@Hardboiled Android @Dayglow Drifter
After the events at Moab, the party awoke about a day away in their camp south of the Colorado River. In the morning, Gallus caught Lars performing an old Blackfoot tribal rhythm patting on his legs: Gallus responded by brutally beating him and reminding him of his place and his new life. John intervened before the beating got any worse. Sheriff Leary of Jericho died of his wounds as a result of his mauling at Moab, and was buried by the refugees.
Days later in their trek to Magnum Chasma, trailing along various narrow canyon passages, they were ambushed by a group of servants of Hecate. Tribal warriors led by a Sidewinder, armed in Combat Armor with frag grenades and an AK-112 he took up defensive position behind cover and began suppressing fire. Good tactics and good gear meant the party were rather frightened, especially as the last remaining deputies of Jericho were shredded by automatic fire and the Legionaries nearly killed by frag grenade blasts. The Prisoners easily dispatched the tribal warriors charging them with nothing but spears and green bodypaint, but the Sidewinder was much harder to push against. Clover managed to create a rockfall leading up to the ridge where the Sidewinder was entrenched by using a grenade pistol. Reverend and Lars scrambled up the rockface and met the Sidewinder head on. Reverend critically succeeded his attack and burnt the Sidewinder alive.
Whilst they were up on the ridge, they also found a cowering Daughter of Hecate. Lars passed a check determining whether he'd reach her before she slit her own throat, and Reverend restrained her with rope, Lars knocking her out. Jessica examined her belongings, using her knowledge of chemistry to deduce that she had the equivalent of magician's tools: flash powder and magnesium among others. She also found several chemical concoctions which she speculated were poisons, but didn't possess the equipment to perform an analysis.
The Legionaries declared that the Sidewinder was a fine kill. The Prisoners would be paid a bounty for the kill at the Grand Canyon, but the Combat Armor would be kept as a trophy by the Legion. John asked if they knew who these people were, the Legionaries responding they were cultish servants of "The Profligate Witch Hecate". John then suggested that they interrogate the Daughter of Hecate when she comes to, passing a persuasion to let the Prisoners handle the interrogation since she'd be more likely to talk to someone who wasn't Legion. Discussing for a while their process of interrogation, eventually the Daughter of Hecate came to.
Ungagging her, she looked at them with venomous, zealot eyes questioning whether they were slaves of the Legion, responding that if they weren't now, they would be. Everyone under the Legion's gaze is a slave but Caesar himself. She offered freedom and money,and wealth beyond measure in the liberation from the circle of time should they free her and join Hecate. The Prisoners weren't buying what she's selling. She didn't have much more information other than that, however she did seem to recognize Kane, and made multiple scathing, sharp remarks about his background and origin (His tribe, the Red Giants, are servants of Hecate) which led to Kane losing control and nearly choking her, stopped by Reverend. John simply wished to know whether there'd be any more attacks but she wouldn't give anything up.
So, the Prisoners decided on torture. Kane offered to do it, holding a personal vendetta against Hecate and her ilk. Kane searched the refugee's belongings for abraxo cleaner, jalapenos and a spoon. He also picked up a clod of sand. He told the Daughter of Hecate that each of these would be used on her eyes, and the more she tells him, the earlier he'll stop. Mechanically for this I used the morale check mechanic at each level of his torture. First rubbing sand into her eyes. She resisted. Then crushed jalapenos. She resisted. Then Abraxo, she broke. Barely intelligble and heavily sick, she confessed that her and her warband were on the way to exfiltrate spies of Hecate that had poisoned the water supply at Servus Consortium, disguising it as a normal illness. She shortly afterwards passed out from the pain and shock.
The Prisoners moved on. Coming across the bloated, egg-filled corpses of tribals killed by Cazadores in the area (To indicate to my players that they were entering a region above their level).
Days later, they finally arrived at Magnum Chasma. Caius welcomed them to the cradle of the civilization that will unify the Wasteland.
On approach they were met by a young Legion Priestess leading a troop of children passing by the main road to Magnum Chasma. The Priestess and little girls of the group kneeling before the arriving caravan, and the young boys proudly pounding their chests in salute (Returned by Caius and his men).
Shortly after they emerged into the ordered chaos of the Forum, Legionaries directing their caravan to a filtering area where they were met by agents of Centurion Titus, summoning their commander. Titus welcomed back Caius, who informed Titus of their long journey and the help that these mercenarius had been. Titus thanked the Prisoners, paying them a handsome bounty for the Sidewinder and offering them plenty more work should they be interested. In discussing what to do with this large band of refugees, Titus ordered them to be taken to the Servus Consortium for holding, but they were to be kept in good quality care with food and water in the meantime. Meanwhile, Titus would confer personally with Caesar as to their fate.
