A Note from Terrence "Teviko604":
It's no secret that I'm no speed demon when it comes to posting these episodes of Eastern Wastes. I only have limited gaming time and each chapter typically takes several hours to play through. Then there's the time it takes to write the narrative, proofread and edit, possibly manipulate a few images, and finally post (which has its own additional formatting that needs to be done.) Needless to say, one chapter often represents several weeks of playing and preparation. But it's something I enjoy doing.
Which brings me to the point of this note. Now that I've pretty much wrapped up the warehouse portion of the story I will be putting this campaign on hold, probably for a couple of months. It's not because I'm tired of this story. I am having fun with it. Also, I still have several things I need to resolve (such as the Alex mystery) before I end this campaign. No, the reason I will be stepping away for a bit is to pursue some other interests I have, specifically a couple of video productions I want to put together.
The first has nothing to do with solo roleplaying. It is a song-parody project my wife originally did for her job that we want to revise to be more interesting and accessible to the general public. While it has nothing to do with our genre, I might post a link here when it's done for anyone who is interested. The other project is completely solo roleplay-related. It is a playthrough of a solo map-making game and I will certainly be posting those on SoloRPG as each episode is completed.
I expect each of these to be rather time-intensive in and of themselves, and then I always have other hobbies and interests that I enjoy spending time doing. Oh yeah . . . there's also serious responsibilities that take up most of my day. So yeah, I just wanted to let you know in advance so you're not waiting and waiting for Chapter 11, wondering if it will ever come.
You're a very creative person. I'm looking forward to the video :-)
CHAPTER 12: COCKROACH
System: OmegaLite20
Tools: Gamemaster’s Apprentice Deck; Nine Steps and a Bloody Heart
[Scene 1, Tension Lvl:3]
<For the drive back to the Thompson’s hotel I rolled two encounter checks. One resulted in an encounter. GMA description: Actively Disruptive. Well, I can think of one event that can actively disrupt the current investigation . . .>
As we drove up to the hotel, we saw a large, blue pickup truck parked just inside the parking lot. Several hoops either stood next to it or were up in its bed. We turned off Old Valley School Road and the hoops stepped away from the truck and spread out across the pavement, blocking our way. Dale stopped about twenty feet in front of them and now we could see who they were: Kelli, Ernie, and the other two members of the MSF that Nate and I met when we first arrived in Mausdale.
<Randomly determined the number of hoops with Kelli. Also, I used the GMA difficulty generator to determine how aggressive the group is right out of the block, ranging from 1 for curious, 5 for threatening, and 10 for physically hostile. Draw: 5
As the conversation continues, I will make opposing MND Communication skill checks to see if the conversation calms or elevates.
Finally, I will draw another investigation card to be revealed during this exchange.>
“What’s this all about?” Dale asked, more to himself than us.
“If I had to guess, I would say they found out Nate and I were in town.” Dale glanced over at me with a questioning look. “We ran into Kelli and her goons on the way into town. Let’s just say they weren’t very inviting.”
“Maybe they just want to talk,” Nate suggested.
I scanned the group. Three of the four held weapons; Kelli a police baton, Ken’s brother a knife, and the other white male a length of pipe. The only one that wasn’t armed was the black-furred female. Thankfully, I didn’t see any firearms or crossbows.
“Yeah, it doesn’t look like they just want to talk,” I said. “I would suggest keeping our weapons within reach.” Turning to Nate in the back seat, I clarified, “Hand weapons. Firing upon the townsfolk with your sonic rifle might be heavily frowned upon, regardless of who started things.”
Dale, Nate, and I stepped out of the car.
“You’re blocking our way, Kelli,” Dale said.
“That’s kind of the point,” the white-furred leader replied. “We want to have a talk with your friends.”
“They’re guests of our hotel. Treat them with respect.”
Dismissing Dale, Kelli addressed Nate and me. “I thought we told you not to come back until we had a contract with that farmer. You got that deal?”
“Yeah,” Nate called back. “Right next to the paper declaring you town mayor.”
Unfazed, Kelli continued. “We hear you’ve been asking a lot of questions. What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up?”
“First of all,” I responded, “Clint, your boss, knows we’re in town and doesn’t have a problem with us being here. Second, we’re just curious about what happened to one of your residents. I would think that would be a concern of yours, as well. Being security and all.”
“You outsiders don’t need to concern yourself with Mausdale’s affairs. It was just a stupid accident. Ken and Alex should have known better than to go off into the woods with all these new mutant creatures around.”
“Intentionally leaving your girlfriend behind to fend for herself doesn’t sound like an accident to me.”
“Again, that’s none of your concern. We’ll determine what’s an accident and what isn’t.”
Ken’s brother Ernie broke in, “Let them think what they want. They have no proof that any of us is involved.” I think the comment was meant for Kelli, but he spoke loud enough for all of us to hear. Kelli jabbed the butt of her baton into his belly to shut him up.
“So you do know what happened,” Nate accused. “Did you want Alex dead?” He glared at Kelli as he said this.
Kelli tensed and gripped her weapon tighter. She nodded to the others and they all took a step closer.
