scream. They turned on us, their collective minds were made up that we were the cause of the problem. Lines were drawn. instead of one society we became two. They took our social organization, copied it, and formed their own society , and we've been at odds ever since. They're tough as you know. They hit hard, they can take punishment. If you're looking for some kind of miracle weak spot, you're out of luck. We wouldn't be in this position if we designed them more shoddily"

Grimgar nods, contemplating the new information. He was certain that the rest of the UNW would probably like to learn of this, but he was no scholar or scientist. “I’ve brought some gear with me. Communications and survival supplies. If you’ll let me set up this comms device I should be able to speak with the others. There’s more supplies at their camp, and if you’re willing we can set up a swap. Food for weapons to start, and I offer to help you hit this facility. After that we can talk about what comes next.” he says as he looks to the woman, taking a step closer. “I’m Grimgar. I assume you have a name?” he asks.

"Commandant Cheldar. Nice to make your acquaintance. We need all the weapons we can get our hands on until that facility is handled. You help us with that first and I could see about parting with some of them- we'll have the breathing room then. I have to insist that's handled first before I weaken the security posture of my people"

(Oh I was mistaken, I thought you wanted their guns. She has a void carbine which is TL4 already, as is most of what her camp has,)

9:43 AM

"I'm not willing to compromise my people, and I'm not giving anything away until the facility is destroyed. If we can't secure your cooperation for this, then we'll have to part ways here, and this camp will not be here should you wish to return"

(Before you said they had shotguns and rifles that looked homemade?)

(Yes and the commander is cleaning her void carbine as you’ve come into her tent. )

10:25 PM

(I’m just trying to set up a mission. They’ll insist the facility is destroyed before they cooperate)

(I’m just trying to engage with the world and have a meaningful impact on the situation, and I want to be here as a player it’s just getting my character to engage from their worldview. Really, I just want food for my people, and I’m a bit confused about my standing here? To be clear I am happy to help with the mission- I guess it’s just the order of operations- do the trade and blow up the base, and I am trying to negotiate that we get the food first or at the same time, maybe a roll or something for that? Or is the trade that I help with the base and they give me food for that?)

(They want the facility destroyed first, and then they'd be willing to part with anything you might want. THey might even join your southern camp since the threat in the region has diminished) (edited)

(Okay I will delete that last message then and clarify.) “I had hoped to trade goods for goods, that’s what I proposed when I met your hunters, but goods for services works for me. I’ll attack this facility for you, but I want your guarantee that food will be ready to go when I come back.”

"You won't be doing it alone. We're coming with you, but you'll be of a large amount of assistance. I've got some images we took last time we wer ethere, but they're several weeks out of date now. The site hasn't changed much between visits though, but that might be different now due to that trouble youn kicked off back east. One way to find out. Do you have everything you need for a day's march on foot? . That's a nice bike, but we can't risk them detecting it, "

"Once you return my weapons I will have everything I need. I'd like some time to review the images and prep for the travel, though." he replies with a nod.

(I'll have to get a map together, ping me tomorrow afternoon if I forget to come back to this. I want to find one I like)

1

Flipping through her compad she only has a few images of the area. They have not risked flying a drone overhead yet, but want to try some day. They're nervous it will forewarn the robots that there are humans in the area, and right now they seem to be below notice.

2:10 PM

2:11 PM

She has however been able to overlook the facility from a nearby cliff. The vantage point has the complex oout of the range of their weapons, but offers a view of the entire area.

Grimgar takes some time to memorize the layout before returning the items. Taking a moment to contemplate, he returns with his gear ready to depart and seeks out the commander. “I do not wish to commit to an assault without more information. I can sneak up to that cliff and relay their defenses. I am still uncertain what sort of scanners and recon these robots have, but just to be certain I suggest for the preliminary we use mirror signals.” he says as he crosses his arms, thinking. “I’m a decent scout, I’ve had luck sneaking past them before.”

(I'll pin the top post just so you can find your way back to this if needed)

1

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 6/17/2023 4:41 PM

"Alright, we'll set out a few hours after you, and we'll have to establish a way to meet up with one another- so we know how we're going to crack this rock. Any suggestions?"

"Keep it simple, I suppose. Pick a spot on the map and you wait there. We meet at nightfall unless I signal you with something dire from the signal mirror.... otherwise just keep an eye towards the cliff and wait. If anything happens to me you'll be far enough back to retreat." (edited)

They are familiar enough in fieldcraft to know what you mean and what signals to watch out for. They select a site about an hours walk from the complex marked by a large boulder. The boulder is already the height of a man, but has a tree growing out of it with thick roots curled around. It is something easy to find if you know to look for it, and have a map. A copy is made, and quickly passed over to you.

Grimgar and the others go over the basics of the plan and the process swiftly, and he gives a nod to the group as he turns to head and scout up to the mountains. Pulling his cloak over his head he starts his trek into position.

(sneak/dex)

(13 for sneak)

If there are robots or other electronic security measures in the woods leading to the facility, you do not see them, and they do not see you. You also do not trip any security measures that keep the factory complex safe. The air smells of burned chemicals and soot as you approach to within a kilometer, and overlooking the factory below you can see the robots are harvesting the trees and are returning them to the central building. The sounds of distant hammers and forge machinery fills the air as the bots work on various projects within. There are no vehicles, and if there is a charging station similar to the one at the keep you leveled, it is being likewise kept inside this central building. Four of the robotic knights in heavier armor than those in the village patrol the grounds.

Grimgar remains on position observing as much as he can- patrols, routes in and out, defenses, etc. After looking at the tactical information, he does his best to look towards whatever technical information he can gather. Focusing, he looks for any storage or power sources as well as power supply, cooling, and any sort of communications that may be visible.

(okay, notice/wis for that)

(9)

The power supply and cooling are all kept in the central factory building. (the long one on the noeth side of the bottom image, atop the three cranes) The bottom building to the extreme south of the cranes looks to be parts storage, and the one to its east belongs to the bots, where they recover and rest. It also serves as material storage.

Grimgar commits as much of the layout as he can to memory and signals back towards the peculiar tree the others were staying by that he was returning. Sparing one last look at the facility, he slowly begins making his way back towards the others.

Night is falling as the shadowy group of you convene in the forest. The camp commander has brought ten others with her, all of them armed with a hodgepodge of weapons. She is carrying her void carbine, with a flash hider made from homemade materials screwed onto the end. They eagerly await to hear what you have uncovered.

Looking out across the assembled group he pulls his hood down and gives a nod to Cheldar. Bending down, he draws a very basic overview of the structures and begins explaining his observations. (edited)

(for my planning purposes, how do you want to go about taking this place/what do you want them to do?)

(So my first thought is that if possible we ignore the patrols and try to find a way around and into the storage, and looks for something we can use to disable or destroy the components. If not that maybe some of the guys can attack and draw off the patrols and we can try to push in to the center to destroy or disable the cooling/power.)

(Absent any dice rolls to see how well we execute parts of the plan, either option from where we sit right now sounds reasonable. I think we'd need to at least start one of those two options and see how things go then)

(I run these two options by the group, but assuming I am taking the lead here my preference would be sneaking into storage.)

(You are taking the lead here. If you want to sneak, then we will sneak. If you are taking the full group we can, but the bigger the party the easier they'll be to spot, So we can figure that out and then roll it out as we get going here)

(Okay, so there is 11 of them and me, so 12. I say that 3 of their sneakiest come with me and the rest set up in a position to draw fire from the patrols if needed. Then they set up and we sneak around and go for the storage.) “I’ll take a group inside, me and three of you will sneak into the storage and look for something we can use to sabotage the important components. The rest of you should take overwatch. We can draw them off the patrols and you can keep us covered if it comes to that. Will be easier to sneak through with less of us.” Grimgar says.

(okay perfect, lets get a sneak/dex! your result will basically be the group's best attempt at doing so, and I think your;e better at this than they are anyway)

(9 for sneak)

Nekosmash

used /roll

nekosmash Request: [2d6-1] Roll: [1, 1] Result: 1

You are not detected by the patrols as you make the long loop around the facility toward the building that is being used as storage. There are no patrols near it, no sentries outside it, and from your concealed position in the woods 200m from the building, you do not see any physical surveillance measures. The door is made of thick metal and is surely locked, but it looks like you and the team will have time to figure out the best way in.

(So do these guys have gear or skills that would help or should I just assume no?)

(We can ask and find out, they’ll do what they can do to support any plan you have. They don’t have any explosives or specific door breaching gear , which you’d be able to see without asking , but skills we would have to find out )

Grimgar spends some time looking around the area for structural weaknesses or possible alternate entrances before turning to the others with him and speaking with them softly. “Doesn’t seem like we have the means to blow this door open, so we need another way in. Could pick it maybe, or hack into it? You folks got any skills that would help here?” he asks.

One of the crew was a former thief in a past life, in better days and what was then, happier times. They can try to pick the lock if you cover them. The lock is mechanical, though constructed formidably ,they think they have the tools to get through it. (2d6+2 for them in total if you'd like to roll their attempt) (edited)

(Yea we will let them try, better than me. I only have +1 to fix.) Grimgar nods. “We wait a few more minute and make sure we know the patrols and then you take your opening. I’ll move up with you, the others can stay in cover and overwatch. Swords are quieter than rifles, so don’t fire until it’s absolutely necessary.” he says as he draws his weapon and waits to move.

12:58 PM

(12 on the roll)

Waiting a few moments to confirm the patrol is on the side of the complex furthest from you, the two of you moves up. Crouching in the shadow of the door there are several very long seconds of scraping and tapping as the lockpicks work at the heavy lock. There is a quiet clicking sound followed by the soft rattle of the door as the lock is disengaged. "Okay" the former burglar whispers "We're in. Signal the rest of the formation to move up"

Grimgar nods, turning back he looks around before waving to the others to follow. As they arrive near the door he steps inside cautiously.

Entering the storage room the room is dark and quiet. There are several power cells tucked into the walls of the building in specialized cradles to keep them from toppling over. THere are eight of the cells here. Replacement parts such as actuators and servos for joints, replacement armor plating, and other components that burn out quickly on the robotic forms have also been stored here, as well as replacement tools for fitting such things. You would estimate the items here would be enough to supply the garrison for a few weeks for their most basic needs, but not longer.

Grimgar does a quick run down of the useful equipment in this room and has the others of the group collect the power cells. As he goes over the process of arming them in the fashion he used on the stronghold, he splits them up between the others. “If we are smart about this we can cripple their capabilities here. Robots need maintenance and power, that’s how we starve them out. If there is anything else here you can make use of without slowing yourselves down or making noise grab it now. From here we move to the power and cooling. If nothing else, those need to go down.” he says as he stows the two fuel cells in his pack.