After this, the Prisoners explored the Forum. Trading with the Twisted Hairs and merchants from Two-Sun and Phoenix. John concluded after their bartering that he wished to find other mercenarius to learn more about the region: more specifically, information about Rebirth. He spoke with a Legion Faber who told him the mercenarius typically dwelled in the Servus Consortium. Heading over there, the Prisoners were met by the vast slave pens and slave markets of the Legion. John and Reverend were taken aback to say the least. They continued on finding the area where the mercenaries of the Legion dwell, as their Prison-Boys began to vibrate: A Prisoner 13 was nearby. Here they discovered the robed and masked Alexander, a Prison-Boy on his arm. Upon seeing Reverend and his Ranger jacket, Alexander seemed taken aback. Alexander remarked that he didn't think the Rangers dealt with slavers, and Reverend very aggressively replied that he's right, they don't. John gave him an ultimatum: come with them, or die.
Alexander remarked he'd come with them if they helped him with one last job: bring back an escaped Priestess and Centurion Titus's private slave, who are heading for the Desert Rangers allegedly. They agreed, and began walking away, as Alexander leaned in and whispered to Reverend they needed to speak in private in a distinctly feminine voice. The group discussed that they were likely to simply kill Alexander when they get far enough away from the eyes of the Legion and be done with it, but Reverend cautioned things might not be as they seem.
He spoke with Alexander in a hidden tent, Alexander removing his mask and hood revealing herself as Ayumi, one of the Rangers Reverend fought beside in the Battle of Elko during the Road War. She expressed shock at his being here, and the feeling was returned. She said that his arrival must be some kind of sign from God, and had a shameful breakdown explaining her recent past as a Ranger forward scout turned mercenary and slaver. She explains that she was really thinking about ensuring the delivery of these escaped slaves to the Rangers, and the "Angel of Elko" himself turning up is a sure sign she must do the right thing and redeem herself in the eyes of the Rangers. Reverend seemed sympathetic, and said they'd get to work. He asked more about the presence of the Rangers, learning of their existence at Fort Cochise but that rumor has it Hecate and the Sidewinders pushed them out. They're fighting a war on two fronts, they're out-manned and outgunned.
Returning to the group, the group then split up: Jessica going to the water supply over at Servus Consortium, Clover going to the Forum to speak with Titus, whilst Kane, Reverend and John discussed the situation.
Jessica snuck into the now cordoned off (after Caius's report of the interrogation info) water wells of the Servus Consortium, taking samples of the poisoned water with her newly purchased chemistry kit. Deducing that this was a post-war poison mix that produces an effect similar to that of ricin: ensured death with a prelude of minor, vague illness beforehand. She deduced it was chemically similar to some rattlesnake poisons, but very different in some way.
Clover returned to the Forum, interrupted by the Legionaries of the forum hailing the return of the Legatus.
Returning with a large, well armed war band. Joshua Graham led the march through the forum, meeting eyes with Clover as he headed to the west side of Magnum Chasma, Caesar's Fort. Asking a nearby Legionary, it seems that the Legatus has returned early from an unexpectedly early success: Monument Valley has come under the banner of the Legion, and the Red Giants will be assimilated after Graham's stunning victory. (A result of my faction clock system off-screen). Clover then headed into the large tourist lodge in the center of the Forum, home to Centurion Titus. Speaking with him about the various tasks on offer, he accepted numerous jobs including capturing Bloomfield Space Center and slaying the Great Gila Monster, as well as discovering who is passing around Cat's Paw Magazines in the Legion and the actual identities of the poisoners. Furthermore, he inquired about the fate of the refugees learning they'd become townsfolk and farmers for the newly liberated Flagstaff. Clover further inquired about the ideology and history of the Legion, discussing with Titus his own agreements with it's beliefs. Furthermore, he noted that he had reasons to suspect that Alexander in the Servus Consortium was not all they seem, and may seek to betray "Our Legion". Titus told him to keep an eye on it.
The discussing group broke into arguing as John declared that it would take nearly a month to get to Rebirth from the Grand Canyon and they don't have the time to fuck around: kill Ayumi and be done with it. Then, he needs to find Caitlyn. Reverend responded that not only would he not kill a fellow Ranger, fallen though she may be, but that these escaped slaves need their help as do the Desert Rangers. Real, tangible people close by with real problems and not his girlfriend who is probably already dead and over a month away.
The two bickered intensely going in circles (for quite a while) until Kane aggressively broke up the argument, reminding them that they had "The Job" to do: collect the Prison-Boys and stop BULLMOOSE. He remarked that there wasn't going to be anything left saving, not the Rangers, not the slaves nor Caitlyn if Uncle Sam wreaks havoc on the Wasteland and that they need to focus on the big picture. John hysterically remarked that Reverend's a doctor: he can perform a field amputation and take his damn arm, if it means he can go save Caitlyn. Kane remarked "I don't need your arm, boy, I need your ear. Just listen, damn it." and suggested a plan. The plan was this: they deliver the slaves to the Rangers with Ayumi, then head East to Rebirth. From Rebirth, they'd then head north up I-25 to Denver and collect two of the Prison-Boys, they'd try and find a Fuel Cell Regulator along the way, then loop back to Salt Lake City and repair the Highwayman. The group seemed to come to a final agreement on that. Jessica returned at the tail end of the argument, noting that if they were travelling anywhere: they needed money. They are broke, and out of rations. It's time to get to work. (Great RP from all involved)
