Episode 17 - Cosmic Artistry
Is it still snowing?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Jodi squints against the snow that seems to have picked up in fury, tossed about by windy freezing flurries. She peers behind her as the corpse shapes follow her like so many walking snow men. That's the road behind me, right? she wonders. She can only hope. Not for the last time, she wishes she had a compass.
For the last few minutes she had jogged ahead of the deadheads, giving her a reprieve then she pulls out her binoculars and looks down the slope, trying to make out where the road is.
Can she see the road down the slope in the distance? (+3 distance, -1 darkness, -1 snow)
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No
She curses, unsure if she's heading east, or if she's veered south east or north east.
Now that she's jogged out of sight of the walkers, there's nothing for it, but to try and angle back in the direction she thinks is north west to the road. She turns ninety degrees to the left, and believes she's now heading north.
She jogs along this vector for another ten minutes and then will try to head back to the road. Or where she hopes the road is. With some luck, she hopes to lose the creatures following behind her.
In another fifteen minutes, she looks. Can she see the road?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
She breathes a sigh of relief as she comes out of the woods and back onto the road. To the right is north, toward the lodge. To the left is where they had fled from the ATVs. But she didn't know if she was north of the rendezvous point with Catina.
After a moment of indecision, she decides to turn right, and take the road back north. That way she'll at least be heading in the direction of the lodge.
Does she run into Catina?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
She makes out an ATV with someone on it. The person raises a rifle.
"Jodi?"
Relief floods into Jodi and she exhales with a smile. "Found you!"
Jodi sees that Catina has a blood-covered rifle and is wearing one of the men's ammo vest.
"I see you got an upgrade."
Catina nods, "Once they moved off, I took this off the men."
Where they wearing body armor (trauma plates?)
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but...
No but they had on soft body armor that could stop pistol rounds.
Catina taps one of the blood-covered vests.
"Here, take one," she says. "It's kevlar."
"That'll slow me down," Jodi says.
"And it'll slow down a bullet too," Catina says. "And will also provide protection against biters. Some protection anyway."
Jodi frowns in distaste at the blood and chunks still clinging to the densely woven fabric.
"I tried to scrape as much off as I could in the snow. Sorry, I didn't have any detergent on me."
"Forget it," Jodi sighs and slips on the snow-covered vest. Maybe Catina was right. She smells the blood still, faint against the smell of cold snow and gasoline fumes. The vest was much too loose. She simply didn't have the mass that the men did.
"Can you adjust these straps for me?"
After a few minutes, they were both outfitted.
"So what's the plan?" Catina asks. She checks her ammo in the curved magazines tucked within the Velcro vest pouches and in the rifle, optimizing her loadout.
How many extra 30 round mags with bullets does she have?
2 = 2[d3]
I'll say the rifle has 15 rounds already in it. Catina loads in a full magazine, and moves the partially-used mag to another pocket.
Jodi wasn't sure what the plan was. At least they had a chance now. But Catina was more or less immobile with that bullet in her leg. But at least she was on an ATV. That might give them some pause if they hear the ATV, and think they were their returning colleagues. Perhaps they would let their guard down.
"We need to at least do something about that leg."
"We don't have time for surgery."
"I'm not talking about that. You need to be able to walk on it somewhat at least."
"I'm fine here."
"Not if the shooting starts. You'll be out in the open."
"What do you have in mind?" Catina asks.
"We need to brace it, so if you have to hobble on it, you can without putting too much pressure on the leg itself."
Catina reluctantly agrees and after a few moments and after cutting some strong branches and using strips from some spare clothing, Jodi had Catina's leg somewhat braced. It was something at least.
"How does it feel."
"It hurts," Catina bites off a curse. "But I'll live."
"Good. You can stay on the ATV until you need to move."
With Catina on the ATV it should at least allow them to get closer to the lodge before they started shooting at them. Jodi counts off the known threat in her head.
She had counted originally six men when she had scoped out the lodge at first.
The two men that followed them out were dead.
One of the two men from the first engagement with the horse fiasco was either dead or wounded. He was at least out of commission.
That left three men back at the house.
So two vs three, unless they could find Lisa and Jen and swing the odds in their favor.
"Let's head back to where we were separated from my girls and see if we can pick up their trail," Catina said. "Maybe they got away."
Jodi wasn't sure. "What if they have them at the house? We should go there first."
Catina looks torn and stares into the night, "They could be out in the dark and the cold, wet and hungry and lost... or worse."
"And that's my point. We're in no condition to be looking for them," Jodi says. "You have a bullet in your leg. You're holding up remarkably well for that, but it can't last. We need to rest. And we'll need light to look for tracks."
Is Catina persuaded?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Catina finally nods and wipes a tear. "If they took my girls, I'm going to--"
"I know," Jodi says and she rests an arm on Catina's shoulder. Her hands felt numb from the cold, and her feet in her shoes were getting numb too. They had to get out of the snow soon, or they'd have to add exposure to their lists of concerns. Catina rests one of her own hands on Jodi's and nods, blinking rapidly. "Let's go... I'm okay."
Jodi nods. "You'll stay on the ATV and get them looking your direction. I'll be coming in on the horse from the side," Jodi said. "From that creek bed or ditch, I'll have line-of-sight to the roof and the window and the doorway."
"You're only going to get once chance at that," Catina says. "I'll be in the open on an ATV."
"I know," Jodi frowns. "This could go haywire. I won't lie to you."
"I'm ready to do it for my girls," Catina says.
Jodi nods. "Lets do it then."
----
Jodi waits for the ATV to approach up the driveway before moving into position. She hopes the sound offers enough of a distraction. She blinks through the snow and presses the inside of an arm against an ear. Cold. They had to get indoors and soon. She peers through the scope. Does she see anyone on the roof?
Can she get into position to shoot without being seen (+1 darkness, +1 distance, +2 distraction from Catina, -2 observer on watch)
(Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
... and she can get into better position for a bonus to the shot.