<Alyssa lost the COM challenge against Kelli, 7 to 21, which means tensions rise. The investigation card was the 4 of Clubs, which eliminated the idea that Ken’s intention was only to scare Alex, not kill her. To that end, I used Ernie's comment to imply that Alex’s death was intentional.>
Before things went too far, I made one last effort to defuse the situation.
“Don’t be crazy, Kelli. We’ve done nothing but talk to people. Do you think Clint will stand for you attacking us for no reason?”
“You don’t know anything about Clint, but why don’t we just arrest you and find out what he thinks when we drag you into headquarters.”
<Alyssa fails the second COM challenge, 5 to 19. All negotiation is off.>
The hoops continued to approach and I retrieved my crowbar from where I laid it on the passenger seat. Dale grabbed a wooden baseball bat he kept tucked under the driver seat, Nate drew out his knife, and all three of us moved forward to engage the advancing hoops.
Dale grabbed a wooden baseball bat
<When the PCs pulled out their weapons, I made a roll on my reaction table to see how the MSF respond. In other words, what is the modifier to their morale roll? Apparently, the hoops are motivated by the thought of a fight because they get a +1 modifier to their MR value. Their base MR is 8 (based on similar MicroLite20 were-creatures). The +1 makes it 9. At appropriate times, each hoop will roll 2d6. If the number is equal to or less than their MR they stay and fight. If it is over, they flee or back-off.
All four make their first Morale rolls and continue to battle. >
We didn’t wait for them to attack but struck first. Dale hit the male hoop squarely in the side <6hp damage> Despite having no weapons, the female hoop reached for me first. I was more focused on Kelli, who was coming up behind her with her baton. This gave the black hoop an opportunity to throw a punch <Hit Alyssa for 2hp>. I responded by raking the spikes of my crowbar across her midsection <doing 10 hp of damage>.
The battle that was potentially the most deadly was Nate and Ernie. They each had blades and could easily slice or stab some vital vein or organ. The two squared off and cautiously swiped at each other, each getting nicked here and there. <Over the first two rounds Ernie takes 3 damage, Nate 6>
No longer obstructed by the other female, Kelli charged at me swinging. I ducked under her baton and hit her hard in the back as she passed. <11 h.p. damage>. She cursed, calling me a name that is more appropriate for an Ark. I moved to hit her again, but she surprised me with a quick flick to my shin. <hit A for 6 damage> Now it was my turn to call her some names.
Meanwhile, Dale was easily handling the pipe-carrying hoop who could barely even attempt to fight back. <Dale wears him down to 1 h.p. in the first 3 rounds while the hoop only gets in one hit for 3 h.p.>
<Between rounds 2 and 3 I made another morale check and all the enemies were successful. I checked to see if anyone from the hotel responded to the ruckus. (even) No. During round 3, the female hoop critically failed her attack. I played it as she decided to stay out of the fight due to not having a weapon.>
Unfortunately, Nate and I weren’t fairing quite as well against our opponents. Kelli actually has some fighting skills, for every strike I made on Kelli she countered and hit back. <A hits for 3, K hits for 4> Nate was having an equally rough time, fumbling and dropping his knife as he pulled it away to avoid a swipe by Ernie. <Nate rolled a natural 1>
Dale put his opponent down with a blow to the head. (Later, Dale told me he was aiming for the shoulder, but the guy ducked, leaving his head right in the bat’s path.) Dale turned to help the now defenseless Nate while the female ran to the downed hoop’s side, calling out “Peter”. Appropriate name, I thought.
<I felt that our PCs would prefer not to kill their opponents, despite being attacked for practically no reason. To account for this, I devised a “pull-your-punch” system. If an opponent is dropped below 0 hp but the intent is not to kill, then the attacker must make a straight DEX roll against DC10. If they succeed, they are able to intentionally strike in a manner meant only to incapacitate their enemy. If they fail, then the downed enemy is treated normally. In this battle, that would mean having to roll on my “death table”. Dale’s DEX check was 6, a failure. Peter will need to roll on the death table until the combat is over and someone can administer some aid. He is currently at -4.
Surprisingly, all three of the remaining hoops pass a morale check at -1 due to a member of their group being down and things are “gettin’ real”. The female hoop rolled especially low (2), which could be interpreted to mean she is really motivated to fight. Let’s find out why.>
Kelli was distracted by all the attention surrounding Peter and I saw my chance. Using the rounded end of my crowbar, I shoved it hard into her midsection. She double over as her breath audibly left her lungs. As she was gasping, I kicked her legs out from under her (probably not necessary, but it felt good) and she fell on her side struggling to breathe. <Alyssa hit and did enough damage to drop Kelli to exactly 0 h.p.>
Nate eyed his knife lying on the ground at Ernie’s feet. Ernie’s whiskers perked as he gave Nate an evil smile and tightened his grip on his blade, preparing for the kill. It was at that point that Dale brought his bat down across Ernie’s back. The knife flew from his hands and he collapsed to the ground unconscious. <0 h.p>
“You bastard! You hurt my boyfriend!”