The group grabs what they can, most taking just the fuel cells you give trhem, as the robotic parts and tools to install them are very specialized. One of them asks if you think it's smart to leave one of the weaponized cells here to make sure they cannot salvage anything from the site .

(Like leaving one here to destroy the stuff they have stored here? Do I know how much I would need to blow up stuff/how big these would blow up? Ideally we blow everything up but I am trying to prioritize.)

(one cell might be able to do it based on what you experienced at the stone keep a couple game weeks prior , but yes, they were asking if you thought it was a good plan to leave a cell here to destroy the stored parts and whatnot. If once cell doesn;t entirely do it, it 'll still do most of the job drawing on past experience with these)

(Then yes, we will rig one up to knock out as much of this place as we can and we grab anything super useful we can carry if there is even anything like that here- like microchips or something I dunno.) Grimgar nods and looks about the room before find a spot beside a structural support and rigging up the fuel cell. He demonstrates the process to the others as he does so. With that done, he makes his way towards the exit and waits for an opportunity to continue deeper inside.

(there isn't , its parts specifically for the bots, but destroying themw ill still make a dent)

1

4:28 PM

You come to the door of the store room and the patrol has stopped on the far side of the facility. They stand near the base of the overlooking cliffs where you had first seen the facility and observed it. One bot begins ascending the thin trail there between the trees as the rest look on. No membersof the team are there now, but something has happened there that made the bots stop.

With a grimace, Grimgar mutters a curse to himself and quietly relays the information over the comms. It would be a risk, but things had changed and they would need to be adaptable from here on out. Waiting a moment for a response, he begins plotting a route to the generators and cooling. If nothing else those needed to go and they could make a run for the tree line.

From your current position at the door of the now rigged to blow warehouse building, you see that there is another heavy mechanical door leading into the generator building. This is an important site on the facility, and they don't trust it to just be open it seems. They have not become sloppy despite their domination of the planet. The robotic patrol has just sent a second bot into the treeline after the first.

Grimgar looks around for any alternate entrances that might be around- ventialtion, windows, roof access, and the like. They could try to detonate the door but things would certainly escaltee if they did so, so he reserved that for last.

There is a series of pipes and exterior duct works that could be climbed, but it is a surface not meant for that. Only the strongest or most agile among you would be able to attempt the climb, as it is a strenuous exertion, made even more so doing the climb with a satchel of heavy charges on your back.

(Sorry about the delay! Could I leave my bag with these folks and throw a rope down, then we all climb up?)

(Yes, I think that's reasonable for sure)

Checking around their cover, Grimgar removes his pack and hands it to one of the soldiers. Turning the bag around, he removes his weapons and a length of rope and secures them to his armor before turning to gesture back at the series of pipes. "Stay here and cover me. I am going to climb those pipes and throw down a rope for the rest of you. Just stay outta sight and watch for patrols... we're running outta time."

(Exert/str)

(7)

You are able to make the climb over the course of doing in a few minutes, cautiously putting hand over foot and hand over hand before you reach the top of the pipes and can fasten the rope. a third bot has entered the trees to where your group first infiltrated the area

Muttering a curse under his breath, he tosses down the rope and waves the team onwards. Whatever was happening on that tree line, he didn’t like it. As the others begin to move forwards, he continues onwards to try and find a way inside. As he does so he sends another short message to the rest of the group- <Three by the tree line now, stay ready. We are moving into position now.>

The vent is open and you are able to crawl inside to begin leading the team through the warren of ducts ahead. They interconnect to the various sensitive rooms inside. You can feel a directional air current coming from the west as you begin to lead your team inside. The ducts are tall enough that you can crouch as opposed to needing to crawl on your hands and knees, but the marching is still single file.

Unable to effectively use his sword in these quarters, Grimgar draws his revolver as he leads. Moving as quietly as he can manage he continues onwards and moving towards where the cooling originated from.

You lead the patrol left, down a corroded section of vent until you see a grate that opens , with a 5m drop into the ground below. The room is dimly lit, with a metal clad floor. Machine parts and a large bubbling vat of oil look to be contained here.

Grimgar takes a moment to examine the room from their cover, undoing the grate and peering his head out cautiously to look for security systems or patrols. As he does so, he unfurls the rope once more and hands it to the group. “You lot think you can lower me and bombs down? I can rig these up myself, but we can’t all drop down. If we drop down, we won’t be getting back up here.” he says as he looks to the group.

They think the vent should hold. There is no patrol in the room, nor any lone worker bots. This room was designed for major overhauls of damaged bots,a nd none are damaged enough to need these services right now. There is a thump as the rope is lowered to the ground, and the group in the vent prepares to brace so they can support you.

With a nod, he grasps the rope and swings down and out of the vent. As Grigmar’s boots hit the ground he draws his weapon and looks around before gesturing for the others to lower the gear as he discerns where the explosives would have the biggest effect.

(notice/wis)

(11)

You think placing two charges in the oil vat will amplify the effect and should level not just this chamber but a few of them beyond. You will still need to place charges at the other end of the facility to ensure the entire place has been destroyed.

Taking a moment to consider, Grimgar sets two charges on opposite sides of the oil vat- tucked into the machinery as best as he can manage to keep them out of view. Returning to the line, he nods to the group and begins climbing back up. As he makes his way towards the top he informs them where the other charges should go.

They listen to where you want to place them, but they're as clueless as to the internal layout of the facility as you are, and they seem to be running out of duct. One of them suggests descending into this room and using the hallways and doors. With most of the charges in place, getting caught now will lead to a fight, and danger, but the mission can still be accomplished if only partially.

(I might have misunderstood. Is the other location part of this building? I thought it was a different location.)

(the other end of the facility was me saying the other side of this building)

3:18 PM

(then there is another spot after this)

Grimgar nods and looks at the group before speaking. “Heaviest first, down to lightest. I’ll go last- use the rope and keep your eyes open.” he says as he takes the rope in both arms and widens his stance.

The assault team winds down from the vents, one by one taking up a position in a stack by the door, weapons raised and ready for use. Military training kicks in, and one by one they fall into line. Upon listening at the closed door, they sign that the hallway outside is clear for the moment. They do not hear anything.

Taking the lead, Grimgar draws his sword and drops to a crouch as he sneaks forwards, scanning the area as he moves and looking for any signs of trouble.

(Notice/Wis)

(7)

The hallway is long, industrial sized and dark. You follow the hallway with your eyes , to the north where it turns right, out of sight. There is a large work light on in that room and you can see the shadow of an imposing model of warbot in that room. There are sounds of hammering and work being done in that room

Grimgar points towards the light, gesturing with his free hand and holding up a single finger as he mouths the words ‘WAR BOT’ and then moves that finger to his lips to gesture that they remain quiet. With a small sigh, Grigmar sneaks further down the line.

(Down the line as in past him? Or attempting to at least ?)

(I need to pass them regardless right? If it’s not on the way to the target I go past it, if I need to pass it I will go enough to look in)

(you do I was just confused if you were doubling back or doing something else based on the post, so I wanted to confirm before I put you in a situation) Peeking into the room as you attempt to pass by, there is a four armed Forgemaster bot there, hammering away at an upsized workbench. There is a large cannon being serviced here, with a torch, a hammer, and several measuring insturments. Their full attention is on the project, and they are the sole inhabitant of the industrial sized room they are working in.

Grimgar frowns and holds up a hand as he watches the work being preformed. Contemplating the risk, he looks at the room and sees if it is possible to place a hidden charge here without disturbing the work or the workers.

Planting a charge behind the bot somewhere without interrupting the work seems likely, but you are not sure when the work will be finished, or if the charge will be noticed by time you are ready to finish your mission here. Premature discovery will more than possibly raise the alarm

(Yea I was hoping to hide it ideally, is that possible? Otherwise I would probably continue.)

(You can try to, but there's no way to do it without risk that it will be discovered. There is no absolute guaranteed safe way to hide it )

(Yea I think it’s the kinda thing that I can’t gauge without actually seeing it so I will skip it for now.) Grimgr contemplates moving into the room to plant a charge, but ultimately decides against it. Guaranteeing the destruction of these bots and this station would be ideal, but with some luck the other explosives would do the work. Gesturing back to the others to follow, he continues on.

The main factory chamber is a sprawling complex, with towering ceilings and vast open spaces, designed to accommodate the construction of large-scale robotic creations. Conveyer belts crisscross the floor, transporting various components from one workstation to another. This facility in human hands might have had teams of technicians working here, but the work has been replaced by floating eyebots, each the size of a coffee cup. Each one has some sort of power tool, welding torch, or scanner to assist in the construction of the bots. You think there are several hundred eyebots in the swarm. You do not know how intelligent or aware they are, or what they will do when one spots you. To your left, you see rows of robotic chassis in various stages of completion, ranging from sleek humanoid forms to multi-legged and wheeled machines. Each chassis is a blank canvas waiting to be brought to life with advanced AI and cutting-edge technology. In the center of the factory, a massive holographic display hovers above the assembly line, showcasing detailed 3D schematics of the robots currently in production. The hologram is constantly updated with real-time data, allowing engineers and supervisors to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments.

Grimgar cannot help but pause in awe of the technical prowess of the facility in operation. Looking around the area he does his best to suss out the models and processes being employed here. Seeing the untapped potential here, Grimgar spends a moment in contemplation about attempting to seize the station rather than destroy it… but ultimately shakes his head and reconsiders. The military who built these bots no doubt trusted their engineers to see to the programming and construction, folks no doubt better suited for programming and construction than himself, and still things got out of hand. No, better to destroy the system while he could and be done with it. Turning back to the group, he kneels and whispers to them. “Those eyebots… can’t be certain what they are capable of, so for now let’s assume that if any see us the alarms go off. We need to rig this chamber for detonation-“ he says as he gestures to the sections that would yield the best results, from what he remembered, “set charges there, but focus on not being seen. Don’t take unnecessary risks.” “I am going to head towards the middle. I’ll set charges and see if I can pull anything from that display.”

(okay, normally we don't do compound skill checks but I can't think of a better way to represent it. There is an eyebot swarm here, and given the number of bots, I think its more than likely one will spot you eventually, we don't know what will happen if they do. They might raise the alarm, they might not be smart enough to. So we will need a sneak/dex for that. You're welcome to roll a program/int after if you wanted to download the data, if we're pulling drives and booking it, since you've got a couple points in fix we dont need a check for that)

(Sneak then pull drives)

(I think I will use my reroll I’ve been saving on this sneak roll.) (Sorr about the re-post, wasn't meant as a ping was just me finally deciding what to do and then remembering to do it. I'll try and keep a better eye on the updates) (edited)

9:25 AM

(13 for sneak)

(Hey Grimgar make sure you’re reading https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/1049788079990378536/1134180697519698020 in updates to make sure you’re not double posting while Neko is off)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [5, 1] Result: 6

You are not seen by the eyebots as you enter the room. You think you have about two minutes based on the motion of the swarm before enough of them spot you to send some kind of automated security inquiry to their supervising bots.