Jodi moves up the creek bed and goes prone, bracing the rifle against rock and studies the roof as the cold from the snow seeps through her pants. She sees a man on watch, but he swings his rifle and looks at the driveway just as she hoped.
"They're back... but I only see one rider," the man calls down to somewhere below, his voice carrying in the cold dark.
Does he recognize it's not his own man?(-1 darkness, -1 movement, -1 snow and wind, +1 scope)
(Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
He stands up straighter to get a better look.
Jodi pulls the trigger.
Jodi takes the shot (-1 darkness, -1 snow, +2 brace, +1 good position, +2 distraction from Catina, -1 head shot)
Hit?
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
The shot echoes against the sound of the ATV as the man falls limply against the sandbags. Jodi instantly swings her scope to peer around the house.
Does anyone else become visible inside?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
Is it a militia?
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Yes, but he's surprised and Jodi gets a chance to hit him.
Can she see him through a window?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
In a dining room window, a man leaps up from behind a small cook stove and a half eaten MRE. Jodi sees the motion. He has a shirt on, half unbuttoned. In his haste, he knocks over a bottle of Coors and reaches for his rifle. Jodi squeezes off several shots
She shoots six shots.
Hit? (-1 darkness, -1 snow, +2 brace, +1 surprise, +1 scope)
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Lower arm.
(8 = 5[d20]+3) Minor Injury: Largely superficial; painful and distracting, but not life threatening.
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Neck.
(5 = 2[d20]+3) Negligible: Nick/Scratch/Bruise.
Lower arm.
(22 = 19[d20]+3) Killed.
Six shots slam through the window in a spray of glass and death and her third bullet takes him down.
Was it a head shot?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
There's a misting of red from his head. He flies backward, crashes through a back window onto a balcony.
Does anyone else make an appearance?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 6[d10]) No, but...
Combatively / Fresh
Jodi peers through the scope but doesn't see anyone else outside the house or in the house. A drape gusts in the window she blew out.
She swings her scope and watches Catina, who turns off the ATV and hops off of it. Catina hobbles up to the house, putting her back against a wall. She looks in Jodi's direction and waves her forward. Jodi nods and advances cautiously on the house, sticking with the minimal cover.
Does she make it to Catina without issue?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Jodi's back hits the wall as she stacks up next to Catina.
"You okay?" Catina asks, she holds her rifle held in a ready position but she winces from pain with every step. She looks to her left at the door a few feet a way.
"I took down two."
"I heard. How many are left?"
"I can't say for sure," Jodi shifts her rifle. "Six men from before. I killed two just now. The walkers got the two that chased us. The fight up the road earlier messed up another one with his arm and leg. I don't think he made it."
"One left probably then," Catina says.
Jodi nods.
The garage is off to their right, its front double doors still locked.
Do they hear anything from in the garage?
(Likely | 3[d10]) No
Do they see any light from in the garage?
(50/50 | 7[d10]) Yes
The garage door is an old-style double-door, manual affair and is chained shut. Jodi catches a glimmer of light from a crack in the double-door. She moves stealthily to the door and tries to see what's inside.
Does she see another militia?
(Somewhat Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Does he notice her by the door?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Does he have a rifle on him?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Is he the driver that had several minor wounds?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
The double-door is made out of heavy wood. Jodi tries to move quietly. But once she's close, shots ring out snapping through the wood around her.
Does Jodi get a glimpse inside before he shoots at her?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Jodi gets a glimpse inside. She sees some women and older teenage girls tied up and gagged.
Is the garage connected to the house?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Sounds like there's an interior door from the kitchen that leads to the garage, but there's also a door that leads from the outside to the kitchen as well.
Are any of the captives Jen or Lisa?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and... +Event: Persecute / Exterior factors
So they had found the girls. They had tied them up and hung them from their wrists stretched above their heads, ropes or cables disappearing up to the ceiling. Their feet were also tied, and duct tape covered their mouths.
Jodi gets a brief glimpse at all this before the man notice Jodi and shoots.
Does Jodi see the man inside, before he shoots her?
(Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
She reflexively tries to dodges out of the way.
Is she successful in getting out of the line of fire? (+1 from above, +1 the door blocks where she is exactly)
(Likely | 3[d10]) No
How many shots does he shoot? (1d3+1)
2 = 1[d3]+1
Two shots...
Is Jodi hit? (-1 door, -1 the man has wounds)
This was the driver of the ATV. I know he's not skilled in the pistol. How about rifle skillz?
Is he good?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and... +Event: Increase / Anger
The man is not trained and obviously unhinged (-1 to hit from anger)
Jodi hears a scream as the man shoots.
Hits?
(Very Unlikely | 7[d10]) Yes
(Very Unlikely | 3[d10]) No
One bullet catches her. But it's velocity going through the door is dampened. Where is she hit?
Hand.
(1 = 1[d20]) Negligible: Nick/Scratch/Bruise.
"Stay away! Stay away or I'll kill them you hear! I'll kill them all!"
Jodi feels the slap on her hand, she curses, and rolls back around the corner where Catina had hobbled up beside her. She fills Catina in.
"He has my girls! I have to--"
"He's unhinged and dangerous, he's going to kill them if we show our faces," Jodi says.
"So, we're just stay here in a stupid standoff?"
"No, we have to do something, but we're not a SWAT team. He has a rifle and almost got me," she holds up a bloody left hand where the bullet took off part of her flesh in a ragged red wound. It looked worse than it was.
"And there're other people in there?"
Jodi felt sicked and nods. "Several women. Most are young."
Catina's face went dark, and her line compressed into a thin line. "Did he do anything to them? Did he...?"
"I couldn't tell," Jodi says. "But I don't think so. They looked like they were just tied up. Tied up and scared."
Are there any windows to the garage?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
They could see at one window on the side of the garage and there was probably another on the other side, but they were both boarded up.
