Under the Crater- an introduction continued-

welsh

Junkmaster
This is a continuation from "An introduction"

OOC- This is for new players who are welcome to join at anytime- provided you can figure a way to get your characters involved.

The plot of the game has so far been-

A group of travelers, including the main players (Trent, Metro, Red Dragon and Grim) meet during the day in bar in the town of Crater. Crater is a trading town that is dominated by a Skuls gang who use the town as a supply and a rest base. The town is called Crater because its inside a crater (although if the crater is man made or natural is unclear) The patrons of the bar are a mix of soldiers, bounty hunters, Skuls members, miners and other local folk.

The main characters so far are:
Trent- a four armed fighter who has a thing against clowns.
Red Dragon- a serial killer who tends to be a bit reckless and who has killed a few too many mutants.
Metro- a wanderer who collects various oddities of old technology
Grim- a bounty/head hunter who is after a few Skuls who have been raiding the near by town of Deliverance.

Two NPCs are Cindy- the barmaid, and Jethro- the old miner.

New players are welcomed to join at any time.

Two events lead to a major gunfight. The first involves two mutants who walk into the bar looking for Red Dragon. A gunfight erupts in which Red Dragon and the Bartender/owner (who apprently doesn't serve Mutants) kill both the Mutants. At about the same time, Grim who has been playing cards with members of the Skuls, makes hims move and kills two and captures a third.

The third Skul is interrogated and reveals some info- the Skuls have been working with the Mutants in creating havoc in the nearby area and providing recon. Apparently the Mutants are planning to move into the area and are after a target further north. However, they are moving secretly, thus are relying on the Skuls to provide cover. What the Skuls are getting out of it is unclear. Although the number of Skuls is large (about 40-50) the Mutants are limited to a small group of a leader, an aide and body guards. When the third Skul has revealed all he knows, he is dispatched by Trent in payback for some past sins.

However, all the action in the bar- the sound of gunfire and the death of the two mutants has alerted the SKuls/Mutants that something is wrong in the bar and they quickly attack in a "shoot first and ask questions later." Those in the bar who have not fled, gather and defend the bar. The bartender, the owner, had taken some precautions, and built the bar as a stronghold.

The battle that follows is fierce and ends within the bar, in hand-to-hand combat, small arms and grenades. Almost all the patrons of the bar are either killed or wounded in the battle which is almost decided for the mutants and the Skuls. However, just as the Mutants and Skuls are about to overwhelmed using a pair of constructed siege weapons, they are recalled. Their leader, who fears that their losses have been too grievous and who is still unsure of the continued resistance or of the intentions of the Mutants, decides to wait until night to further the attack.

This give the party inside a chance to recover and reorganize. They realize that their chances of escape are too few, and that their enemy need only shoot up the building to bring it down. They are surrounded by superior numbers and if they try to leave, they will be riddled with bullets. While escape during the night is considered as well as continued defense, the feeling is that they cannot stay. ALthought the bartender is dead, the barmaid has survived and alerts the party that the bartended had constructed a tunnel underneath the bar where he kept his still. What's more the tunnel leads into a virtual maze of tunnels under the town of Crater.

However, the downside of this is that there are few exits, that the tunnels stink of Death Claw crap, and there are even rumors of Winnamingos under the town- not to mention the usual cochroaches, rats, etc. Figuring they have little chance they make their exit, leaving one of the party behind to continue the illusion of a presence in the bar, and then to detonate explosives rigged by Jethro to bury the evidence of the tunnel and perhaps create the illusion that the group has died in the bar.

The group makes its entry into the tunnel, and discovers an elevator that leads down into further tunnels as well as the lobby area of an old office/lab area of an organization called the EPA. Above, the player who has been left behind is impatient and detonates the explosion too soon, and quickly rejoing the party.

Red Dragon decides to explore the tunnels alone and runs into at least one Deathclaw which he is barely able to escape to the group. The group then confronts the Deathclaw which quickly gets within their ranks making the use of ranged weapons difficult. The Deathclaw is eventually difficult but only after wounding many of the group.

Now exhausted, the group tries to recuperate. Seeking light sources, they have trouble scavening batteries, although one of the members is able to play some music, as they explore the area. Cindy extends the light down the hall and Trim and Jethro explore the other tunnels, going past a number of doors and an intersection. HEre they discover that the Skuls/Mutants are aware of their escape and the tunnels underneath and are trying to seal them in. They also discover a Winnamingo is approachin the group. Grim and Jethro retreat to the group which is able to defeat the Winnamingo with a mix of white phospheros grenades and machinegun fire.