Grigmar waits the opening and then directs the others to move. Taking the most direct path he can manage, he heads towards the terminal and begins opening the device. He was hardly an engineer, but the independence necessitated some technical skill. Working quickly, he sets about retrieving the drives from the device and promptly tucks the fuel cell into the terminal as he retrieves what he can carry. (I don’t know how much time this eats up, but the plan is to plant the bombs, put the drives in my bag and then get out)

(if just grimgar is going in, we won't have enough time for everything. Grimgar could plant the charges or pullk the drives without a risk of being spotted, but not both. one of the jobs will have to be delegated)

(I thought I had said the guys were going to plant as well? I pointed out the locations to them earlier. Regardless, that was my intent. They plant the bombs while I go grab the thingy. If I cannot drop the bomb where I pull the drives then I will just pull the drives.)

(guess I missed that, okay no problem)

6:58 PM

Heading into the room the jobs are delegated, and everyone is able to complete their tasks before being spotted by the eyebots. Regrouping breathlessly at the door , they wait to hear if an alarm has sounded, but it has not just yet.

Grimgar shares in their moment of unease and catches his breath before gesturing quietly for them to head towards the exits. (Was this enough now to cripple the base? If it is the plan is just to get out and blow the charges)

(We don't have a way of being entirely confident. It will absolutely cause a lot of mayhem and things won't be running at full speed for a long time if the place isn't entirely leveled)

(I believe this was the original game plan. If it is possible to head to the eastern end on the way out and drop whatever bombs are left where the bots are?)

(Where they went up into the woods following your trail? Is that what you mean?)

(I am looking for targets from the map, I think I am maybe having trouble remembering stuff. To recap: I warned the folks waiting about the bots leaving, they are hopefully still waiting, the bombs are set to make a big boom.) (The only other spot I see specified from my observations is “in the East where the bots recover and rest”. I would people to get out of here promptly, but if I can drop the remaining bombs at that place on the way out?)

(Yep, im with you now. The maps are pinned, but we can escape the area. We did quite a bit, we'll see how things go)

1

“We’ll head out the East and reconnect with the others in the tree line. With any luck we can drop the rest of these cells by the bot’s quarters on the way out.” he says with a short nod as he draws his pistol and begins sneaking out.

(one final sneak/dex as we exfil)

(10)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6] Roll: [5, 2] Result: 7

The group is able to escape, heading north away from the facility. Upon climbing the northern ride away from the factory you connect with the group thst stayed behind. The robots have spotted them but are moving carefully through the woods and therefore are slower. The scouts are leading the bot patrol in a wide circuit around the woods and are faster, so dont think they will get caught.

Giving a nod to the commander as they reconnect, he reaches into his pack and removes the detonator before handing it to her. "We've rigged up much of the base, it should make a nice light show. Better sooner than later, not sure how long before they spot something." he says as he pulls his cloak tight over his shoulders and looks towards the camp.

The detonator clicks. At first nothing happens and the commander clicks it another four times before there is a distant flash of light from the clearing, followed by several more. The overpressure of the explosions, and then the sound, and then the heat of distant fire . The wall of trees between you, and the distance, and the darkness, keeps you from getting a clear battle damage assesment ,but the creaking metal of falling cranes and secondary explosions from power cells, fuels, and ammunition cooking off lets you know the facility is likely a ruin

Grimgar smiles and claps a hand on the shoulder of one of the soldiers from his team. “I can’t imagine the bots are going to be too happy about this. We should find a place to lay low.”

“We should start making our way back to camp and getting it moved” the commander says. “You know a place then? Maybe it’s time we link up for a while “

"If maybe you are more friendly now, I will set up that radio and reach out to them while you prepare. Let's get moving, we can discuss on the way." he says as he turns to stalk through the woods, the smoke from the explosions beginning to trail overhead.

The robots have lost track of the scouts in the explosions and need to fall back to the factory to ascertain losses. The former soldiers camp is going to be moved. The area will be crawling with bots soon. “If you won’t take us that’s fine. Just say so. My people have to go somewhere and we are going to start packing the second we go back. If we don’t go south to you, we go east “

“Did I say that? I said I need to radio ahead to let them know what was happening. I’ll also have you remember that you were the one pushing for discretion- it was your idea to do all of this to see if you could trust me. You can.” he says as he places his arms on his hips and stares to the captain before relenting. “There’s stuff we need to work out, the reason I came originally was for supplies. Neither of us has enough and we need to figure it out before we all set camp together. Armies run on their stomachs, and all I am saying is we need to figure out what that’s gonna look like.” he says with a sigh before adding. “Assuming we agree we are friends, and that you will be coming, I need to tell the patrols not to shoot you when you approach.”

"Alright, well, do what you have to do" she says, as the burning facility continues to explode behind you

11:42 AM

(6xp, 50,000 credits)

(I guess if there is nothing else to do RP wise I will just send the message ahead about who these folks are and that they are coming back with me, also to watch for bots with the bomb just going off)

(i didn't have anything else, you did your job well so the bots are concerned about battle damage assessment instead of chasing you down)

(In that case I guess we just screen wipe.) Grmgar sets about unbinding the communications equipment strapped to his hover bike and plugs in the channels to reach the hidden settlement. After going through the basics of what had transpired, he informs them that he will be leading the group back with supplies, telling them the time and direction to keep and eye out for them. With that settled, he assists with picking up the camp before gathering his own gear and turning to lead the group.

The former soldiers promise they will meet you south in a few days. They are going to continue walking, but would like you and your bike to bring the heavier or bigger cargoes back with you so they are lighter on their feet without needing to carry them. They will abandon their tents and some of their gear if you decide not to, and will still continue making their way south. (I figured we could run another mission in that interlude of a few days, or we could pivot to something else )

(Sure thats fine.) Grimgar nods, rigging up as much as he can haul with the hoverbike and giving them the route back towards the cave system. He also gives his personal comms frequency to the captain before bidding them farewell and heading back the way he had come.

(what's fine? There were two options there. If you want to be done with this world for a bit we can get into something else,and the situation will stay how it is for a while, if you want to keep workig here, we can set up another mission)

(I guess I didn’t realize you were asking me what I wanted to do, just saying we would do one of those. I don’t really have any unresolved or pressing matters outside of what is happening here so freeing this planet takes priority- I’ll stick around.)

(sounds good. I'll get some ideas together. We've hit a couple good sized robotic sites, I'll try to shake things up a bit)

1

(okay, finally had a bit of time to think. We know there might be other friendlies to the east of that settlement that we spent a lot of time at during the beginning of our adventures here. While the new arrival sget settled, would you and your bike want to check things out to the east to see how things are? )

(I would be more than happy to help build the network. My fear is in losing what we’ve gained by over-reaching. As long as I can spend some time integrating the two groups and making stuff secure that’d be great.)

(That is something happening off screen, there's not much to really write there in terms of making it story worthy at the moment, so a day or a few days might pass before we start on this, but thi sis where our story would pick up)

(That’s fine with me, as long as it’s addressed offscreen or otherwise)

(Lets get a D10 for the area, and I'llput a nice bridging post together)

(4)

Morning arrives and you get to the cave where the survivors from the razed village have made camp. They are falling into a routine here, some digging the cave network deeper and with more chambers , others hunting for food and foraging in the woods , still others collecting water, a nd those with skills working as craftsmen do what they can to make this location more comfortable. Patrols have also shaken out from those who once were part of the town watch before the robot revolution, an d they are undergoing training volunteers from among the rest of the survivors to bolster their numbers. Seeing you return with the bike and with some cargo, there is a small crowd gathering to hear what happened in the wilderness and to assist you. Upon hearing the robots have been dealt another serious blow there is hope in the camp. They promise to welcome those who helped you accomplish this, and will be on the lookout for their arrival. Things to the east have also gone quiet, and the survivors are not sure if that means resistance in that area has been crushed or has just gone to ground.

After a cursory walkthrough of the new changes Grimgar excuses himself to his ship to spend the rest of the day recovering and preparing for his next objective. Unsealing the ship, he makes his way aboard and unload the recovered data cores into the ships cargo storage before heading to the ships communications array and checking for any messages. It was unlikely he would receive anything, but still he checked. After which, he sent an update to the UNW about the work so far and note of the recovered technology. With this matters settled, he went to his quarters and spent the night in quiet contemplation. Come the next day, he would have to see about taking a trek to the east.

(If you want to update the UNW in the OOC server you certainly can. The progress report is probably best if its in your own words. If you wanted to anything before leaving let me know, otherwise we'lll set off)

(Nothing else to do I don’t think. I mentioned the stuff in the ooc.)

(okay, we rolled the D10 before, we kind of went back a bit which is fine, so I'll just use your roll from earlier for what we see while biking east) Leaving the camp behind and heading east the bike ride is quiet. There is no robot activity south of the settlement that was razed, and as you head east you can smell smoke in the air. You are well covered by branches and other overhead cover, along with a dense canopy of leaves. A fat bellied transport is departing this eastern zone and the source of the smoke. It has been damaged, and a contrail of aviation fuel leaks from one of its four turbine engnes. The vehicle is keeping its altitude, but it makes an ugly grinding sounds as it leaves a streak across the sky.

(So two questions- first, can I tell if this is a robot ship or what kind of ship it is? Second, can I contact them- maybe connecting from my ship or preferably from my personal comms?)

(it is a robot ship. If you still want to contact it you can, )

(Ah I wasn’t sure, I thought maybe it was a ship that needed help or something. I’ve not heard about any robot ships coming or going from here have I? And in that case, I suppose it might be a good question to see if I think my ship could stop it- I dunno how space combat works) (edited)

(its not a spaceship that you are seeing its an aircraft. Spaceship weapons cannot be fired while on the surface of a planet so your ship would not be able to stop it with its weapons. The damaged aircraft you are seeing is robotic, and we knew there was resistance out here, so this is a clue that the fight is heating up ) (edited)

(I understand now. When you said transport I assumed it was leaving orbit, and my fear was that it would do something bad if it left. If its just moving cargo from one spot on the planet to another I am not as concerned.) Grimgar watches the transport as it lopes away and makes a mental note of origin of the smoke trail before continuing towards his destination. If somebody else was fighting the robots, then perhaaps there were more allies to discover.

The bike continues driving for another few moments before coming to a clearing where a dozen bodies split between robotic and human have been left. This battle is recent; within the last hour according to your estimation, and there are not any immediate signs of survivors.

Grigmar hides his bike away and begins to examine the battle area cautiously. Moving around the perimeter he looks for any signs of movement or danger before working inward- checking over the human survivors to ensure that they are in fact dead as he tries to piece out how the battle unfolded.