"What do we do?"
There wasn't any police. No special team of supermen with body armor and tactical skills to take out this threat. They were just two women, two moms, thrown together, trying to survive this horror.
Jodi shakes her head. There was no good answer. "I don't know. If we try to rescue them, he'll shoot them and go down shooting. If we walk away, your daughters might live, if you can call a life locked up with a sicko like that living."
Catina pounds her good leg with a fist then relaxes her hand, "Maybe we can talk to him?" Catina says.
Jodi frowns at the hope on her friend's face. "You don't negotiate with terrorists. You terminate them," Jodi says.
"You do if it's the only way to save your daughters," Catina says.
Jodi shakes her head but then stares at the door leading into the garage. "He won't let them go just because you say pretty-please with sugar on top. But, talking might buy us some time for one of us to get in through the garage's inside door that attached there to the kitchen," Jodi points. "These doors lock from the kitchen side. It's probably not locked on his side. But it may be barricaded."
"We need more info," Catina says.
"You talk to him then," Jodi shrugs. "Keep him busy, I'll try to get in another way, somehow. If we're lucky, maybe we can pull this off."
"If we're not?"
Jodi just shakes her head. "What do you want to do?"
Catina frowns but finally nods. "We have to try."
Did any of zeds up in the hills hear the sound of the shooting and come to investigate?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 4[d10]) No
Jodi returns a terse nod and starts to move toward the kitchen, her rifle held ready. Catina on the other hand, approaches the garage.
"Don't shoot! I just want to talk," Catina says. She moves behind a rain barrel and studies the door through her scope. "We don't mean you any harm. Please, I just want my girls."
The pain in her voice wrenches at Jodi's heart.
Is he willing to talk? (I'll say unlikely since he's scared, the sole survivor, and isn't about to give it all up without a fight.)
(Unlikely | 8[d10]) Yes
... interesting ...
"You don't mean harm?" he barks a harsh laugh. "'That's a load of crap! You've killed everyone. I got nothin' left!"
"Nothing? Your life?"
He barks a sour life. "Suppose I do. But for how much longer?"
"That's up to you," Catina says. "You can walk away from this, from my daughters, from the others you have captive. You can walk away without a scratch."
"Without a scratch," he grunts, "You can't promise me that, not unless God told you, and he ain't much in charge nowadays is he?"
Catina doesn't say anything, just waits.
"You still there?" his voice is nervous and scared.
"Yes," Catina answers. Through her scope, Catina fancies she can see a form move in front of the light coming from the door way, but she can't be sure.
"You wanna talk, then talk. But I ain't leavin' here!"
"You can't stay," Catina says, putting a matter-of-fact shrug into her voice and hedges her bets with a little make believe. "There are ten more of us. We're just advance scouts. We needed a place to hole up. If the others in our group find out you've been kidnapping women and girls..." she lets that hang in the air. Inside, she wants to pump the man full of lead for what he may have done to his girls. But with effort, she moderates her tone. "But listen. You walk away now, no hard feelings. We'll let you leave with a back pack full of whatever food and gear you have in there. Just open the door and come out with your hands raised."
Does he believe her?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
And he's coming up with a plan of his own. Hmmm I wonder what it is.
Intensely / Lacking
Heh. Sounds like he doesn't have much of one.
"Fine," he calls out with a grumble. "I'll do it."
Through her scope, Catina sees the double doors jerk heavily and then open slightly more, perhaps three more inches before the motion is arrested by the chains. "I'm putting my gun out now," he says.
She squints through the scope and sees him make a sudden shift in motion and the barrel of his gun shifts over to her direction.
--- before and meanwhile ---
Jodi mentally crosses her fingers as she approaches the back kitchen door, the closest that would lead to the garage.
Is it unlocked?
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Rather than make noise trying to break it down, she decides to quietly and quickly move to the front of the house and go in through the front door there, or even through the bay window she shot out if the door is locked.
In a heavy run from her armor and vest, she jogs around to the front of the house and tries the front door.
Is it unlocked?
(Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
Is it trapped or something?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
And she triggered it. Does she notice the trap in time to avoid issue? (-1 darkness, -1 hurrying)
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Is it a trap intended to capture?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
Definitely not capture. Probably to kill of maim then. Ouch... poor Jodi.
Let's find out what kind of trap this is. Using MAG. One is a bomb symbol with a timer. I'll go with that. Sounds like they rigged a grenade... or some other IED.
Jodi's hand jiggles the handle and too late she feels the slight tugging of the wire against her pant leg as she steps into a trip wire. Suddenly an explosion blossoms in front of her.
Her foot pulled lose a line that yanked out a pin in a grenade jammed into the door jam.
Is the trap perhaps poorly placed so that there's less damage?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
With the Yes and, I'll say that the damage is considerably less. Something around the damage of a pistol (regular 1d20, no mods).
How many pieces of shrapnel fly into her (1d4)
1 = 1[d4]
Only one. I'll roll random hit location.
Neck.
Oooo. Okay this could still be very bad. Neck isn't protected by her vest. Hope I roll low.
(15 = 15[d20]) Moderate Injury: Hampers action significantly; will require first aid/medical attention.
A fiery shove like the hammer of a god sends Jodi flying off the porch. She lands hard on back. Flaming debris falls and hisses in the snow around her, and she feels wetness in her neck, and her nose is bleeding, her ears ringing.
Does she keep consciousness?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
No and she's bleeding out. Not at a prodigious rate, but still enough to be life threatening if not helped in the next few minutes.
Her eyes flutter and close as blackness takes her.
--- Back to Catina ---
When does the explosion happen? Soon after or close to when the man starts pointing the barrel at her?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
I'm going to rule that Catina gets to shoot first since she was watching the door closely through her scope and would have seen the barrel point in her direction.
Catina sees the barrel swing toward her. She swears and squeezes off several shots at the crack in the door. She knows her daughters could be anywhere in there, but from Jodi's description, it sounded like maybe they weren't right by the door.