We all turned to see the female hoop, Peter’s girlfriend apparently, charging Dale wielding Peter’s discarded pipe. She must have picked it up and now was intent on revenge. <With an 18 roll against a DC10 Dex check, she was able to pick up the pipe and attack in the same round.> Dale, caught off guard, tried to raise his paws and ward off the blow, but still took a sharp blow to his forearm <5 hp damage>
“Whoa, whoa! Think about this for a minute!” This was Nate. He had recovered his knife and was holding up his arm, palm out, in a stop gesture. “You’re pissed. Clearly. But there’s one of you and three of us. And your boyfriend over there looks like he really needs some medical attention.”
<Opposing Comm+MND skill checks. Nate: 19+2COM=21 Female: 11+3COM=14 Nate is able to convince her to stop. Meanwhile, Peter loses another hp, but the battle is over.>
The bunny paused midswing to listen to Nate. At the mention of Peter, she took a quick glance back at the unmoving hoop. She started to go to him, but then stopped and turned back to us, raising the pipe again.
“Yeah, that’s right!” I said, raising my weapon to counter her threat. “Keep coming! I’m ready!”
Nate grabbed the shoulder of my weapon arm and pressed down. To the bunny he said, “Go. Help Kelli with the other two and leave. You,” he said to me. “Get back in the car.”
By now, Kelli had gotten back on her feet, but her eyes were watery and she was still having trouble breathing. The female went to check on Peter as Ernie began to stir. Nate, followed after me to the car, but Dale was walking over to where Peter was laying on the ground.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Wendy’s going to need help getting Peter in the vehicle,” he said.
“No! They tried to kill us. Don’t you give them any help.”
“Get in the car,” Nate hissed, pushing me toward the back seat of the car.
Dale had bent down and was trying to rouse Peter.
“Traitor!” I yelled as Nate slammed the door shut.
[Scene 2: Tension Lvl: 4]
After a few minutes, Dale’s father Ross, and their guest Tyler ran up. They must’ve seen the commotion from the hotel and come over to investigate. They spoke with Dale, Nate, and the other hoops . . . I couldn’t hear a thing with the windows up . . . and then the men helped Kelli and her gang into their truck and made sure they drove off.
Dale never looked at me after he and Nate got back in the car. Instead, kept his head down except to watch the road as we drive the couple of hundred feet to the hotel’s front door. We all rode in silence.
“Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes,” Shannon, Tyler’s wife, announced as we entered the lobby.
“I’m not eating,” I stated, walking past her, heading for the stairwell.
Ten minutes later, I was up in my bed, covers pulled up to my neck. I’d had it with Mausdale and its hoops. I’d had it with lending a hand and trying to help. What was it all for? I was being threatened by a militant female hoop with delusions of self-importance. I was nearly killed by dog-men because another hormonally active hoop was more sentimental over a dead woman and her maybe baby than she was concerned about our safety. And so what if I find out why Alex, a woman I’ve never met before, was killed? Do I get any reward? Doubtful. Will anyone be punished for it? Who knows? Will her mother be comforted by that knowledge? She thinks so but I wouldn’t count on it.
Everything boiled down to this simple fact: All of this crap and hardship will lead to nothing but another day of simply surviving.
Well, screw ‘em! Mausdale can just take their problems and fuh . . .
Suddenly, something caught the corner of my eye and I looked up. On the ceiling, near one of the room’s corners, was what appeared to be a brown, oblong spot. However, in the orange light of dusk, this spot cast a small shadow. Looking closer, I realized it wasn’t a spot, but a cockroach. It clung there, watching me. I watched it back.
I watched it back
I’d heard it said, after all the wars and disasters, the only creatures that will survive are the cockroaches. Our world ended. Here is this cockroach. Somehow, that thought gave me comfort. There were no surprises with a roach. It wasn’t a rabbit-roach or a dog-roach. It couldn’t betray you or run you out of town. A roach asks nothing of the humans it lives with. Its only purpose is to crawl, eat trash, and be disgusting. In the end, one knew what to expect from a roach.
Our world ended. This roach is still here.
And so am I.
There was a gentle knock on my door. When I didn’t answer, whoever it was just came in.
“I brought you some dinner.” It was Nate. “How you doing?”
“I think I’m a bug.”
“Yeah, that meeting with Kelli and her gang really bugged me, too.”
I didn’t correct him. “What are we doing here?”
“In Mausdale? We’re getting tractor parts for Sean, helping Joann find out what happened to Alex.”
“But why?”
“Because . . . it’s the right thing to do?”
“So what?” I sat up so I could look Nate in the eye. “Joann and Sean will probably still be alone after this. Mausdale will still be dealing with the fallout of the attack. And all we have to show for it is a delay of several days.”
Nate put the plate of food down on the nightstand and sat at the foot of the bed. “Listen. Doing the right thing is part of your nature. I know, because it’s had an effect on me. Do you remember when we first met? How I wanted nothing to do with you?”
“Yeah. You shot a car.” I felt a grin cross my face at the memory.