(survive/wis. I'm picturing like Aragorn doing a post portem on the fight between the uruk hai who captured merry and pippin and the riders of rohan scene if you get what I mean)

1

(A strong 14)

The ambush was the human defenders against the bots. The bots defended themselves with more ferocity than the human ambushers had planned for. There were three other humans here who are not among the dead and have gone east. They ran from the clearing and it is easy to follow their trail from the broken sticks and heavy footprints left behind. They fled with their comrade's weapons and ammunition. The bots have also had their logic cores stabbed many times to prevent recovery.

Grimgar nods approvingly at the work and does one final once over to ensure the first group hasn’t missed anything. Moving back to his bike, he begins following the tracks.

The tracks head east into the woods and are not hard to pick up a trail from. The survivors have not gone far and you find four of them laden down with weapons and ammo about 300m from the ambush site , huddled around the exposed root ball of a large fallen tree. They look exhausted and filthy and like they have been fighting for weeks

Grimgar sets his bike to idle and hops off. Raising his hands above his head he whistles loud enough to get the group’s attention and slowly takes a step into view. “Easy there friends. Saw your work a ways back. Saw the trail of smoke that transport was leaving.” he says as he looks out towards the group, gauging if they were a threat and looking them over. “Think we might have similar interests. Mind if I come closer?” he asks.

One of them nods yes. They look scared and otherwise very disturbed from the sudden intense violence they went through not long ago.

"I am guessing neither of us are big fans of the bots, that's good. I come from a settlement some distance from here. We've been fighting back." he says as he lowers his arms some and takes another cautious step forwards. "Are you folks hurt? You look like you've been through the ringer."

They’ve all been hurt. They’ve all been shot or stabbed at least once and in any conventional battle would be considered among the walking wounded that make their way off the battlefield.

(Yea I am trying to get them to talk to me, which may be tough but I dont want to bulldoze through this first meeting.)

(yeah , and they're shell shocked so they're not very conversational. I'm letting you know what you witness so you can continue trying to convince them you're not a threat and are helpful)

“Alright. Maybe I can see about helping get you folks patched up enough to be back to your camp. Whichever one of you is in the best shape can walk with me and carry what we can, the other two can ride on the bike- it just floats and I’ll push it. Hover bikes are nice like that.” he says as he moves up beside one and attempts to look over their wounds, if they will let him.

(heal/int, they seem receptive)

(8)

With what you have on hand you're able to clean and pack the worst of their wounds. The two worse off will accept being helped to your bike in order to escape the area. They would have been left behind by the rest of the unit otherwise. too slow to keep up.

With the wounds treated as best as he can manage, Grimgar sets about securing as much of the gear as he can to the bike before nodding and pushing the bike forwards. “You lead the way. I’ll keep an eye open.” he says quietly as they start to move. After which, he focused on keeping watch- he would settle for getting more information at the camp.

(Do you want them to show you the way to their camp or are you taking them back to yours?) (edited)

(I assumed they would take me to theirs? I dunno how close it is or anything… they haven’t given me much yet)

One of the wounded here has their head about them and weakly takes a position at the front of the bike to guide you through the trees at the pace of a limping walk. The brutality of the ambush that went wrong is fresh in their minds. A few are crying to themselves while others are silent , gingerly touching their new field dressings. You can hear the lead if the group make a very short radio message reporting they’re on their way back, minus several of their number but plus a new one The transmission ends with a brief acknowledgement from home. After a half hour walk you find yourself at a circle of tall stones covered in moss, each the size of a house. A listening post has been concealed inside manned by several more resistance fighters who look like they’re more amenable to talking

With a nod of acknowledgement to the others, Grimgar unloads the gear and the wounded at the post before returning to the more cognizant rebels. As a barbarian from a low tech world, raised in a place where only the strong survived, it was an adjustment. He was trying, but maybe poorly. "Did what I could- they should live, given time to heal. Followed the ship to the battle, battle to them, them to you... you should consider moving locations." he says as he looks over the others.

"Thanks for looking after them" one of the rebels says. He has a red sash around his waist and looks to have the deference of the others in this makeshift listening post. "We didn't expect an ambush there. We're packing up our listening post and they bought us the time to do it. There's a hell of a fight north of here. (which is east of the razed village you started at, for context) "We wanted to make sure we weren't flanked from this direction while the offensive winds down."

“You folks are the third cell I’ve come across, but I still haven’t gotten a big picture of what’s been going on across the planet.” he says with a nod to the guy in the sash. “If there is fighting to the north, that’s where I’m heading. I’ll give you the frequency for one of our outposts before I leave… the more of us working together the better.” he adds as he looks in the direction of the fighting in the distance.

They will try to countact your comrades, (are you heading north then? They'll try a few times over the next little bit to get in contact before packing up)

(If there is fighting I leave now, if the fighting is over I’ll wait until they make contact but yea I head that way)

(It sounds like the fighting is still going on. You would hear faint pops of weapons being fired to the north)

Grimgar gives a nod and readies himself for combat before hopping onto the bike and peeling off towards the north.

Gunfire intensifies and you’re able to hear more of it as you speed through the trees in your blind tear north. You find the tracks of a tracked vehicle that looks to be human scale instead of something used by the robots before a deafening boom, a groan of metal and a flaming robot knight body crashing through the trees 40m ahead draws your attention. It is missing both arms and it’s middle section has large chunks of armor plating removed in a way where it’s been torn off by enormous pressure.

Slowing his bike as he comes across the chaos, he pauses momentarily to watch the the bit stumble through the tree line. Slowing the bike and activating it’s stealth capabilities, he begins circling around the outskirts of the battle looking for an opening to drop his bike and flank the bots- hopefully sowing confusion and helping the humans seal the battle in their favor.

(notice/wis)

(11)

You think that if you flank to the left you can avoid the worst of the crossfire. The humans have restored three tanks to some rough form of function and they’re supported by the most organized of the resistance movements you’ve seen. Many have uniforms while those without at least have some sort of military style webbing. You think there are about a hundred humans here between those on foot dug into fighting positions and the tank crews. There are thirty robots opposing them. You don’t see any firearms among them but their enormous swords are all slick with the blood of those killed in the forest before the two sides came to clash in this clearing.

Grigmar begins sneaking around to flank behind the robots, looking for any who appear to be in command. Dropping to a crouch he moves from cover to cover up along the trees, getting as close as he can before closing the remaining distance in a charge.

(sneak/dex)

(14)

1

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2d6+2] Roll: [6, 2] Result: 10

The bot 'leader' that you are able to identify is standing near the rear of the growing battle line, surveying his mechanical legion pushing into the human resistance and beginning to encircle it. With victory in sight, its processing power is focused on commanding, and it does not notice you sneaking through the bushes toward it. (edited)

3:09 PM

(you are unnoticed, so you'd have a chance for a melee execution. Depending on if it passes its save or not, it might not die, because its max HP is higher than your weapons max damage. If it fails, it dies. up to you if you want to try for that or just go for a surprise round instead)

(I think an execution is better than just rolling damage right? So I will try that. Does it hurt him if he makes the save still?) (edited)

(If he passes he takes max whatever your weapon damage and then we'll fight as normal,. If he fails he dies) (edited)

1

Grimgar draws his weapon as he begins his attack of the leader. He stalks the robot like one of feline predators of his homeworld, moving behind them and waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. (edited)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d20] Roll: [5] Result: 5 Reason: v10 physical effect save

The robot general does not see the descending blade but does see the splash of oil and the spray of ruptured circuitry as the advanced blade punches through the weak gorget armor of their neck. There is a flash of light glinting off the point of the blade as it passes through, making a clean cut. They have a brief view of their now headless body and the techno-barbarian responsible for the assassination just before the power feed is lost and they transmit data no more. It is not immediately clear if the other bots in the field are aware their commander has fallen.

1

(Very cool. How many bots are left here? Would it be a death sentence to charge the ones that are left?) (edited)

(this is a pitched battle. The terrain has a lot of concealment since we're fighting through a combination of rolling woods and open fields, but it looks like a several dozen bots against a few hundred humans and their assorted hodge podge of small arm weapons and vehicles)

(Try to seperate some then.) Grimgar reaches down to pick up the oil soaked head from the ground and clambers to the nearest point of elevation before lifting it above his head with one hand. Breathing deep, he bellows out a roar in challenge, as loud as he can across the battlefield. Waiting a moment, he stands there defiant holding the head high before throwing it to roll towards the enemy bots lines. “I am Grigmar, and I have come to return this world to the people! If you bots have some sort of mechanism that passes for a spine come show me what you are made of!” he shouts once more before hopping down and making a break back towards cover.

(you'd have to climb a tree if you're trying to do this. There's not really any hills around this immediate area)

8:14 PM

(idk if you want to amend your thing based on that, up to you)

(If there is no way to stand a bit above to do this I will climb a tree if you’d like me to. A rock or a fallen tree or the boys fallen body would suffice, but it’s up to you. You get what I am trying to do)

(standing on the body is good! Lets get a talk/cha vs the robot's morale and we'll see what happens)

(I rolled a 2. I do have a story point saved up though… I would appreciate some advice on if it’s worth using it to get the humans to rally and like think I’m really cool? I’ve done a lot here but nobody really seems to know me or care, but if I can use that story point to change that it’s probably worth it?)

(The issue is the settlements are not talking to each other. With the groups you've met, they hold you in a decent amount of esteem, but not all of the human communities are talking to each other, both because they lack the equipment to do so, and in the rare cases w here they do, communication signals are a great way for the robots to figure out where you are , even if only vaguely. Depriving the humans of technology and being decent at codebreaking by virtue of being robots is all being done very intentionally to keep the humans from organizing a resistance, so people you haven't met not knowing who you are feels pretty par for the course on that. Not to put too fine a point on it but even within the last decade irl there are dozens of examples of countries shutting down communication grids to make rebellions or protests harder if not impossible to coordinate You could certainly use a plot point. It's not going to make humans automatically win the battle, but as I roll combat resolution for the battle in the background we could give the humans a bonus or the robots a penalty. Specifically what we boost or penalize is going to work out the same so it doesn't really matter what side we take from. ) (edited)

(I think we can turn the battle with me here on our own. And you are certainly right about shutting down rebellions, but you also can’t wage an organized resistance without communication. Movements use whatever they possibly can to get word out, and at least this resistance seems to have the advantage of not having to worry about spies (so far). Robots are certainly good at code stuff but I took a lot of cargo space full of communications and even if it’s short distance mobile stations and like constantly changing code phrases (like asking about baseball or something obscurely human) I would like to try. My real concern/goal is that while I am helping people and winning, I am not really leading people or building stuff that I can tell? Or rather I want to do more of that stuff. Nobody really seems grateful or thankful (or even to know about) to the guy who’s like blown up two bases mostly by himself) (edited)

(Okay, you'd like to try, lets put some effort into that stuff and try to organize you being a hero , i feel like that would be a rallying thing if you can get communications out. )

1

(Sounds good. My hope here was that this move would win me some renown, so that was my attempt. I rolled bad on the talk roll but I figure some are gonna come after me regardless? Do you need another roll here?)