Catina shoots ten rounds (half of them will take affect before the man can return fire).
(-4 shooting through the crack, +2 scope, +1 skilled)
After the first three the man can pull back behind cover...
Hits?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
(Somewhat Unlikely | 3[d10]) No +Event: Haggle / Investment
(Somewhat Unlikely | 6[d10]) No, but...
The first shot drives into the man.
Upper arm Shoulder.
I'll say it hits his off arm.
(15 = 12[d20]+3) Moderate Injury: Hampers action significantly; will require first aid/medical attention.
The third shot has some affect. Does it hit the lock and shatter it?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes +Event: Oppress / Home
That first shot hit the man in the shoulder. Does he pull back behind cover?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
The lock snaps, and Catina fires seven more shots through the door shooting in the direction she saw him move. She hopes to pin him down as she shoots through the sturdy door, the bullets chipping through the wooden door.
Is he pinned?
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
The chain, burdened by a shattered lock, rattles free from the handles, and the double doors begin to drift open of their own accord, even as Catina shoots her shots.
Does the man stay in the garage using hostages?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes +Event: Kill / Benefits
He dives behind one of the tied up women, and one of Catina's shots thumps wetly into a woman's chest, instantly killing her.
Was it one of her girls?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and... +Event: Release / Bureaucracy
The doors drift open further. Catina continues to shoot after the man that she can barely make out. She can see reflected in a gas lantern some bales of hay in a garage that is partially converted into makeshift living quarters. Women lie tied up lying on the floor, they're squirming shapes of fear. Two others dangle from a line affixed to the ceiling.
Through the scope, she makes out the truth. There, swinging from ropes that are tied around their wrists are her two daughters. And one of her daughters, now hangs limply, slowly spinning, her head bowed, the hair obscuring the face. But Catina recognizes the clothing, the jeans, the shoes, the purple knit hat. She watches in horror as growing red expands from her daughter's chest, soaking into a white winter coat.
Which daughter is it? Jen?
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
It's her eldest, Lisa.
Near Lisa, who spins slowly from the force of the shot, is Jen, silently weeping.
Catina screams at the loss and injustice, just as a ragged explosion of debris and fire erupts behind her, around the front of the house. The blast causes her to duck instinctively behind the barrel.
The man kneels behind Jen, using her as a human shield, and shoots at Catina.
Does he have a scope?
(Somewhat Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
(-2 wounds, -1 unskilled, +2 scope, -2 cover)
He shoots 1d10 shots at Catina and the barrel she's behind.
7 = 7[d10]
Hits?
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 3[d10]) No
(Very Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
(Very Unlikely | 5[d10]) No, but...
(Very Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Bullets snap and hiss around Catina.
"You gonna kill me now? I don't think so. The other woman with you is dead ain't she? She found that little present I left by the door. It's only you and me now. You and me, and I have all the cover I need. You don't dare keep shooting!"
The man is gleeful, exultant. He continues to speak. "What? No clever words of response? You ain't got 'em, because I have all the power, don't I? And you know it. Just run away now! Run away and never come back! Or stay and die. It's all the same to me!"
Catina feels sick. Sicker than she had ever felt in her life. This man uses his daughters as human shields. He didn't care about them. He didn't care about human life. This man was going to kill her and anyone who got in his way. He would use up the lives of these women and then find more prey for his perversions. There was nothing she could do. She had to do something. She had just shot her Lisa! Her heart felt like it folded in upon itself like a sun collapsing into a black hole. She yearned to run to her girls to hold them, to see if Lisa were still alive. To comfort Jen. To give them hope. To give her hope.
This world--she ground her teeth--this world was a world where might makes right. There is no law, aside from the one you carry in a fast moving fist or a faster moving bullet. This man. He is no longer human! He is as much as monster as those who tear flesh of your bones. He is a demon in the form of a man. But he, like the walkers, is a pestilence. A plague.
She knows he has to be stopped, even if it means the life of her daughter. Because if Catina fails to kill him, her daughter is as good as dead anyway. Better to kill her daughter mercifully now than to have her live her remaining days in captivity to this depraved madman.
With determination, Catina leans around the side of the barrel, sights in on the man. Her hand feels the trigger. Suddenly, Jen raises her legs up and kicks the man in his face, sending her swinging away from him. The man swears, wiping blood from his face. He raises the barrel at the girl, and Catina pulls the trigger.
(+1 crouch, +2 scope, +1 skill, -0 cover since Jen as rolled away, -1 motion from the man, -2 headshot)
(Somewhat Likely | 6[d10]) Yes
The man's head snaps backwards from the hit, and he falls back against a bale of hay. Catina moves in on the man, hobbling and wincing in pain and screaming and firing round after round at his still form.
When she enters the garage, multiple gunshot wounds form red splotches all over his arms and legs, his torso and body armor had also absorbed some shots. His mutilated head and bloody corpse mixed with tufts of hay looks like a parody of a Halloween scarecrow.
Catina stands there, as smoke drifts up from the barrel. She looks down at the man, and what's left of her heart goes dark and hard. Irrationally, she wishes he had another head just so she could drive another bullet into it. Slowly, mechanically, she sets down her rifle and cuts Jen's bonds, tearing the duct tape off the young tear-streaked face.
"Mommy," Jen says. Catina feels her daughter's smallish form hugging her. Catina stands stiffly at first, feeling the weariness of the sad world seep into her. But that single word and her daughter's need drive something back into her heart. "My Jen," she finally utters a deep moan of wrenching sorrow and embraces her living daughter.
---
Around the side of the house, the cosmic artist's limited pallet of despair and death paints in broad strokes of reds, blacks, and pale white. Jodi's form oozes precious blood in the white unforgiving snow, the black night with its cold stars look down on her fallen form. Debris in a rough circular pattern halos her form in ash and burning wood.