“That was because I forgot how to trust. I told you that I parted ways with the group from the airport. What I didn’t tell you was that a couple of them raided my supplies and left in the night. After that, whenever I did try to meet up with survivors along the way I was met with a lot of resistance. They either shooed me off or were more interested in what I had for them instead of how we could work together. In the end, I said Screw ‘Em. I was doing this on my own.
“Then I ran into you and you were determined to follow me. You saved me from the land shark and didn’t ask for anything in return. You were interested in me and not what I had. After Sean told us his story, you genuinely wanted to help. After Alex was killed you could have walked away but you didn’t. Something didn’t seem right and you wanted to find out what. You made me believe that there are still good people in this world and we still need to be . . . be . . . human! Even if you’re a hoop.”
He added that last bit after seeing me struggle to hold back a chuckle.
“But what about your family?” I asked. “All my ‘compassion’ has really delayed you.”
“Let’s be honest, Alyssa. Does it really matter if I get there next week or next month? Either their town wasn’t attacked and they’re okay, it was and they have found a way to survive, or they're dead.”
“If they were attacked and are living like this . . . “ I waved my hand around to indicate the world outside our walls. “Then they will need you to gather food or protect them.”
“If they survived they’ve already found a way to eat and protect themselves. I’ll get there when I get there. But you’re right. That’s unlikely for an older couple. While I hold out hope, I believe I’ve made peace with the possibility that they are gone.”
I gave Nate a moment before continuing. “So why go home if you think there’s nothing there?”
“Are you familiar with Jeremiah? The prophet from the Bible? No? Well, he lived in Jerusalem and God told him to tell the people about impending doom. Because of their disobedience to God’s laws, God was going to allow Babylon to capture the city and take the Israelites captive. However, while Jerusalem was under siege, God instructed Jeremiah to buy a field, put the deed in clay jar, and bury it in a safe place. Admittedly, that seemed like a foolish thing to do, especially knowing that everything was about to be taken from them. But God assured Jeremiah that one day the Israelites would be freed and allowed to return. When that happened, Jeremiah or his descendants could recover the deed and reclaim what was legally theirs.
“I think I feel a little like that. My homeland has been attacked and practically destroyed. Now, I’m returning home to claim what is rightfully mine. Salvage whatever I can of my past.”
Nate finished and I let the silence hang a moment before leaning over and picking up the plate of food. It had a pile of dark shredded meat covered by a brownish sauce and a baked potato.
“I’m famished,” I admitted as I put a fork-full of meat in my mouth. The sauce was clearly a tangy bar-b-que, but the meat was unfamiliar. It had a definite poultry quality, but mixed with something else. “This is good. What is it?”
“You probably don’t want to know.”
My first thought was rat. When you think apocalypse and food shortage, you naturally think rat. Next was horse . . . or possibly dog. Whatever it was, it was food and it was good so I didn’t mind. “Tell me. What is it?”
Nate hesitated, then relented. “It’s choad.” I gave him a questioning look, so he tried to explain. “Part chicken. Part toad. Some kind of mutation from the fallout. Apparently, they’re all over the place in the woods.”
“Whatever,” I shrugged. “Food is food,” and I took another bite.
“Joann left a message for us with Ross while we were gone. She doesn’t believe Ken wanted Alex dead.”
“Why does she think that?”
“It all has to do with the fact that he left her in the cabin. Joann has heard that Ken is rather stubborn and set in his decision. So much so, that if it was his intention to kill Alex he would have done it and not changed his mind. She’s convinced something happened to him as well, or he took a walk and just got lost.”
“What do you think?”
“I think Joann wants to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps she liked the guy or thought he and his daughter were good together. Regardless of what she thinks, I’m thinking our best bet is to speak with some of Alex’s and Ken’s friends. If there were any problems or concerns, they are the ones that would most likely have heard about it. Dale has agreed to introduce us in the morning.
“Speaking of Dale, you were rather hard on him back there.”
“Of course I was. He was helping the people who were trying to hurt us, more likely, trying to kill us.”
“And they’re people he has grown up with and known for a long time, not to mention has to live with after we’re gone. He said that Peter and Billie-Jo, his girlfriend, aren’t really that bad. They tend to be followers and just do as their told. Get them away from Kellie and Ernie and they’re fun couple to hang out with. At least that’s his opinion.”
“Whatever.”
“You know he likes you.”
I gnaw a bit on a piece of potato skin before responding. “Yeah. I know.”
“He’s taking it pretty hard. He didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Perhaps.”
Nate waited for me to say more.
“You should talk to him. Let him know you’re not mad at him.”
“But I am!”
“No, you’re not. You’re just frustrated.”
I looked up at the ceiling. To Nate, it probably looked like I was deep in thought. What I was doing was checking on my roach. Still there. Predictable.
I wasn’t predictable
“I guess you’re right,” I sighed, picking up the last bits of choad with my fork. “Maybe I was a bit harsh. I’ll talk to him in the morning.”
“It’ll be better if you do it tonight. Don’t let him suffer overnight.”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll come down in a bit. Maybe we can even play some cards,” First, I wanted to squash that bug. “Slapjack, perhaps.”