(It will get you some renoun. I'm going to roll a few things out in the background and ill update this soon with what happens )

1

Initiative seems to have been taken from the bots and for the first time through the engagement the humans fighting here seem to gain some ground. Their retreat to the treeline holds, and the bravest of the human vanguard race back out using fallen tree trunks and robotic dead for cover. A battlefield is a chaotic place, and it will take a few moments for the effects of what you've done to be felt everywhere. No general enters the field without protection. Two robotic praetorians emerge from the rear of the battle lines, heading opposite the direction of the robotic advance to avenge their fallen general. Each carries a pair of short stabbing blades with a gentle electrical field around them (advanced weapons, so they will go through power armor if they hit) . They are 50m away from you, stalking closer. (initiative)

(7)

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d8] Roll: [4] Result: 4

( you ,and the praetorians. The rest of the battle is still going on ,we're just going to worry about our own little slice of it. The bots remain 50m away )

(I would like to maneuver into a position where it’s harder for them to surround me if possible. I will shoot them and move to some cover if that’s something I can do.) Grimgar growls as the bots move forwards. Reaching to a holster hung from his hip he draws his revolver and aims at one of the two Praetorian, snapping off a shot before moving towards a hopefully more defensible position.

(once they're in melee there isn't the option to also be fighting from cover within SWN as far as I'm aware, for example if you're fighting on opposite sides of a doorframe or over a half your height wall each side would benefit from the cover and it wouldn't really be a bonus anymore anyway, so it's just not been made into the rules of the game. using the robo generals corpse as cover would be partial cover from any shooting attacks they might have. We're not sure if they have ranged weapons or not. You could shoot and then move into that cover if you'd like to though, just wanted to make you aware that come time for melee it won't really be factoring in. SWN also doesn't have rules for flanking, or advantage, so you'll just be dealing with fighting two foes who can hit you back and no special gimmicks aside from the danger of that on its own)

(Yea I more meant like using a large rock to physically separate one from the other and fight one at a time, for example. If I need to just fight both at once I will just shoot them and duck into cover to hopefully wound them before they get to me.)

(with what is immediately around us there's not a way to split them like that)

(Sure, thats what I was just hoping for. Just do what I said before then- shoot and move to cover, try and hit em a few times before I engage them with a sword)

(okay, just need to knwo the dice results of your shot so we can see what happens)

(Ha sorry I thought I posted before, I missed for sure with the pistol- rolled 7.) (edited)

The shot deflects off thick robotic armor as Grimgar ducks into cover, pulling the hammer back on their revolver for another possible shot in the next few seconds. Both pratoreans advance, shoulder to shoulder, rushing forward at a ground eating pace and closing the distance to 25m

Grigmar falls back before aiming the revolver for another shot, hoping to get one more chance at wounding them before being forced to engage. (If possible I’d like to shoot this round and then attack them before they get to attack me, ideally) (18 to hit) (3dmg) (edited)

( I'm not entirely sure what you mean here so I guess I will just try to underscore the mechanics at play here to make sure we're on the same page. A main action is a single attack regardless of it is melee or ranged. If you do not move, you would shoot your handgun as you've done and that would be the end of your turn. With 25m remaining for melee range, they will double move into melee with you and that will be their entire turn since their main action was spent to move again. Since that is all they can do , it would then be your turn at the top of the next round, so then you would get to swing. If you shoot and then move now, depending on how close you get to them, they may not need to spend their main action to move again. if they have main actions left since they're able to reach you in a single move. they're entitled to get their full turn , and since its their turn, they'd be making their attacks before you get your next turn)

(So my plan is to continue to fall back and shoot to buy me a bit more time to hopefully weaken them and maybe give the others more time to win the battle. Not running away, and I know they will get to me, but any extra shots I can make before it’s 2v1 I will take)

The shot from your revolver connects, causing light damage to one of the two incoming bots. As the distance between the groups is extended to 35m, the bots close to 15m as they continue charging ahead at full steam, their blades catching the sunlight as they run.

9:58 AM

(move and move, so back to you/)

Muttering a curse under his breath he stows the revolver and charges forwards, raising his blade as he moves to meet them in the rush. Stabbing forwards, he moves for the one injured by the pistol.

(since they're 15m away and you as a human only have a 10m move, you wouldnt be able to double move and still swing. Did you want to charge them and shoot instead? or something else? )

(I thought I could move more, my mistake. I would like to hold an attack to hit the one I shot when they get close) (edited)

The two bots storm into hand to hand with you, the damaged one meeting your descending blade.

11:10 AM

(feel free to make your attack/damage roll)

(17 to hit, 11 for damage) Grimgar meets the charge as they rush him, stabbing forwards with his long blade. (edited)

(what is your shock damage? )

6:58 PM

(this is a miss, but shock might go through)

(So I have savage fray which says enemies adjacent to me take shock, and shocking assault is +2. Writing this out mostly for me lol) (Large advanced weapon on my sheet says 6/ac15 but it goes to ac10 with shocking assault right?) (Think that’s all the info)

(Yes, so you do six shock damage to each bot. Your weapon attack missed, so you do 6 instead of the full 11 damage and savage fray has that shock apply to all enemies in melee with you. Normally it's just the one you're fighting without the foci) The blade sweeps in a large arc. The balance is slightly off and Grimgar is able to cause minor damage to each of the robo praetorians who have surged into melee to meet him. They vow to avenge their fallen leader. (this happened a pinch out of order. Their turn would have been moving in, which triggered your attack. Their turn was double move, so now we're back to you)

Grimgar resets his stance, stepping back and regaining his composure before swinging once more at the wounded bot. (15 to hit so just shock again) (edited)

The wounded bot looks especially wounded and the other bot is also damaged due to the backswing of the large blade. Both of the bots continue fighting, though you do not think the main target of your attacks has many left in them.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [4 d20+5] Rolls: [1] Result: 6 [18] Result: 23 [19] Result: 24 [11] Result: 16

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2 d8] Rolls: [6] Result: 6 [6] Result: 6

(your AC is too high for their shock damage, so we only need to worry about actual hits. 23/6 from bot 1, and 24/6 from bot 2)

(down to 35. I will attack the less hurt one now) Grimgar manages to dodge or parry a number of the blows, but the combined assault makes mounting a defense difficult and two of the attacks hit home. With a grunt, he slashes out towards the less damaged bot.

4:01 PM

(another miss, 13 total)

The blade lashes out, failing to get a clean blow but both bots both take superficial damage from the weight of the impacts hitting them. The more damaged Praetorian staggers, close to no longer being functional. Both of them plunge in with their blades once again , fighting with mechanical precision, their short blades used for thrusting and stabbing as opposed to elegant slashes and fourishes.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2 d20+5] Rolls: [4] Result: 9 [3] Result: 8

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2 d20+5] Rolls: [16] Result: 21 [20] Result: 25

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [3 d8] Rolls: [1] Result: 1 [1] Result: 1 [6] Result: 6

The more heavily damaged bot staggers, unable to land clean blows, but the other scores a pair of hits, causing warning lights to appear within the systems of your armor. (21/1 and Crit/7)

(If you hadnt rolled damge I probably woulda used my warrior thing to reroll that crit. Lucky the damage wasnt awful.) Grunting as he is pushed back, he spits out a mouthful of blood and continues his attack.

9:16 PM

(24 to hit for 12 damage on the less hurt guy, 6 to the hurt guy)

(The veterans luck ability doesn’t make them re roll anything anyway. You either ignore a hit or make one of your misses hit )

1

(did you want to use that to ignore the crit or did you want ro save it then? I don't want to cut you off)

(Ah no thats fine, I thought I had to like do it before you did damage or something but I think in hindsight that is another system. Just take the damage and make the attack above)

(You can decide to make it miss after you get the damage result)

2:25 PM

The most grevously wounded bot is beheaded on the back swing and its headless body takes two ponderous steps back like it is a drunkard before collapsing onto its back and spasming as its internal systems fail. The downswing severs cables and other important systems within the less wounded of the guard bots, though it looks as though it is going to be joining its comrade soon. it swings back ,stabbing with both blades in a high and low jab at the same time.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2 d20+5] Rolls: [19] Result: 24 [15] Result: 20

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [2 d8] Rolls: [6] Result: 6 [1] Result: 1

(24/6 and 20/1 ,neither are crits)

(Currently at 20) (rolled a 20 on the attack roll) (edited)

(18 damage from the crit) Grimgar manages to down one of the bots, but not before being wounded once more. With a furious roar, the barbarian raises his sword high with both hands and brings it down with all of the force he can manage. Battering at the bot again an again, trusting in his ferocity to carry the day for him.

The second of the guard bots falls to the ground likewise destroyed. In the clearing around you the humans are beginning to turn the tide. THe battle is hard fought, but without leadership the robots have been penned into three isolated groups, taking fire from multiple sides. They gradually inch their way back, steps at a time, leaving pieces of themselves and their fallen behind with every step.

Grimgar lets out a heavy breath, checking over his wounds as the adrenaline of the moment faded. He would live it seemed, and these new scars would be added to the collection. Kneeling down, he takes a small trophy from the bots (whatever is appropriate, maybe like a cog or something). Pushing forwards with a grunt, he stalks off towards the battle to see if there was anything else he could do to clench the victory. (edited)

The bots are slowly being pushed back and are on the retreat. You survey the scene for a few moments, looking for trouble spots, but with the decapitation of robot leadership the fight is concluded. THe humans are using breaks in the action to gather their wounded while those who still have ammunition

8:37 AM

continue pushing, driving the bots into the treeline.

8:37 AM

Several passing soldiers express their thanks in quick nods or quick shouts, their minds still focused on the final mopping up of the fight.

With the battle in hand, Grimgar let’s the army carry the day. Making his way to his speeder, he climbs aboard and circles back around towards the human lines in a cautious arc. He returns any nods and greetings he sees as he approaches. (edited)

You are human, so the humans in this rear line hold their fire. Medical personnel and volunteers are gathering the wounded, helping those who can walk wounded to their feet and stretchering others out. A steady stream of runners from other parts of the battlefield are also running in this direction and then back out, talking to a centrally located knot of figures under heavy guard, standing at the edge of the treeling 50m away next to the smoking wreck of a human battletank

Grimgar parks his hover bike in a location that might be deemed unobtrusive, and stows his long blade on the bike, but keeps his small blade on his hip. Slowly and deliberately he makes his way towards the area under heavy guard, presuming that to be where they kept the important folks. Drawing near, he rests his hands on his belts and waits for them to address him before approaching. (edited)

“You there. You’re not one of ours” one of the officers says as they take notice. “Impressive fighting though. We caught the end of it. Who’s outfit do you belong to?”