Is it still snowing?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Jodi squints against the snow that seems to have picked up in fury, tossed about by windy freezing flurries. She peers behind her as the corpse shapes follow her like so many walking snow men. That's the road behind me, right? she wonders. She can only hope. Not for the last time, she wishes she had a compass.
For the last few minutes she had jogged ahead of the deadheads, giving her a reprieve then she pulls out her binoculars and looks down the slope, trying to make out where the road is.
Can she see the road down the slope in the distance? (+3 distance, -1 darkness, -1 snow)
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No
She curses, unsure if she's heading east, or if she's veered south east or north east.
Now that she's jogged out of sight of the walkers, there's nothing for it, but to try and angle back in the direction she thinks is north west to the road. She turns ninety degrees to the left, and believes she's now heading north.
She jogs along this vector for another ten minutes and then will try to head back to the road. Or where she hopes the road is. With some luck, she hopes to lose the creatures following behind her.
In another fifteen minutes, she looks. Can she see the road?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
She breathes a sigh of relief as she comes out of the woods and back onto the road. To the right is north, toward the lodge. To the left is where they had fled from the ATVs. But she didn't know if she was north of the rendezvous point with Catina.
After a moment of indecision, she decides to turn right, and take the road back north. That way she'll at least be heading in the direction of the lodge.
Does she run into Catina?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
She makes out an ATV with someone on it. The person raises a rifle.
"Jodi?"
Relief floods into Jodi and she exhales with a smile. "Found you!"
Jodi sees that Catina has a blood-covered rifle and is wearing one of the men's ammo vest.
"I see you got an upgrade."
Catina nods, "Once they moved off, I took this off the men."
Where they wearing body armor (trauma plates?)
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but...
No but they had on soft body armor that could stop pistol rounds.
Catina taps one of the blood-covered vests.
"Here, take one," she says. "It's kevlar."
"That'll slow me down," Jodi says.
"And it'll slow down a bullet too," Catina says. "And will also provide protection against biters. Some protection anyway."
Jodi frowns in distaste at the blood and chunks still clinging to the densely woven fabric.
"I tried to scrape as much off as I could in the snow. Sorry, I didn't have any detergent on me."
"Forget it," Jodi sighs and slips on the snow-covered vest. Maybe Catina was right. She smells the blood still, faint against the smell of cold snow and gasoline fumes. The vest was much too loose. She simply didn't have the mass that the men did.
"Can you adjust these straps for me?"
After a few minutes, they were both outfitted.
"So what's the plan?" Catina asks. She checks her ammo in the curved magazines tucked within the Velcro vest pouches and in the rifle, optimizing her loadout.
How many extra 30 round mags with bullets does she have?
2 = 2[d3]
I'll say the rifle has 15 rounds already in it. Catina loads in a full magazine, and moves the partially-used mag to another pocket.
Jodi wasn't sure what the plan was. At least they had a chance now. But Catina was more or less immobile with that bullet in her leg. But at least she was on an ATV. That might give them some pause if they hear the ATV, and think they were their returning colleagues. Perhaps they would let their guard down.
"We need to at least do something about that leg."
"We don't have time for surgery."
"I'm not talking about that. You need to be able to walk on it somewhat at least."
"I'm fine here."
"Not if the shooting starts. You'll be out in the open."
"What do you have in mind?" Catina asks.
"We need to brace it, so if you have to hobble on it, you can without putting too much pressure on the leg itself."
Catina reluctantly agrees and after a few moments and after cutting some strong branches and using strips from some spare clothing, Jodi had Catina's leg somewhat braced. It was something at least.
"How does it feel."
"It hurts," Catina bites off a curse. "But I'll live."
"Good. You can stay on the ATV until you need to move."
With Catina on the ATV it should at least allow them to get closer to the lodge before they started shooting at them. Jodi counts off the known threat in her head.
She had counted originally six men when she had scoped out the lodge at first.
The two men that followed them out were dead.
One of the two men from the first engagement with the horse fiasco was either dead or wounded. He was at least out of commission.
That left three men back at the house.
So two vs three, unless they could find Lisa and Jen and swing the odds in their favor.
"Let's head back to where we were separated from my girls and see if we can pick up their trail," Catina said. "Maybe they got away."
Jodi wasn't sure. "What if they have them at the house? We should go there first."
Catina looks torn and stares into the night, "They could be out in the dark and the cold, wet and hungry and lost... or worse."
"And that's my point. We're in no condition to be looking for them," Jodi says. "You have a bullet in your leg. You're holding up remarkably well for that, but it can't last. We need to rest. And we'll need light to look for tracks."
Is Catina persuaded?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Catina finally nods and wipes a tear. "If they took my girls, I'm going to--"
"I know," Jodi says and she rests an arm on Catina's shoulder. Her hands felt numb from the cold, and her feet in her shoes were getting numb too. They had to get out of the snow soon, or they'd have to add exposure to their lists of concerns. Catina rests one of her own hands on Jodi's and nods, blinking rapidly. "Let's go... I'm okay."
Jodi nods. "You'll stay on the ATV and get them looking your direction. I'll be coming in on the horse from the side," Jodi said. "From that creek bed or ditch, I'll have line-of-sight to the roof and the window and the doorway."
"You're only going to get once chance at that," Catina says. "I'll be in the open on an ATV."
"I know," Jodi frowns. "This could go haywire. I won't lie to you."
"I'm ready to do it for my girls," Catina says.
Jodi nods. "Lets do it then."
----
Jodi waits for the ATV to approach up the driveway before moving into position. She hopes the sound offers enough of a distraction. She blinks through the snow and presses the inside of an arm against an ear. Cold. They had to get indoors and soon. She peers through the scope. Does she see anyone on the roof?
Can she get into position to shoot without being seen (+1 darkness, +1 distance, +2 distraction from Catina, -2 observer on watch)
(Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
... and she can get into better position for a bonus to the shot.