=================================
Jer. 31:1-15
Imagesource1; Imagesource2; Imagesource3
CHAPTER 14: I Accuse
System: OmegaLite20
Tools: Gamemaster’s Apprentice Deck; Nine Steps and a Bloody Heart
[Scene 1, Tension Lvl:2]
We stood outside the old Pennsylvania Army National Guard Building which now acts as the Mausdale Security Force’s Headquarters: Nate, Dorothy, Steve, Ernie (bound with Christmas lights), and myself. Dale had gone into the building to speak with Clint Morrow, the head of the MSF. Since he insisted Nate and I leave town, we felt it was best if Dale go in alone.
The Old Pennsylvania Army National Guard Building
We drove to the MSF HQ immediately after leaving the cabin. The walk back to the car was uneventful. <To be fair, I failed to make any encounter checks.> The ride back was a bit cramped. Dale’s car was already full. Now adding another hoop meant Steve had to ride in the trunk with the top up.
We saw Dale exit the building first. He walked over to rejoin our group while behind him walked Clint and three additional members of the force: Kelli and two I hadn’t seen before: a hoop and a human female. The only weapon I saw was the large energy mace that Clint held with both his hands. but I wasn’t dismissing the possibility that the others had concealed weapons.
<For the sake of the remainder of the narrative I had to reveal the solution to the investigation. First, I made an assumption that the characters would follow. Next, I revealed any unknown cards. Finally, I used this information to direct the conversations, accusations, and any admissions or denials. For you the reader, however, I will hold the results until later.>
“I thought I told the two of you to leave town,” Clint said, addressing Nate and myself.
“You’re right,” I agreed. “And we were trying to do that. Steve and Dorothy here were showing us an abandoned cabin where we could spend a night or two. Yes, the same cabin where Ken Watkins took Alexandria Andrews.” I saw Clint’s face give a questioning look when I mentioned a cabin. “But while we were looking it over, someone started shooting at us. We discovered it was Ernie and were able to stop him. We’re here now to turn him in.”
“Now why would he be trying to shoot you?” Clint asked in a fashion reminiscent of every small-town sheriff trope.
“To protect his brother’s reputation,” I explained. “Ernie knew that someone convinced Ken to set up Alex’s death to look like an accident. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know who. But Ken is generally well-liked in Mausdale and Ernie didn’t want us tarnishing that reputation. He prefers the story remain as a romantic get-away gone bad.”
“Is this true, Ernie?”
<A MND Comm skill check between Ernie and Alyssa determines Ernie’s response. If he wins by 2, he denies. If they are tied or 1 point different, he says nothing. If Alyssa wins by 2, he admits his guilt. Roll: A=18 E=Nat 20>
“They’re lying, Clint,” Ernie protested. “I know nothing about my brother wanting to harm Alex. I didn’t shoot at them. They just jumped me. They’re just trying to get you to let them stay.”
“If you didn’t shoot us, then what caused these?” Nate asks our captive as he pulled his flex armor down to show Clint the rifle shot wounds.
“Alyssa’s right,” Dorothy added. “Ernie shot at all of us. He hit Dale as well.” She nodded at Dale for him to display his would as well.
As Dale did this, Steve continued. “And whether it’s true or not, that is the story Ernie told us about his brother.”
<Another MND Comm check between Alyssa and Clint to see if Clint believes the story. He only considers this because she is backed up by everyone else, plus A gets a +1 to her roll. A=22 C=6.>
“It appears their case against you is pretty strong,” Clint tells Ernie. “I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed. We’re supposed to be upholding the law. If you're telling the truth, that someone put your brother up to this, it would be in your best interest to tell us who that person is.”
“If I could, I would,” Ernie pleaded, accepting that continued denials were futile. “He didn’t tell me. You got to believe me. I asked, but Ken wouldn’t reveal the name of the person he was speaking with.”
“You sure you don’t know, Ernie,” I asked, tired of his ruse. “Back when you attacked us in the hotel parking lot you seemed pretty concerned that people might think it was you and your friends.”
“What are you getting at, Red?” Kelli asked, challenge in her voice.
Accepting the challenge, I said, “I think you know. You have been very vocal about us leaving things well alone. We know you hated Alex for stealing your boyfriend. We also know Ken was interested in someone, a hoop in fact, but didn’t have the guts to break it off with Alex. Was it you he was interested in? Would getting Alex out of the way make things easier?”
Everyone, including Clint Morrow, looked at Kelli waiting for her to respond.
“It’s no secret Alex and I wasn’t the best of friends. Yeah, that little witch swooped in with her charms and stole Charlie from me. And she didn’t stay with him that long before hooking up with Ken. She destroyed our relationship so she could have a month of fun before moving on. I don’t even know if she cared for Ken or was just using him to get in with his group of friends. After the bombs dropped and he changed, she didn’t seem as interested in him physically anymore, but didn’t want to break things off either. Ken came to me looking for a friend, someone who was going through the same things as he and could understand. He was cool and I did like hanging out with him. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say the thought of stealing Alex’s boyfriend from her felt satisfying. Karma, you know. But that’s all it was. A thought. I never planned to kill her or tell Ken to do it for me. In fact, if I thought there was something dangerous out there in the woods, why would I risk Ken’s life?”