“None. The UNW sent me and I’ve been trying establish communications. There’s a group of wounded back the way I came, by the way. And other groups scattered across the land.” he says to the officer.

"I see. You're here on your own then? Or are you representing those groups?"

“For our purposes, you should consider me here on our own. I received supplies, but we will not be receiving reinforcements.” *he replies. (Sorry this was just sitting here, I thought I sent it)

"If everyone in the UNw fights like you we probably won't need them. Do you need medical attention or food?" they continue asking, as other casualties are brought past them on stretchers.

10:27 AM

There is the occasional bark of weapons as damaged bots are eliminated. Some of those barks may also be mercy for those too wounded to survive the crude frontier medicine available here. (edited)

“A medic would be appreciate. What I really need is to speak to somebody in charge and start coordinating with the other groups I’ve found, when you can. I have supplies to distribute as well, but you’ll need to ration them.” he says as he steps out of the way of a stretcher.

"We stopped using raido communicaitons to speak to one another. It didn't matter what we talked about or how encoded they were .THe presence of trsansmissions alone in an area were enough to get the region saturated with artillery and cruise missiles, so we decided to splinter, everyone does what they can when we can, and messages are passed by runner. Glad to know there are holdouts like us out there. Probably for the best if we dont' know where exactly you are- just in case" he says "but we'd be open to working together on some bigger goals"

“I understand the need for secrecy, and compartmentalization, but you’re not gonna overthrow a technologically advanced enemy by poking them haphazardly. Runners is smart, maybe dead drops would work…” he says, thinking and then coughs. “Perhaps we can speak further once I have seen to my injuries.” he says with a nod.

The medics here are making due with herbal medicine instead of anything more modern but you are still offered some healing powders and a medpak in order to staunch your wounds. The medic only has time to hand the items for you before calls of the more critically wounded elsewhere send them running.

(I dunno if this mision is considered over? Waiting here seems like an okay spot to shift time a bit? Otherwise I wait a bit and then start discussing what happens next with the officers)

(the combat part is over. You asked to have your wounds tended to as they do battlefield cleanup. That's now been done, you said you wanted to talk to the officers more, so I wouldnt be moving the scene until we did it. I'll give you the xp and credits when we finish this up)

Grimgar takes the proffered items and finds a spot out of the way to apply them. Sitting down, he tosses his pack beside him and taking the temporary reprieve to recover. (I’m sorry I keep writing stuff on my phone and then not posting it) Once things settle some, Grimgar pushes himself up off the ground and makes his way back to the command tent.

There has not been a tent set up, the locals do not seem intent on staying here, and the officers have pulled back to the treeline where they can easily get to cover if there is any robotic reprisals coming. The last of the wounded are being evacuated from the field and several robotic and human vehicles alike too damaged to field repair are being set alight to prevent their re use by either side. Several dull bangs of explosives being set off inside the hulls are the backdrop as you approach the gaggle of resistance officers overseeing the mop up operations.

Approaching the officers he waves to the one had spoken to before. “I am Grimgar. I assume you have a name?” he waits for a response before continuing. “I have supplies and scattered groups looking to fight back. I can’t distribute supplies or set up a defense if I don’t know who’s still alive and where the enemy is. You said radios don’t work, fine. We will need to set up runners and dead drops. I’ve destroyed two bases but there’s no way to organize when I didn’t even know you folks existed over here. We’re lucky I came across this fight on happenstance.” he says as he crosses his arms. “I don’t claim to know your home or your people as well as you, but I can’t help by just wandering around.”

(Talk/cha)

(6)

"I have a name." the figure in charge of those in charge says. They are a human male of middle age and their demeanor reminds you of someone who has been a career long military officer. "But for compartmentalization reasons my rank can suffice. You can just call me General. No one else is using that rank. "You've helped us out today, there's no denying it, and you seem to have some ideas on how to communicate better. We're using runners already. Dead drops were pointless since we didn't have anyone else to communicate with. How could we have coordinated that? " he asks. "Do you have any way to prove you've destroyed those bases or done what you said you've done? You're skilled at fighting, we saw that today ,b ut those are big boasts to make"

"Dead drops were pointless, but they wouldnt be moving forwards- thats what I am suggesting. As for proof, how can I? You folks haven't been communicating with any of the other groups." Grimgar says with a sigh. "There is a camp a few days from here, I can bring some of them to meet you at a neutral location, they can verify the first one. As for the second, you can look to the production site a few days from here yourselves if you like. Otherwise, we linked up with a miliatary group there, they are with the others currently, and I can have one of them accompany me as well. With the stealth bikes, I can bring three of them to meet you fairly quickly."

“That’s all I need. Bring them. We should have a conference so we can arrange a new way to coordinate. That’s the only way this is going to happen. We will leave a few people to watch this area and when you come back they’ll lead you to where we are based “

“Agreed.” Grimgar says with a nod, turning back to return to his bike and set off.

(3xp, 5000 credits )

1

(You monster. I’m pretty sure I need one more xp to level… my immediate plan is to head back to base, tell them what I’ve learned and then return here for the meeting)

(standard short mission XP haha) Making better speed across the coutnryside you return to the camp you departed from this morning with news. Not only has a robo general been slain along with their protectors, but mankind has won a significant battle nearby. Others are alive. They have weapons and technology, and ways to sustain themselves, and they are close by. These isolated sparks will come together to form a movement, and today is the first step.

Grimgar returns to the camp and greets the guards as he passes by. He makes his way to the interior of the cave system and looks around at the ongoing work. He informs the inhabitants of what he has seen and done, telling them to be extremely cautious of using radios- better to keep them unpowered unless in an emergency. After which, he seeks out Commander Cheldar and explains to her what he has seen, asking her about the general and her insight.

She remembers the general you describe from her time in service. He is a hot head and many battles he fought resulted in higher than necessary casualties. It sounds like time and seeing so many die has tempered his approach ans that has brought some confidence in working with him, at least temporarly. "I'm open to cooperation, but the structure of things is going to change" she says, leaning back in her crude wooden chair "the military is gone now. We're a movement, not an army. I'm open to working with him, but I won't put us directly under his command. I want our guys listening to our officers when it comes time to fight, even if we might be following their plan"

Grimgar considers those words, nodding. “In my home, we had clans. Each clan had its own history, culture, weaknesses and strengths. Each tribe had its chief, and even though many would rather kill each other than stand on the same field, when the need arose to join forces they did so for a cause. My father fought in a Great War against the Dusktalon- an invading clan from the east. Many clans fought together under a shared banner.” he says as he crosses his arms and looks to the commander. “He told me that this experience is what pushed him to lead, to change. To see the possibility of growth. It’s why he pushed me to leave and grow beyond our world.” He pauses a moment and sighs. “I don’t know this man, but I do know that without each other many will die. Make your plans together, and lead your men on the field. I’ll do what I can to help you.” he adds.

“How are we going to get in touch with them?” She asks , you’ve mentioned you met others, and the battle , and the need to work together , and she is eager to hear about the next steps. She is not opposed to working together , but won’t trust the lives of her friends to someone known to treat life as cheap.

“You, me, two of the villagers. We take the stealth bikes back to their camp and meet with the general. You aren’t slaves, if you don’t agree you can leave. It seems he doesn’t trust me so I am hoping he will trust you.” Grimgar says with a nod. “After that, we use runners and leave messages. Get word to other movements and communicating covertly using messages at locations. There’s always a risk somebody finds out your battle plans, but you can’t organize a planet wide resistance without talking to each other.”

"I'll agree to meet with them. You're making good points. I can't really judge more until I see what he has to say" she says with a shurg. "For tonight we'll get some rest, and tomorrow we'll go find them"

Grimgar nods and leaves for the night, finding a spot in the cave to settle into. (edited)

The following morning the sun shines brightly though it is eclipsed by some clouds of smoke from the distant battlefield. The locals are going about their morning chores aside from those who are accompanying you to the meeting.

Grimgar wakes with the rising sun and begins preparing his gear once more for the journey. As the camp is still waking he heads back to his ship and packs a bag of medical supplies and stows it on his bike. After seeing the damage done at the battlefield, he was fairly certain that they would appreciate them. After which he waits by the bikes for the others to join him. They would likely have a busy day ahead of them.

The two leaders, the camp settement, and the soldiers you worked with most recently both arrive just after sunup with their gear bags with them. They're ready to follow you to the battle site from the previous day. No one is sure what to expect, and they're as prepared as its possible to be. Each of them has several weapons on them, just in case.

Grimgar goes over what his experience with the military and the path to the previous location. He reminds them to be cautious and applauds their preparedness. “When we get there I’ll make contact quietly. I don’t expect foul play but can’t be too careful.” he says with a nod.

(We dont need to explore hexes on the way back ,so we can get right to the meeting if you didn't have anything you wanted to do before)

(No that's fine. I would like to leave the others somewhere safe and go alone first before bringing them in)

(Let’s get a notice /Wis as we approach the clearing )

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [4, 1] Result: 6

You can see one of the lookouts, intentionally left out in the open to make sure you've seen them. As far as you can tell everythnig you were told the previous day is in effect here and the general looks to be intended to folow through on his word to at least receive you and your delegation in peace.

Grimgar steps out of cover and makes his way towards the lookout cautiously, but intending to make himself known. As the lookout notices him he nods and waves stepping towards them. "How are we doing this?" he asks.

"The general is on the way. We're going to discuss things here" the lookout says, gesturing to the woodline as the general and three bodyguards emerge. They seem far mroe focused on scanning the skies and the nearby woods for robotic threats than in defending the general from you or your companions. The general gives a brief nod to Grimgar, and out of habit your companions salute him due to his higher rank.

8:43 AM

"Thank you for meeting me, and for coming back so quickly. we have won a victrory here, our first. This off worlder has mentioned some things he think we could do to make our movement stronger and more unified. I agree with them that together is the way we get out of this, even if we have disagreed on some of the methods. The victory we won here was our first, but it might be our only if we do not unite"

Grimgar nods in agreement, crossing his arms and turning towards the others to give them time to speak. (I don’t want to make your RP with your self but I’d like to give these two folks a chance to talk.) (edited)

The general and the camp leader both move away from you for a few moments to talk. The discussion sounds heated among them at the beginning but then gets back into a reasonable volume. THere is no salute at the end of their private exchange, but there is a handshake and things appear to be civil. Civil enough to work, at the very least. The general gestures for you to join them. "We can discuss the dead drop locations next, but I'd like to thank you for bringing both of us together, and we'd like to take this chance to plan our next move. It might be some time before it's safe to meet like this again. "

Grimgar nods and walks over to join them. “Neutral locations, out of the way from prying eyes. Need to keep the locations close to our chests… less chance one bad move brings us all down. Cave systems? Hidden spots near landmarks? If you give me some time I can scout a few. We check em once a week or so for notes. I can give you my personal comms for emergencies… end of days sort of stuff. But communication is important. The more folks know that it’s possible to fight, the more likely they are to try. Tell people what we did here, the bases we hit, but keep the locations quiet.”