Jodi moves up the creek bed and goes prone, bracing the rifle against rock and studies the roof as the cold from the snow seeps through her pants. She sees a man on watch, but he swings his rifle and looks at the driveway just as she hoped.
"They're back... but I only see one rider," the man calls down to somewhere below, his voice carrying in the cold dark.
Does he recognize it's not his own man?(-1 darkness, -1 movement, -1 snow and wind, +1 scope)
(Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
He stands up straighter to get a better look.
Jodi pulls the trigger.
Jodi takes the shot (-1 darkness, -1 snow, +2 brace, +1 good position, +2 distraction from Catina, -1 head shot)
Hit?
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
The shot echoes against the sound of the ATV as the man falls limply against the sandbags. Jodi instantly swings her scope to peer around the house.
Does anyone else become visible inside?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
Is it a militia?
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Yes, but he's surprised and Jodi gets a chance to hit him.
Can she see him through a window?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
In a dining room window, a man leaps up from behind a small cook stove and a half eaten MRE. Jodi sees the motion. He has a shirt on, half unbuttoned. In his haste, he knocks over a bottle of Coors and reaches for his rifle. Jodi squeezes off several shots
She shoots six shots.
Hit? (-1 darkness, -1 snow, +2 brace, +1 surprise, +1 scope)
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Lower arm.
(8 = 5[d20]+3) Minor Injury: Largely superficial; painful and distracting, but not life threatening.
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Neck.
(5 = 2[d20]+3) Negligible: Nick/Scratch/Bruise.
Lower arm.
(22 = 19[d20]+3) Killed.
Six shots slam through the window in a spray of glass and death and her third bullet takes him down.
Was it a head shot?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
There's a misting of red from his head. He flies backward, crashes through a back window onto a balcony.
Does anyone else make an appearance?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 6[d10]) No, but...
Combatively / Fresh
Jodi peers through the scope but doesn't see anyone else outside the house or in the house. A drape gusts in the window she blew out.
She swings her scope and watches Catina, who turns off the ATV and hops off of it. Catina hobbles up to the house, putting her back against a wall. She looks in Jodi's direction and waves her forward. Jodi nods and advances cautiously on the house, sticking with the minimal cover.
Does she make it to Catina without issue?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
Jodi's back hits the wall as she stacks up next to Catina.
"You okay?" Catina asks, she holds her rifle held in a ready position but she winces from pain with every step. She looks to her left at the door a few feet a way.
"I took down two."
"I heard. How many are left?"
"I can't say for sure," Jodi shifts her rifle. "Six men from before. I killed two just now. The walkers got the two that chased us. The fight up the road earlier messed up another one with his arm and leg. I don't think he made it."
"One left probably then," Catina says.
Jodi nods.
The garage is off to their right, its front double doors still locked.
Do they hear anything from in the garage?
(Likely | 3[d10]) No
Do they see any light from in the garage?
(50/50 | 7[d10]) Yes
The garage door is an old-style double-door, manual affair and is chained shut. Jodi catches a glimmer of light from a crack in the double-door. She moves stealthily to the door and tries to see what's inside.
Does she see another militia?
(Somewhat Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Does he notice her by the door?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Does he have a rifle on him?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Is he the driver that had several minor wounds?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
The double-door is made out of heavy wood. Jodi tries to move quietly. But once she's close, shots ring out snapping through the wood around her.
Does Jodi get a glimpse inside before he shoots at her?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Jodi gets a glimpse inside. She sees some women and older teenage girls tied up and gagged.
Is the garage connected to the house?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
Sounds like there's an interior door from the kitchen that leads to the garage, but there's also a door that leads from the outside to the kitchen as well.
Are any of the captives Jen or Lisa?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and... +Event: Persecute / Exterior factors
So they had found the girls. They had tied them up and hung them from their wrists stretched above their heads, ropes or cables disappearing up to the ceiling. Their feet were also tied, and duct tape covered their mouths.
Jodi gets a brief glimpse at all this before the man notice Jodi and shoots.
Does Jodi see the man inside, before he shoots her?
(Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
She reflexively tries to dodges out of the way.
Is she successful in getting out of the line of fire? (+1 from above, +1 the door blocks where she is exactly)
(Likely | 3[d10]) No
How many shots does he shoot? (1d3+1)
2 = 1[d3]+1
Two shots...
Is Jodi hit? (-1 door, -1 the man has wounds)
This was the driver of the ATV. I know he's not skilled in the pistol. How about rifle skillz?
Is he good?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and... +Event: Increase / Anger
The man is not trained and obviously unhinged (-1 to hit from anger)
Jodi hears a scream as the man shoots.
Hits?
(Very Unlikely | 7[d10]) Yes
(Very Unlikely | 3[d10]) No
One bullet catches her. But it's velocity going through the door is dampened. Where is she hit?
Hand.
(1 = 1[d20]) Negligible: Nick/Scratch/Bruise.
"Stay away! Stay away or I'll kill them you hear! I'll kill them all!"
Jodi feels the slap on her hand, she curses, and rolls back around the corner where Catina had hobbled up beside her. She fills Catina in.
"He has my girls! I have to--"
"He's unhinged and dangerous, he's going to kill them if we show our faces," Jodi says.
"So, we're just stay here in a stupid standoff?"
"No, we have to do something, but we're not a SWAT team. He has a rifle and almost got me," she holds up a bloody left hand where the bullet took off part of her flesh in a ragged red wound. It looked worse than it was.
"And there're other people in there?"
Jodi felt sicked and nods. "Several women. Most are young."
Catina's face went dark, and her line compressed into a thin line. "Did he do anything to them? Did he...?"
"I couldn't tell," Jodi says. "But I don't think so. They looked like they were just tied up. Tied up and scared."
Are there any windows to the garage?
(50/50 | 6[d10]) Yes, but...
They could see at one window on the side of the garage and there was probably another on the other side, but they were both boarded up.
"What do we do?"