<MND Comm challenge between Alyssa and Kelli to convince Clint who is telling the truth. Before the challenge, I rolled on my reaction table to see how he responds to Alyssa’s accusation and it came up with a -1 modifier to Alyssa’s roll. I will say this is because she is a stranger to Clint and he is more inclined to believe the people he knows. A: 2+1MND+2Comm-1=4 K: 9+3 Skill=12>
“Don’t worry, Kelli,” Clint assures her. “I’m not arresting you on wild speculations.”
Turning to me, he continued, “We will take Ernie off your hands and see to it that he is dealt with appropriately for attacking all of you, but I think we’ve had enough of all this silliness about murder and conspiracies. You’ve stirred up enough already, I think it’s time you and your friend pack it up and head out of town as you promised.”
“Silliness? Conspiracies?” I shot back. “Ernie as much as told us Alex’s death was intentional. You’re not a great keeper of the law if you just ignore that.” <Does she accuse Clint of being involved? (even) No.>
<Reaction table to see how Clint responds: 7=Uncertain or confused. Sounds like middle of the road.>
“You are about to push me to my limit, young lady. Again, the best thing you can do at this moment is go back to the Thompson’s hotel, pack your things, and leave Mausdale.”
And with that, Clint, directed his people to take Ernie into custody. Kelli gave me one last contemptuous look as she walked past.
“You might have everyone else fooled, but I’m not so blind,” I told her. “If you want to settle this, you know where to find me.”
“That’s enough, Alyssa,” Nate said, taking me by the shoulder and directing me to Dale’s car. “Let’s just go.”
Before climbing in the car, I gave one last glance back toward the HQ where Kelli stood watching, waiting for us to leave.
[Scene 2: Tension Lvl: 3]
<The set up for this scene involved several oracle questions and rolls. I will reveal the results at the appropriate times during the narrative.>
Would she? Wouldn’t she? That was the big question for the night, but I wasn’t taking any chances. While everyone else got ready for bed, I prepared my room for the night. I moved a chair next to the bed, facing it toward the door. My spiked crowbar lay on the mattress within easy reach. Instead of sleeping, I decided to get some reading in, specifically the supernatural romance I just picked up from the hotel’s lending library, Angel In The River. About the only thing I did as usual was to remove my jacket and clothes and put on a t-shirt and boxers. It might not offer as much protection should Kelli be stupid enough to attack me in the middle of the night, but it is a bit more comfortable. <Does Alyssa go to sleep? (even) No. Is she wearing her protective clothes? (bad) No. AC:11>
After about an hour, I heard a click from my from the door to my room, as though the lock disengaged. As I reached for my weapon the door slowly opened and I saw Kelli peeking in, a lockpick gun in her hand. Seeing me awake, she threw the door open and lunged at me with her knife. <Alyssas Survival vs. Kelli’s Subterfuge. Both equaled 21 so neither has any surprise or advantage>
Not having time to make a full swing, I thrust out and caught Kelli in the gut, doubling her over <11 damage>. In retaliation, she swung wildly out and sliced my arm. <3 damage> Neither of us spoke. We had no need for words. They’d all been spoken already. Now it was time to end this feud with only one of us standing.
In the tight confines between the wall and the bed, it was hard to dodge and maneuver. This made it easier for Kelli to slip her knife under my defenses. Luckily, she mostly landed knicks and cuts. <6 damage>. I couldn’t get a full swing in myself, however, and had to rely on pummeling her with the rounded end of the crowbar. <5 damage, successful morale roll so she doesn’t flee>
My break came when Kelli staggered back from a hit to the face. With a loud grunt, I swung and struck her hard on the shoulder. The white hoop crumpled to the floor and blood gushed out over the room's carpet. The Thompsons might not be renting this room out for a while. <Alyssa’s final hit was for 8 damage, dropping Kelli to -6. Alyssa does not attempt to pull her blow, which would only render her unconscious instead of wounding her with the added danger of bleeding out).>
At the same time, Dale ran through the door. “Are you okay?” He asked.
I showed him my wounds but assured him I was fine otherwise. Once he was certain I would be fine, he checked the body on the ground. “She’s still alive. Quick,” he said to Nate who just came through the door as well. “Go find my dad. He’ll show you where the medical kits are.”
Nate left as I fell back on the bed, exhausted.