"I've got a few spots in mind but I'ld need to get eyes on how things look there right now. So a little bit of your idea, and a little bit of mine I suppose" he says. "We're here to figure out our next move- I have a few ideas in mind but there is one place especially. There's an airbase, its ...its not close, but its close enough. If we take it or at least level it, we're going to stop their reinforcements from entering the region quickly"

Grimgar crosses his arms, considering. "We've hit them pretty hard recently, they will likely have improved their security... limiting their ability to move quickly will certainly help though. Do you have any intel on this place?" he asks.

“It’s heavily defended. Perimeter wall of chain link and then backed by cement. Watchtowers with lights. Heavy weapons in them too. It’s a logistics hub for the region “

8:34 AM

“Not sure the number of bots. Goes up and down depending on what’s happening “

Grimgar nods. “Well, I don’t imagine we have the resources for a sustained assault… so that means a rapid strike or a covert team.” he says, considering “What are your thoughts on a frontal assault? I’d like to avoid that in any way if possible…”

"We don't have the bodies to spare for something like that. And if we did, we wouldn't achieve much with it. A precision strike, or infiltration are the methods we've agreed to as well, but we haven't had eyes on the place in a while, hard to tell what might work better without knowing exactly what we're up against"

"A joint operation then. I volunteer... I've done this sort of thing before, and two from each of you would give us a seven person team. We find a spot and do some recon, pass word back to the camp and find a way to hit them." he says with a nod, crossing his arms. "You have explosives?" he asks.

"We used what we had in the battle, but we have a few experts in our holdfast who can make some. We'll need eyes on the site to figure out the best type, but we can provide you with them once we know what we're doing"

“Give me coordinates and a heading and then brief your teams. I’ll see what I can learn and return with more info.” he says with a nod.

(I'll make some notations on the planet map and I'll re post it for you )

(the rebels, both your group and the ones you just found are in the forest north of Liberty. Liberty is the only free settlement left and is under constant attack from the airbase on the coast . Getting rid of it might also allow for some of those hamlets to be under less direct control. Each hex is 200km which would be a few hours journey on the bike)

(Keep autonomous is the one I blew up? Also where was the destroyed factory? I think my immediate goal regardless is to go do sneak up to the airbase and try and see what I can see.)

(didnt put it on the map but its in the forest hex to the southwest of it)

9:55 AM

(it was getting cluttered, and yes, the keep is the one you blew up)

1

(Alright, well I think the plan then unless they say something otherwise is to o take a look and return to brief folks and grab those explosives.)

(D10 as we head out ) (edited)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [d10] Roll: [10] Result: 10

The forest falls away to plains with long grasses and thin trees with broad canopies where many birds of different species are perched. There is no robotic movement in the plains, but the scanner attached to the bike does detect one mechanical contact 500m ahead of youre position , half buried within the ground deep within the surrounding long grasses

Grimgar checks the sensor and looks around the area, considering. Slowly, he heads towards the buried object.

The closing to 100m you get a bit of elevation over the device and see that it is a buried sensor. It has veins on it that measure tremors and vibrations in the ground and its manufacture is advanced- indicating it is something made by the bots and not left as an early warning device by the human resistance.

(Hm. So a couple questions… does it look old? If it’s checking the ground do I think bringing the hover bike near it would set it off? Do I think I could destroy/disable it?)

(It looks like its been out here for a couple months but it's not falling apart or decrepit by any means. I don't think Grimgar would have a frame of reference for how sensitive it is based on what he's seen so far on this world, so you'll have to use your best judgement on the bike. It could certainly be broken somehow)

Grimgar thinks on this equipment for some time and relents. He decides not to mess with it, but makes certain to note it’s location. It would likely need to be disabled, but doing so too early would only serve to inform the bots. If he dealt with it, it would be when they made their move. For now he brought his bike around in a wide arc away from the device.

(one more D10 for the way there and then we're good)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d10] Roll: [3] Result: 3

In the 200km stretch of hinterlands between your location and the base the grass land returns to carious groves of thin forest. The bike pings a distant metallic object and the scanner picture shows it must be the wreck of the damaged robotic drop ship you saw leaving the battle in the previous days. The scanner does not see any metallic contacts aside from the dropship itself in the local area.

Once more Grimgar slows his bike and observes the object. Reaching down he unbuckles the holster of hi revolver and slowly begins moving around the ship, looking it over and examining the damage.

(notice/wis)

Grimgar

used /r

Grimgar Request: [2d6+1] Roll: [2, 1] Result: 4

1

Approaching the wreck you can see it took small arms fire and a rocket hit which is what actually brought it down. You do not see the half destroyed war bot in the shadows of the cavernous hold, perched near the rear ramp until it opens fire at you from 100m away.

11:17 AM

Several shots stitch the ground in front of you, each impact making puffs of dirt and grass geyser into the air, peppering your armor with debris.

(100m is a lifetime away… how long would that take to reach with my bike? I think I circle around and see if it keeps shooting at me as I get behind it) (edited)

(two rounds)

7:57 PM

(You'd have your main action for the first round though, so you could shoot your gun. If you want to dismount when you close the distance on round 2, your main would be getting off the bike that round '

(Sorry, have been under the weather lately... I am going to move around and see what this guy does. I can't tell if hes like pinned or guarding so I wanna see) Grimgar accelerates the bike and makes a wide circle around the bot, hoping to move to the opposite side of the fire.

The bot is both pinned in the cargo hold by a fallen piece of metal and also may be guarding any left behind cargo. It cannot move but is defending itself from you. Driving around to the front of the aircraft you are safely out of its line of fire

(So would it be possible now to come up behind it and sneak/drop down on it?)

(We could drop down on it yes. You’d get a surprise round against it )

1

Noticing the bot was pinned, Grimgar continued his wide circle around and towards the opposite end of the ship. As the bot ceased firing Grimgar decided it was immobilized, and set about attacking it from its flank. Pointing the bike towards the ship he slowly approached the far end, looking for a place to ascend.

The sloped cockpit of the downed flyer is a surface that you think your boots could easily find purchase on , it would allow you to scramble up the flyer, and would let you reach down into the cargo bay

Grimgar does so, leaping from the bike and climbing to the top of the ship. Taking a quick look around, he slowly begins sneaking his way towards the cargo bay. (edited)

(if you wanted to smash the bot, since it doesnt see you , the conditions are ripe for an execution melee attack, what is the max damage your weapon can do? )

(13 is max)

(you can smash it and destroy it with the melee execution, up to you if you want to RP that or not)

Moving quietly, Grimgar creeps to the opposite end of the ship. Reaching the exposed cargo bay he draws his weapon and peers into the ship. Moving to position himself above the bot he aims his blade downwards, preparing to drop down from above. Centering himself, he leaps from the ledge and sails down on the robot, the blade driving down through its metal armor and into its circuits and processors. Removing the blade, he wipes the oil from it and looks around the hold.

the hold was transporting damaged bots back from the battle. The crash has destroyed them but their weapons all seem to be in a useable condition. There are twelve bot bodies here including the one you;'ve just smashed, along with whatever ammunition loads they had in their weapons at the time. You count at least a few hundred rounds here split between all of their various weapon attachments. The black box of the flyer also looks to be intact despite the pilot bots being smashed at their control consoles on impact with the ground.

(What types of weapons, is any of it something I can use? It’s too much to carry but I might take one.) Grimgar makes a mental note of the inventory as he makes his way through the ship. It would be too much for just him, but this would prove to be quite a find for the others if they could recover it. He turns to leave then reconsiders, heading back to the black box and attempting to remove it. He would leave it somewhere away from here and off the path.

(They carry combat rifles, it is something you would be able to use. They use ammo, so so would have to take some of that too if you wanted to use the gun. Your revolver also uses ammo and SWN doesn't differentiate between calibers of projectile ammo , so 'ammo' would feed both the combat rifle and your revolver)

(Yea not my style, not a shooty guy by any means so I will leave them here. I’ll grab some ammo I guess.)

( just notate how much on your sheet. SWN does blocks of 20 as 1 enc . )

(Yea regrettably I have not been keeping track, I’ve use 4 bullets so far though…)

(So you'd have 16 left from a stack of ammo. So if you want to take another 20 , up to you. Otherwise we can mark the site and move on. We could take a few weapons and the ammo on the bike if you want, but it doesnt have a ton of cargo space)

(I already gave the the others some stuff from my ship, and the guns don’t help me. I’ll just mark it and reload my own gun before leaving)

(Sounds good. I’ll find a map for the airbase and I’ll narrate us getting there when I’m back to a computer tomorrow )

1

(we can approach from any direction we'd like. 1,2, 3 5, and 6 are defenses the bots have made, barbed wire and trenches on the outer layer, with 5m high walls along the exterior, following the paths of the grayish shapes those numbers occupy. 7 is the main terminal building, with the c on trol tower and hangars, alon g with the taxiway where they reach the runway at 4. Currently there are no aircraft present at the base, but it looks like a small air wing of about six of those drop ships you saw could be based here at a time)

(So I will assume trenches and walls all around, and the walls have barbed wire on top. The paths leading in have gates, are they defended?) Grimgar looks out from his hidden post at the defenses of the base. They were far more fortified that the previous ones, but there was always a way in if one looked hard enough.

(there is no gate between 5 and 6 because there is a lake there, so the bots are treating it as impassibable terrain and haven't posted any strong security measures there aside from a patrol. There are defended gates in the other areas

(So it seems like I will wait until night and check out the water approach. I am not sure if robot eyes care about dark? Oh well...) Grimgar makes a mental note of the immediate defenses and waits for nightfall. Contemplating his options he decides to move closer and see if the water might be a viable option- just probing and scouting, no reason to take excessive risks yet.

(sneak/dex)

(7)

Swimming under the surface of the water and with patience and timing it looks like this could be used as an infiltration route to sneak into the base undetected. It is unclear from outside what security measures might be in place within.

Grimgar waited a moment in cover, contemplating. More information would make the final assault easier, but a failure now might mean that he would lose this small advantage. With a sigh he turned away and headed back around the camp, moving a distance away to check the perimeter and look for any other information before returning ot the bike.