Thus the group is in a series of tunnels having discovered an EPA office. They are mostly wounded and tired. They are carrying a lot of ammunition but medical supplies are begginning to run out. They are very short of heavy weapons.

The atmosphere is dark, spooky and somewhat eerie. The tunnels are filled with rubble, insects, and debris, there are lots of shadows and the only illumination is a shrinking number of torches. While they are trying to rig up a light source, it hasn't happened yet.

Around any corner they may confront deathclaws, or winnamingos. The Mutants and Skuls know where they are, and have probably set a trap. The major goal is to escape, to find out what the Mutants are after, to alert the nearby town of deliverance, and ideally make some money. The primary goal is survival.
 
Metro continues to work through the robot's innards, searching for a power source, bulbs, anything that might be used to make a light. It's difficult, the torch light flickers and the insides of the robot are full of shadows. He motions Cindy to spread some light out and slowly removes what parts he can, spread out on a thin sheet he spreads on the floor. He considers repairing the burnt out bulb, but its too far gone.

He tests the power cells that fuel the 'bot. There is still energy left. He has to be careful, too much energy and he will blow out the bulbs. Too little and he won't get it working.

"Hey 4 arms!" He calls to Trent, "how about trying to get up and pull down some bulbs and see what we can get. Be careful though"

Then he calls to Red Dragon and Jethro- "How about you two go down to the Comm room and see if you can find anything that looks like this stuff." He points out various components on the sheet. As they head down he calls out to them, "any tools bring 'em back."

Grim is watching him work, and looking for parts to contribute, but he doesn't know much electrical stuff and follows Trent's example.

Trent thinks about this for a moment and says, "Hey Metro- if the music is working maybe there is power in the system, and all we need to figure out is where its broke?"
 
I can barely walk but whut the hell jus give me that chair wiiht the wheels and i will be good to go as he crawls overto the chair he gets his body on to it and pushes off with his feet and rembers from his childhood days allright lets find the comm room
 
Grim watches Red Dragon's feeble actions and shakes his head. He thinks to himself, I wonder if this guy will make it? But how juiced can we get him?

Jethro also sees Red Dragon's problems, "My doctorin' skills ain't what they should be but I know a couple things. Let me take another look at ya."

Metro is checking out the wiring in the lights and tracking them down to a central wall unit. Upon inspection he sees that much of the wiring has corroded away from a line leading deeper into the office but which he summises leads to a more powerful power source. Furthermore his inspection reveals that he can, with the use of the robots power, put the necessary energy into the lights.

He works the wires, careful to avoid shocks, and after a few minutes, he smiles, "Ta Da!" and the lights come on, as do other electrical appartus, include a nuke cola machine, and the computer unit on the receptionists desk.
 
OOC- Hey this kinda reminds me of the thing anyway

Wow this place scares the shit outta me

He hears the door opena and points the two magnums at the door
 
OOC- I think he means the door to the communications room.
Good to see you back.

Grim watches Red Dragon's display. "Hey give it up. You're in no shape to do anything."

Jethro wheels Red Dragon away from the door, but allows him to continue pointing his two guns at the door. Then Jethro, creeps close, and listens.

"I don't hear nothin'"

Red Dragon shakes, "No no, there's something back in there, I swear I heard something."

"Nah ain't a thing there." Jethro shakes his head.

"What are you kidding? I heard scratching from that door?"

"You mean like Deathclaw?" Jethro tightens up on the shotgun.

"Fuck I don't know."

At the word Deathclaw, everyone stops what they do and wait, they reach for their weapons.

"Don't smell no deathclaw... don't smell nothin'"

"Well I heard scratching" Red Dragon insists.

Grim is watching this exchange and thinking that maybe Red Dragon is delusional from all the stim packs, blood loss and other drugs he's been taking. But then, amazingly, his grammar is actually working right.

Jethro listens again. "Nope, no scratchin either. I hear sounds like things going 'ding' and 'beep'" but nothin going growl or snarl>"

Cindy has grown impatient. "Will you just open the fuckin' door already?"

Jethro nods, "Alright, alright, don't be rushin me."
and quickly opens the door to the comm room.