<Per an oracle check Dale planned to stay up and keep watch while Alyssa slept. However, Kelli made a successful Subterfuge check to sneak past him undetected. Every two combat rounds I made a roll to determine if anyone heard the battle. Each character had a different DC check depending on where they were and what they were doing. For example, Dale was awake but possibly out of earshot, so he needed a DC14. Others who were asleep and not close to Alyssa's room needed a DC20. Dale heard the commotion after two rounds but needed (d4) 3 turns to reach the room, meaning he didn’t arrive till the fight was over. Finally, because of Dale’s arrival, I didn’t roll on the death table for bleeding out since he tended to Kelli immediately.>
[Scene 3: Tension Lvl: 4]
Despite my best attempts, Kelli survived the night. Harsh, I know, but I had no love for that woman . . . rabbit . . . whatever she is. Besides, she probably had Alex murdered and would have killed me, given the chance. She was bound and detained in another room. In the morning Ross went to alert Clint to the break-in and attack. Since there was no question that Kelli was the aggressor, the MSF Chief did not complain about the beating or defend her actions in any way. He just cuffed her and agreed that some form of justice would be forthcoming. He did, however, once again suggest that Nate and I leave town and not return.
Jesse agreed to drive us back to Sean Murphy’s farm when he went to fix the tractor. While we were waiting for him to swing by the hotel in his truck, Dale and Ross came over to say good-bye. Dale had a small bundle in his hands wrapped in used copier paper.
“I wanted to give you this,” he said, handing me the package.
The paper was taped together like a poor man’s birthday gift. Finding a seam I tore at the tape and pulled back a flap to reveal four paperback books. They were the four volumes of the Ernest Harding Aliens series that I saw on the book swap shelf, including the fourth volume, Aliens of the Stars, the one Dale said he was currently reading.
I gasped, knowing how rare it was to find a full physical set of any series.
“I can’t take these. They’re your set and . . . and you haven’t even finished Stars.”
“Yes, I did. Last night while I sat up keeping watch. Sorry about that, by the way. Kelli should never have gotten past me. But about the books, I know you really wanted to read the last two.”
“But this is the entire set.”
“If you have the last two, I thought there was no reason for you not to have the full set. Besides, I’m sure if you needed to trade them the full set will be much more valuable than just one or two random books.”
“You bet they will be!”
In a spontaneous show of gratitude, I threw my arms around Dale and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. Once I let go he sheepishly looked away. In fact, if it weren’t for all the grey fur I may have been able to see him blush.
Jesse pulled up about that time. Nate and I said our goodbyes and climbed into the bed of the truck. Once we were on the road, Nate pulled out a small package of his own. Instead of fancy copier paper wrapping, his was just a plastic bag holding a box.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Something I found at the WAmazon Marketplace down the road. I had Ross drop me off there this morning before he went to the MSF.”
I opened the blue plastic bag. Inside was an unopened Newton’s Cradle.
“Oh my! I can’t believe you found one.”
“Neither can I. It was way back on a shelf in the store’s toy section. Probably has been there forgotten for months. I know it’s not as fancy as the one in the warehouse, but still, it’s a Newton’s Cradle. I guess they’re not that hot a commodity in the Apocalypse.”
“Eternity Restored!” I said, and flashed Nate a wide smile.
He put his arm around me and we settled back against the truck’s cab. I expected we’d be back on the road in a few days. But for now, it was nice to just relax and enjoy the ride with my new best friend.
EPILOGUE:
Eric Noel sat on a bar stool in the Suds & Such, his paw wrapped around a glass of the latest batch of the local moonshine. The Flat-Visions mounted on the walls were dark and silent, local broadcasting having ceased with the attack. However, a PEECE sat on a shelf behind the bar playing old country tunes that had been loaded onto it. There were a handful of other patrons, including a couple of hoops at a table and one at the bar. Eric overheard snippets of conversation here and there and was comforted by what he heard.
News about the two strangers and their investigation had quickly spread throughout Mausdale, specifically their suspicions surrounding Kelli. Opinions were varied, but anyone who knew the accused admitted that they wouldn’t have been surprised if the accusations turned out to be true.
Let them believe that, Eric thought. It was better for him since he was the only person in town who actually knew the truth.
Eric had grown up with Zach and Joann Andrews, Alex’s parents. They had been friends since grade school. He was one of Zach’s groomsmen and for years the three still enjoyed a close friendship.
Once Alexandria was born, however, Zach began to change. He did not adjust well to the role of parent. Alex’s father hated that Joann and he no longer had the freedom to do as they pleased without having to also consider their daughter’s welfare. Finances grew tighter year after year and Zach began sending more time at the bar instead of at home. He would get drunk, go home, and take out his frustrations out on his wife. Joann turned to Eric for comfort and the relationship soon grew into a full-fledged affair. Still, Joann refused to leave on Alex’s account, believing an intact family was better for the young girl.
Throughout most of her childhood and early teens, Alex was only a spectator in her parent’s fights, not a participant. However, As she grew older and started confronting her dad, his rage would often turn on her. Like her mom, Alex also found a sounding board in Eric. She would freely tell him how she hated the way her dad treated her mom and how it would just be better if he disappeared. Eric agreed, not only because it would stop the abuse, but it would also clear the way for him and Joann to explore their own relationship more openly.
That was when he decided to take of things himself. After a long night of drinking, Eric led Zach out to the woods, shot him, and buried the body in a place where he was sure no one would find it. After Zach had been missing for a few days, Eric “recalled” that Zach had made mention over the past several weeks about wanting to leave Mausdale. When Alex’s father didn’t return, both she and her mother assumed that he went through with that plan. They weren’t upset that he was gone so they never looked into it too closely.