There wasn't any police. No special team of supermen with body armor and tactical skills to take out this threat. They were just two women, two moms, thrown together, trying to survive this horror.
Jodi shakes her head. There was no good answer. "I don't know. If we try to rescue them, he'll shoot them and go down shooting. If we walk away, your daughters might live, if you can call a life locked up with a sicko like that living."
Catina pounds her good leg with a fist then relaxes her hand, "Maybe we can talk to him?" Catina says.
Jodi frowns at the hope on her friend's face. "You don't negotiate with terrorists. You terminate them," Jodi says.
"You do if it's the only way to save your daughters," Catina says.
Jodi shakes her head but then stares at the door leading into the garage. "He won't let them go just because you say pretty-please with sugar on top. But, talking might buy us some time for one of us to get in through the garage's inside door that attached there to the kitchen," Jodi points. "These doors lock from the kitchen side. It's probably not locked on his side. But it may be barricaded."
"We need more info," Catina says.
"You talk to him then," Jodi shrugs. "Keep him busy, I'll try to get in another way, somehow. If we're lucky, maybe we can pull this off."
"If we're not?"
Jodi just shakes her head. "What do you want to do?"
Catina frowns but finally nods. "We have to try."
Did any of zeds up in the hills hear the sound of the shooting and come to investigate?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 4[d10]) No
Jodi returns a terse nod and starts to move toward the kitchen, her rifle held ready. Catina on the other hand, approaches the garage.
"Don't shoot! I just want to talk," Catina says. She moves behind a rain barrel and studies the door through her scope. "We don't mean you any harm. Please, I just want my girls."
The pain in her voice wrenches at Jodi's heart.
Is he willing to talk? (I'll say unlikely since he's scared, the sole survivor, and isn't about to give it all up without a fight.)
(Unlikely | 8[d10]) Yes
... interesting ...
"You don't mean harm?" he barks a harsh laugh. "'That's a load of crap! You've killed everyone. I got nothin' left!"
"Nothing? Your life?"
He barks a sour life. "Suppose I do. But for how much longer?"
"That's up to you," Catina says. "You can walk away from this, from my daughters, from the others you have captive. You can walk away without a scratch."
"Without a scratch," he grunts, "You can't promise me that, not unless God told you, and he ain't much in charge nowadays is he?"
Catina doesn't say anything, just waits.
"You still there?" his voice is nervous and scared.
"Yes," Catina answers. Through her scope, Catina fancies she can see a form move in front of the light coming from the door way, but she can't be sure.
"You wanna talk, then talk. But I ain't leavin' here!"
"You can't stay," Catina says, putting a matter-of-fact shrug into her voice and hedges her bets with a little make believe. "There are ten more of us. We're just advance scouts. We needed a place to hole up. If the others in our group find out you've been kidnapping women and girls..." she lets that hang in the air. Inside, she wants to pump the man full of lead for what he may have done to his girls. But with effort, she moderates her tone. "But listen. You walk away now, no hard feelings. We'll let you leave with a back pack full of whatever food and gear you have in there. Just open the door and come out with your hands raised."
Does he believe her?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
And he's coming up with a plan of his own. Hmmm I wonder what it is.
Intensely / Lacking
Heh. Sounds like he doesn't have much of one.
"Fine," he calls out with a grumble. "I'll do it."
Through her scope, Catina sees the double doors jerk heavily and then open slightly more, perhaps three more inches before the motion is arrested by the chains. "I'm putting my gun out now," he says.
She squints through the scope and sees him make a sudden shift in motion and the barrel of his gun shifts over to her direction.
--- before and meanwhile ---
Jodi mentally crosses her fingers as she approaches the back kitchen door, the closest that would lead to the garage.
Is it unlocked?
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Rather than make noise trying to break it down, she decides to quietly and quickly move to the front of the house and go in through the front door there, or even through the bay window she shot out if the door is locked.
In a heavy run from her armor and vest, she jogs around to the front of the house and tries the front door.
Is it unlocked?
(Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
Is it trapped or something?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
And she triggered it. Does she notice the trap in time to avoid issue? (-1 darkness, -1 hurrying)
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Is it a trap intended to capture?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
Definitely not capture. Probably to kill of maim then. Ouch... poor Jodi.
Let's find out what kind of trap this is. Using MAG. One is a bomb symbol with a timer. I'll go with that. Sounds like they rigged a grenade... or some other IED.
Jodi's hand jiggles the handle and too late she feels the slight tugging of the wire against her pant leg as she steps into a trip wire. Suddenly an explosion blossoms in front of her.
Her foot pulled lose a line that yanked out a pin in a grenade jammed into the door jam.
Is the trap perhaps poorly placed so that there's less damage?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
With the Yes and, I'll say that the damage is considerably less. Something around the damage of a pistol (regular 1d20, no mods).
How many pieces of shrapnel fly into her (1d4)
1 = 1[d4]
Only one. I'll roll random hit location.
Neck.
Oooo. Okay this could still be very bad. Neck isn't protected by her vest. Hope I roll low.
(15 = 15[d20]) Moderate Injury: Hampers action significantly; will require first aid/medical attention.
A fiery shove like the hammer of a god sends Jodi flying off the porch. She lands hard on back. Flaming debris falls and hisses in the snow around her, and she feels wetness in her neck, and her nose is bleeding, her ears ringing.
Does she keep consciousness?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
No and she's bleeding out. Not at a prodigious rate, but still enough to be life threatening if not helped in the next few minutes.
Her eyes flutter and close as blackness takes her.
--- Back to Catina ---
When does the explosion happen? Soon after or close to when the man starts pointing the barrel at her?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
I'm going to rule that Catina gets to shoot first since she was watching the door closely through her scope and would have seen the barrel point in her direction.
Catina sees the barrel swing toward her. She swears and squeezes off several shots at the crack in the door. She knows her daughters could be anywhere in there, but from Jodi's description, it sounded like maybe they weren't right by the door.