Flights depart and arrive twice a day, at dusk and at dawn. The walls are defended by sentry bots and there is a heavy weapon of some type every 50m with interlocking fields of fire with the ones around it. The bots have left much of the human infrastructure intact and have added their own sensors and flourishes to it. Some walls sections have been repaired recently as have one of the gates from when the bots claimed this as their own. Most bots you have seen before chose to use swords and other melee weapons , and the guns both at the crash and here at the facility show signs of recent manufacture as the bots adapt to the rising tide of human resistance

(I guess that will have to do for now.) Frowning, Grimgar turns away and heads back to his bike. It was difficult to turn back without knowing what would be in store later, but he was ill equipped to handle this particular problem on his own currently. Boarding the bike, he takes one final look at the base in the distance and heads back the way he came, making sure to avoid the threats he had already encountered while keeping an eye open for any new ones.} It was an incomplete picture, but it was far more than they had had before. It would have to do.

(if you had mroe specific questions feel free to ask them and if its something Grimgar could have seen I can give you those details. It's a big scene and I'm sure there are things you are thinking of that I didn't when describing the entire facility ) (edited)

(Yea it’s tough, dunno what to ask for and you can’t list every detail, I get it. I’m just looking for the same stuff as always: important structures/tech, communications/surveillance, enemies/defenses, and paths in and out)

(Got it. The water would be the best way in. It doesn’t seem watched from the outside. )

5:44 AM

With the intelligence and first hand view of the site in mind, the rebel command can plan their attack to recapture or destroy the facility depending on what is deemed best. You will save many lives with what you have learned.

Nodding to himself he heads back on his bike to relay the information.

Returning to the clearing you are brought before the combined "rebellion" officers to relay your discoveries. The airport is well fortified which is to be expected but the lake and its unmonitored status seems to be a likely avenue of attack. "You saw it first hand, if you were to try to take the place, what would you recommend?" the resistance general asks, looking over the documentation and photos you had taken. Outside the sun is beginning to set, nighttime patrols are being established, and all the non combatants are being ushered into the sprawling cave network. Sound travels further at night and the machine shop several caverns below you begins powering down its tools to prevent being heard.

Grimgar thinks a moment before crossing his arms and responding. "The defenses are extensive. The bots continue to fortify and adapt as you push back... For the moment there appears to a way in by the water- swim in past the patrols will get a small team inside. With the right explosives in the right place we could likely disable the station, but we would lose it as well. Sure would be nice to be able to get some supplies and reinforcements to the planet, but it would be up to the rest of you to hold the place... Assuming you can manage that, its a tougher job." he says with a shrug. "If you want the place disabled, I can take a small group and hit some key locations. If you wanna hold the place we will need to bring forces to bear and attack, while I lead a group in to sow chaos and weaken their defenses before you do so." (edited)

After some deliberation the fledgling rebel command wants to hold the site. This will allow them to use the site as a hub, allowing them to quickly dispatch resistance fighters to trouble spots, form a place to gather , and otherwise will be the first step at the gradual taking and holding of territory across the world. Hit and run has been vital to the survival of the human resistance so far. Rebel command is looking at something more. The taking of territory will set the tone and the time to strike is going to slip through their fingers if not seized soon.

Grimgar nods in agreement. "In that case... I will need some of those explosives we discussed. I'll lead a team in and we will disable as much of their defenses as we can before signalling the rest of you. There are some defenses along the way, but that cargo ship should help give the rest of you an edge." he says with a nod, considering. "We rig up as many of the guns and the gates, as well as the charging station if we can manage it and then the rest of you move in while they are distracted. Once we set it off I will see if I can find the command structure and do what I can there."

(did you want to do anything at camp? The rebels will need a few days to sneakily move forces into position, and I was going to write a bridging post to move us from that to you and a team sneaking in, but I don't want to cut you off from anything here if you needed to do it)

(So maybe get to know my team a bit? I would spend some time with them getting to know their names/what they can do but I dont wanna make you RP that stuff if it wont be relevant I guess? I can just say I get to know them rather than actually RPing getting to know them ya know?)

(if we see them more than once I'd be happy to name them and do more with them. For now we'll say a couple days pass as you practice the assault and learn how to best compliment one another's talents)

1

Days pass and slowly more fighters and more material trickle into the camp. By the third day all is in readiness, a surprise attack on the airfled after you and your infiltration team have softened up the facility. Four demolition charges are all that could be scrounged due to the scarcity of the materials, but applied right, it could be more than enough to create the opening you need. Your ream consists of five individuals, plus yourself, all human, and all eager for revenge against the robots. All have lost family and other loved ones to the forced indentured servitude or during the war of conquest that preceeded these dark times.

Grimgar spends the time in preparation of their upcoming assault- familiarizing himself with his team, imparting his experience fighting the bots and the methods of sabotage which have so far been successful. Using as much of the time as remains, he spends it drilling the team to work as a unit and going over how and where to place the charges. As the predetermined day finally arrives, Grimgar gives an approving nod to the team. The mission would be treacherous, but at least now they stood a chance.

Rebel command was able to scare up a ground car to get you close to the mission area. There is just enough room for everyone and your equipment and the trunk is filled with camo netting to use to hide the vehicle once you are close to the mission area. Once you have departed rebel fighters and their equipment will disperse into the region, ready to pounce once your dangerous and valorous work has been completed.

Grimgar bids the larger group farewell, personally shaking the hands of the individuals he had brought with him to the meeting before gathering his gear to depart for the mission. With a nod he boards the ground car and directs the others where to go as he keeps watch.

(D10 as we head out)

Grimgar

used /roll

Grimgar Request: [1d10] Roll: [10] Result: 10

Weather is in your favor as you head off to the mission area. You and the team have packed into this vehicle and continue your ride across the plains, keeping a wide arc around the crashed robotic lander just to be sure you are not detected. Rain and thick fog have settled into the area as the planet prepares to enter its cold season and even mid morning with the rising of the sun, it is obscured by clouds and the fog has not burned off. Visibility is cut short, concealing you from the watchful eyes of the airbase and its guards

“Thank whatever gods your worship. Seems somebody is smiling on us.” Grimgar says to the others as the vehicle comes to a stop a distance outside the base. “We keep the vehicle here, and cover it with the netting. If anything happens and we get separated we meet up here. I’ve told you each what I saw, so you know what to watch for. Stay low, keep quiet, and don’t be heroes. Now follow me.” he says as he draws his revolver from its holster and stalks forwards towards the base and their entrance.

The collapsible boats are quietly brought out of the vehicle and are snapped open. There are two, and each will carry half the team and can be recovered and brought with you once the other side of the lagoon is reached. There are distant lights seen through the fog as various searchlights try to pierce the thick fog, but the refraction of light keeps them from seeing anything, the beams scatter and reveal nothing but more fog. Everyone quietly moves to the edge of the water and the boats are gently pushed in.

Grimgar looks about, recalling the general layout of the area as he had seen it as they move across the water. When they crossed to the other side they would need to stow the boats quickly and get to cover. While they were harder to see it would also be harder to see the enemy. If they weren't careful they could stumble right into a patrol. Holding a hand to his lips to motion for quiet as he leads the others across the water. (I guess until I know more the plan is to get to any building and try and get a lay of the area and what the buildings are.)

(Sneak/dex as we come to the opposite shore)

(8)

The water ripples quietly as your cloth wrapped paddles gently graze the waters surface. The crew is quiet and with a soft thump you reach the shore of the base. The closest buildings are both to your right, the control tower for aircraft and a hangar.

Looking around, he gestures to the right and moves into whatever cover might block line of sight. The tower would be important but the hangar would hopefully give them a position to plan and move out from. Signaling to the others Grimgar made his way towards the hangar.

The hangar is a large building that is industrial scale. The main bay doors have been closed due to the fog, but a man sized access door is visibile from where you are hiding, and there are no intervening bots or sensors from what you can see. The door does not seem to be locked or secured by any kind of keypad or security device.

Taking a deep breath and saying a silent prayer to the gods of his home world he levels his revolver ahead of him and opens the door, moving inside and scanning the area.

The access door opens and there is a large delta winged bomber inside. It was human in origin but the cockpit is midway being pulled apart for the eventual integration of a robotic pilot. Tools and parts are laid out in an orderly fashion, with a smal pile made in the corner of the hangar with things that are not going to be added back to the flyer such as the ejection seat and some of the life support equipment. There is no ordinance in this hangar since the bomber is under construction. A small generator with a Type B power cell feeds to the aircraft providing ground power for its insturments and the powered tools that need it within the hangar. There are no bots in this room, but there is a small Eyebot with a welder attachment ignoring you and going about its business of converting the plane.

Grimgar motions the others into cover as he looks around the area. (Is there a map on the walls or a terminal with a map maybe? Like some sort of evacuation map or anything from before the bots took over?)

There is an evacuation plan on the wall indicating in the event of emergency the people from this building should make their way across the runway to a bunker on the other side. The bunker is a munitions bunker, but is buried so far underground that even bunker busting bombs would have trouble penetrating it. An elevator and staircase lead down to the protected magazine below where both weapons and personnel would be safe from any kind of raid or bombardment.

9:47 AM

It does not indicate what the other buildings do, as it is not important to the evacuation plan from this building.

(Okay. But it gives a layout at least yea? So that with my recon I can show the group I am hoping.) Grimgar shows the map to the group and denotes whatever is relevant from his scouting to fill in as much of the gaps as he can. Looking around he considers their options. While the mists remain in their favor he decides to focus on the immediate threats, the gates and the guns- disabling those would give the army a better chance. So with a nod he motions for the others to follow and heads to the nearest emplacement.

(yeah you can see where the buildings are, just not what they are)

The emplacements are located at the top of the walls, secured in redoubts and bastions so their tremendous recoil is dispersed through the ground. There are several stairs and ladders to reach the walls, the closest is 50m from here behind the hangar. The fog is still thick and heavy, keeping you from seeing the top of the walls, and keeping anything up there from seeing you. There is a low hum of electronics in the air, and the smell of ozone that comes with it.

Grimgar distributes the explosives evenly across the group before steeling himself and heading up towards the wall. Taking point Grimgar moves across first, giving the others a path to follow up.

(Are you trying to get up the top of the wall or to the base of the wall?)

(Hm maybe I misunderstood. I thought there was a bunch of stuff leading up towards the top of the walls? My goal is to get to wherever the guns are so I can blow them up)

(The guns are worked into the walls. They're in bastions/pits on top of the walls, like bumped out reinforced towers that are part of the wall network)

10:00 AM

(I can draw something in more detail if thats still not quite adding up)

(Maybe that would help. We are on one side of the walls and on the tops are guns looking out? I want to get to the guns so we can disable them and let our allies move in)

(okay, ill skectch something with more detail out tonight)

( something like this,so you can see the wall and the parapet, and then there are big artillery type towers every few hundred meters)

7:39 PM

or like this, and the guns would be on the top o the towers )