With Zach out of the way, Eric moved to take his place in their lives. Unfortunately, Alex wasn’t as eager to have a man in the house. She saw her father’s absence as an opportunity for her and her mother to spend time together and bond. Additionally, she didn’t think it was healthy for her mother to get involved in another relationship right away. She discouraged her from spending time with Eric and would insert herself as much as possible in anything they did.
Eventually, Joann caved to the pressure and broke it off with Eric. You’d think the brat would have been a bit more grateful, as he had been a friend for years and stood by them all this time, even taking the role of father figure for Alex when Zach fell short. Hell, he did her a favor, getting rid of her father, even though she didn’t know it. Well, he knew how to take care of the troublesome teen, and with Alex out of the way, he would be the one to comfort and care for Joann in her time of grief.
He had to be careful, though. It was no secret about Alex’s dislike of his and her mother’s relationship. If she went missing, people might start suspecting him. No, Eric had to distance himself from the deed. That was when he became drinking buddies with Ken Watkins, Alex’s boyfriend.
Ken was very susceptible to his suggestions that Alex may not be the sweet girl Ken thought she was. Eric started by questioning her loyalty, mentioning that he had seen her hanging out with other boys. Next, he shared rumors and stories he heard about her sleeping around. Then, when he had Ken convinced Alex couldn’t be trusted, Eric began to speculate that she may even have been involved in some minor burglaries that had occurred around town, his proof being items he noticed around the Andrews’ home that looked like the items that were reported stolen. Of course, most of what Eric told Ken was nothing but a bunch of hooey, but Ken believed it nonetheless.
Once the young man was sufficiently worked up, Eric convinced him that something had to be done to stop her. However, being a tramp wasn’t against the law and, since the bombing, there really wasn’t a legal system to hold her accountable for any crimes she may have committed. If she was to be stopped, or at least held accountable, they would have to do it themselves. And by them, Eric meant Ken.
He knew outright murder would be a hard sell. Too many consequences for Ken if he was caught. Understandable, that’s exactly why Eric was inciting Ken, to protect himself. But, if Ken could stage an accident? That might be an option. Eric knew the woods weren’t safe for someone alone who had little or no wilderness experience. What if Ken were to take Alex out to the wood and “happen” to get separated from her? If she ran into a wild animal or something else, that would be a tragedy but hardly something that Ken had any control over. Who would know anything different without any witnesses?
Surprisingly, it took very little to convince Ken to carry out the plan. He was already angry at her because of Eric’s stories. Pair that with the fact that he wanted to get more serious with Kelli but couldn’t because Alex kept hanging around, and he was itching to get it over with. Everything would be better once Alex was gone.
About a week later, Eric began hearing the buzz around town that Alex had gone missing. In fact, the news was better than expected in that Ken never returned as well, presumed attacked by some wild animal. Now Eric didn’t need to be concerned that Ken might start blabbing and point fingers at him. The only wrench in the seemingly perfect plan was the guy and gal who came to town and started asking questions. However, since they directed suspicion toward Kelli and have since left Mausdale, it was looking more and more like he was in the clear. Give it a couple of weeks and perhaps he might try rekindling the relationship with Joann.
“Sam!” Eric called out to the bartender. “Gimme another. I feel like celebrating!”
“Hmph, what’s there to celebrate?”
“Life, Sam. Life.”
“Have you looked around lately?” Sam asked, filling Eric’s glass from a mason jar full of clear moonshine.
“Yeah, I have. Think about it. No government watching over us. Tech-West couldn’t care less about some backwoods town. We have a security chief with a bunch of wannabe deputies and no authority backing him up to enforce any laws. For the first time, we are truly free. Opportunities are endless and our future is bright.”
Sam didn’t respond. Instead, he wiped up a few drops from the bar and gave Eric an if that’s what makes you happy nod.
“You’ll see, Sam.” Eric took a long drink from his glass. “You’ll see.”
THE END
<The only fact about the investigation that I wasn’t able to fully determine was who was ultimately responsible for Alex’s death. The last two possibilities were “A Town Leader” or “Alex’s Boss/Guardian”. When I created the original suspect list I didn’t know exactly who the characters would be so I used generic descriptions except for Ken. As the game progressed, I decided that “Town Leader” would be representative of Kelli. While not an official leader, she was on the security force and had some authority around town to uphold the laws and standards. For boss/guardian I leaned into the “guardian” aspect. While not legally married to Alex’s mother, Eric was beginning to fill the role of stepdad. That was probably as close to a guardian as I was going to get in this game.
Before the first scene of this chapter I determined who I was going to accuse of the crime (Kelli), then I revealed the answer to know who actually wanted Alex dead. Turns out Kelli was innocent and it was Eric. So there you have it. Kelli turns out to just be a mean-bunny with a chip on her shoulder and Joann’s ex is a cold-blooded killer.>
Imagesource1: Google Streetview;
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Psalm 35:23-27
Awesome! Thank you, Tev.
The NSAABH system looks pretty cool.
Thanks for sharing!