Catina shoots ten rounds (half of them will take affect before the man can return fire).
(-4 shooting through the crack, +2 scope, +1 skilled)
After the first three the man can pull back behind cover...
Hits?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
(Somewhat Unlikely | 3[d10]) No +Event: Haggle / Investment
(Somewhat Unlikely | 6[d10]) No, but...
The first shot drives into the man.
Upper arm Shoulder.
I'll say it hits his off arm.
(15 = 12[d20]+3) Moderate Injury: Hampers action significantly; will require first aid/medical attention.
The third shot has some affect. Does it hit the lock and shatter it?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes +Event: Oppress / Home
That first shot hit the man in the shoulder. Does he pull back behind cover?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
The lock snaps, and Catina fires seven more shots through the door shooting in the direction she saw him move. She hopes to pin him down as she shoots through the sturdy door, the bullets chipping through the wooden door.
Is he pinned?
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
The chain, burdened by a shattered lock, rattles free from the handles, and the double doors begin to drift open of their own accord, even as Catina shoots her shots.
Does the man stay in the garage using hostages?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes +Event: Kill / Benefits
He dives behind one of the tied up women, and one of Catina's shots thumps wetly into a woman's chest, instantly killing her.
Was it one of her girls?
(50/50 | 10[d10]) Yes, and... +Event: Release / Bureaucracy
The doors drift open further. Catina continues to shoot after the man that she can barely make out. She can see reflected in a gas lantern some bales of hay in a garage that is partially converted into makeshift living quarters. Women lie tied up lying on the floor, they're squirming shapes of fear. Two others dangle from a line affixed to the ceiling.
Through the scope, she makes out the truth. There, swinging from ropes that are tied around their wrists are her two daughters. And one of her daughters, now hangs limply, slowly spinning, her head bowed, the hair obscuring the face. But Catina recognizes the clothing, the jeans, the shoes, the purple knit hat. She watches in horror as growing red expands from her daughter's chest, soaking into a white winter coat.
Which daughter is it? Jen?
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
It's her eldest, Lisa.
Near Lisa, who spins slowly from the force of the shot, is Jen, silently weeping.
Catina screams at the loss and injustice, just as a ragged explosion of debris and fire erupts behind her, around the front of the house. The blast causes her to duck instinctively behind the barrel.
The man kneels behind Jen, using her as a human shield, and shoots at Catina.
Does he have a scope?
(Somewhat Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
(-2 wounds, -1 unskilled, +2 scope, -2 cover)
He shoots 1d10 shots at Catina and the barrel she's behind.
7 = 7[d10]
Hits?
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
(Very Unlikely | 3[d10]) No
(Very Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
(Very Unlikely | 5[d10]) No, but...
(Very Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
Bullets snap and hiss around Catina.
"You gonna kill me now? I don't think so. The other woman with you is dead ain't she? She found that little present I left by the door. It's only you and me now. You and me, and I have all the cover I need. You don't dare keep shooting!"
The man is gleeful, exultant. He continues to speak. "What? No clever words of response? You ain't got 'em, because I have all the power, don't I? And you know it. Just run away now! Run away and never come back! Or stay and die. It's all the same to me!"
Catina feels sick. Sicker than she had ever felt in her life. This man uses his daughters as human shields. He didn't care about them. He didn't care about human life. This man was going to kill her and anyone who got in his way. He would use up the lives of these women and then find more prey for his perversions. There was nothing she could do. She had to do something. She had just shot her Lisa! Her heart felt like it folded in upon itself like a sun collapsing into a black hole. She yearned to run to her girls to hold them, to see if Lisa were still alive. To comfort Jen. To give them hope. To give her hope.
This world--she ground her teeth--this world was a world where might makes right. There is no law, aside from the one you carry in a fast moving fist or a faster moving bullet. This man. He is no longer human! He is as much as monster as those who tear flesh of your bones. He is a demon in the form of a man. But he, like the walkers, is a pestilence. A plague.
She knows he has to be stopped, even if it means the life of her daughter. Because if Catina fails to kill him, her daughter is as good as dead anyway. Better to kill her daughter mercifully now than to have her live her remaining days in captivity to this depraved madman.
With determination, Catina leans around the side of the barrel, sights in on the man. Her hand feels the trigger. Suddenly, Jen raises her legs up and kicks the man in his face, sending her swinging away from him. The man swears, wiping blood from his face. He raises the barrel at the girl, and Catina pulls the trigger.
(+1 crouch, +2 scope, +1 skill, -0 cover since Jen as rolled away, -1 motion from the man, -2 headshot)
(Somewhat Likely | 6[d10]) Yes
The man's head snaps backwards from the hit, and he falls back against a bale of hay. Catina moves in on the man, hobbling and wincing in pain and screaming and firing round after round at his still form.
When she enters the garage, multiple gunshot wounds form red splotches all over his arms and legs, his torso and body armor had also absorbed some shots. His mutilated head and bloody corpse mixed with tufts of hay looks like a parody of a Halloween scarecrow.
Catina stands there, as smoke drifts up from the barrel. She looks down at the man, and what's left of her heart goes dark and hard. Irrationally, she wishes he had another head just so she could drive another bullet into it. Slowly, mechanically, she sets down her rifle and cuts Jen's bonds, tearing the duct tape off the young tear-streaked face.
"Mommy," Jen says. Catina feels her daughter's smallish form hugging her. Catina stands stiffly at first, feeling the weariness of the sad world seep into her. But that single word and her daughter's need drive something back into her heart. "My Jen," she finally utters a deep moan of wrenching sorrow and embraces her living daughter.
---
Around the side of the house, the cosmic artist's limited pallet of despair and death paints in broad strokes of reds, blacks, and pale white. Jodi's form oozes precious blood in the white unforgiving snow, the black night with its cold stars look down on her fallen form. Debris in a rough circular pattern halos her form in ash and burning wood.
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