The door opens to a room that illuminated from above, but the bulbs are partly burnt out. There are shadows on the floor.
Red Dragon puts his guns in his lap and wheels the chair for a closer.

Trent is looking at the puzzle," WHere in the hell did you get that wheel chair?"

Red Dragon shakes his head, "It was just there, in the lobby."

Grim was wondering about that too."don't know, maybe the EPA was some kind of hospital or something? I mean, not like we can materialize a wheel chair out of thin air."

Trent nods," Yes I have seen those before at some of the camps I've been through. But I think we need to explore some more. I can't figure out what this place is about."

Red Dragon nears the door peering inside, but then he hears something, it sounds like a squeak, to his left, he turns.

In that instant the rats decide to attack. From under the desk 6 large rats jump on his body and race up the wheel chair. Red Dragon, caught by surprise, screams, and leans back, trying to bat them away. As he stands up and back, he upsets the balance of the rickty chair and it falls back.

Jethro is suprised, "Ahhh fuck, I can't even shot the freakin things or hit this hear boy.. shit. SOmeone body help me with this."

Further up the lobby, Metro has been working with the computer on the lobby desk. "Hey, I think I got this thing working. Check this out."

OOC- Ok folks, its up to you as to how to play this.
 
OOC- god i had to get this one a going it has been a real long time
Red Dragon pulls out a combat knife and starts hacking at the rats blood flying everywhere takes the knife and finally stabs the last one

"Hey thanks for the fucking help assholes man i hate fucking rats"
 
The rats squeak and scamper, their little teeth chewing at Red Dragon's body, one gets near his face before Red Dragon uses his knife to turn the rat into ka bob.

Jethro uses his own knife to try to force the rats away. He shakes his head sadly,
"Shit, sorry about that son, but I figured I shoot ya with this hear boom stick I'd like blow you and dem rats to hell."

Grim and Cindy together help Red Dragon and Jethro until the rats are either dead or scattered.

When they are finished, Cindy wheels Red Dragon back to lobby.

Grim looks around the communications room. Its a small room mostly filled with large square metal boxes filled with wires and small light bulbs. At the desk is the skeletal remains of what looks to have been once a woman, although most of the cloths have been eaten away by rats and time. There are faded pictures and a pocket book and what looks like an moldy old romance novel, but the pages have flacked away with time so that they are little more than dust. On the desk the computer is shines a green screen, but when they tap on the keyboard, nothin happens. Next to the desk are what look like large disks.

As they continue to look they see a large black plastic contraption and a groups of plastic like black disks that seem to be in pretty good condition.

Jethro looks at the disks, not sure what to do? "What do ya think?"

Grim shakes his head. He has been fingering through the pocket book, and finds a sheet of paper with a seven digit numerical code. He doesn't know much about ancient technologies. "Lets bring it back to Metro, maybe he knows what's going on."

Back at the lobby desk, the screen is illuminated with the words-

"WELCOME TO THE EPA/DOD BIOLOGICAL & CHEMICAL WEAPONS RESEARCH FACILITY TEST SITE. PLEASE PROVIDE THE NECESSARY CODE FOR ACCESS."
 
So the truth comes out of this place eh well let's a get a searching for the way outta here besides up the elevator me jethro and cindy will go as a group the rest of you you guys are on your ownwe will take the right and you guys take the left hey grim that was pretty kool wit the lights

OOC- Hey i might get the charaters mixed up i am a little confused

so they splitted up

Hey jethro whut do u supposed esarct stands for red dragon says

I dunno why do you ask

well it says on this door that wanna go check it out
 
OOC- Ok folks, we need to have some description of where we are at. From what I can recollect-
The group has found the exit from the bar and escape down, find an elevator and have gone down even further.
Where the elevator ends the find two things.

First that they are part of a complex that seems divided by multipe offices and rooms, a sort of subterranean government office area. The one closest to the elevator is the EPA. While the group has explored the lobby it has not explored much else.

Second is hall way leading to a yet unopened door. To the left is another hallway, leading past a number of doors, including the Comm Room. From there it leads further into the complex, to an insection where the Winnamingo was first spotted.

The EPA still needs to be explored as does the rest of the complex. Electricity has, at least temporarily been turned back on, at least in part of the complex. Holodisks have been discovered and we have learned that this is all part of some EPA/DOD experimental base.

WHere it goes is up to you.
 
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