Hello Bryce Barren,

PELE'S TEARS TRANSCRIPT WITH USER TR

*** (10:31 PM) NO ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION CHAT ROOM

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<GM 22:31> Fancy meeting you here. Ready to start? I can paste the scenario when you say go...
<TR 22:31> Yes.
<GM 22:33> You've been dispatched by Barrett Lukowski to go poke around the Tombstone, located in Rivertown North, and ask questions about the two Lukowski-connected guards killed in the past few weeks. The lieutenant in charge of the Rock, one James Nessman, is a Reichman appointment but has a few family connections to the Lukowskis. While he might not bend over backwards to assist you, he also won't intentionally obstruct you.
<GM 22:34> But first you gotta get from Summerland (in the south) to the Tombstone (in the north). It's 4.5 miles to the north, with the possibility of a random encounter every mile.
<GM 22:34> Encounters are going to slow you down, remember, so think about how you want to react. BL will not be amused if it takes too long. Questoins?
<TR 22:35> Nope
<GM 22:35> I'm assuming you want the fastest route through the city?
<TR 22:35> Yep. Whatever gets me there soonest.
<GM 22:36> Mile 1 takes you straight through the heart of downtown Rivertown...
<GM 22:36> And all's quiet in central Rivertown. A few barking dogs and the occasional distant gunshot. Unless you say differently I will assume you're heading north
<TR 22:37> Yep. onward
<GM 22:37> From downtown skyscrapers to more residential areas...
<GM 22:38> Still nothing to slow you down. You see some movement in the distance but can't be sure if it's people or what...
<GM 22:38> Heading into the middle of Rivertown North...
<GM 22:39> Again, nothing to get too excited about. At the far end of one block you see someone slinking around the alley, but s/he either doesn't see you or moves away. You keep moving unless I hear otherwise...
<TR 22:40> Nope. Keep going.
<GM 22:40> And near the doorstep of the Tombstone and you stop short...
<TR 22:40> uh oh
<GM 22:41> About a half block away you see three scavengers, two men and a woman. She's holding something that could be a handgun and a second guy has a baseball bat with nails driven through it. The last guy has a shotgun slung over his shoulder.
<TR 22:42> Have they seen me?
<GM 22:42> No. No idea you're there.
<TR 22:42> What are my options?
<GM 22:43> Lots of options. Whatever you can imagine.
<GM 22:43> You could hide, sneak past, attack. Or some combo.
<TR 22:44> Where am I?
<GM 22:44> Four blocks south of the Tombstone. No MPD within earshot.
<TR 22:45> Can I backtrack and go around, giving them a wide berth?
<GM 22:45> Sure. I need to roll another random encounter though.
<GM 22:46> Do you want to do that?
<TR 22:47> Sorry. Yes please.
<GM 22:48> Okay, you carefully and quietly creep back out of site and head down several more blocks, keeping your eyes out for them or any other danger. You skirt around without any trouble and now you're approaching the front gate of the Tombstone. You approach in the standard way: hands up and shouting your credentials.
<TR 22:49> LOL. Nice system
<GM 22:49> Roll three dice for me. Tell you why in a second.
<TR 22:49> [ 8 1 0 ]
<GM 22:51> Perception check with one success. You can see that the place is buzzing. People running around. Even before you pass through the search at the gates you can tell something isn't quite right. Lieutenant Nessman approaches and says YOU'RE HERE A DAY EARLY (remem all caps for dialogue) WASN'T EXPECTING YOU. He seems suspicious.
<TR 22:52> PLANS CHANGE. WHAT'S GOING ON? SEEMS TENSE AROUND HERE
<GM 22:52> He snorts. COME WITH ME. YOU'LL WANT TO HEAR THIS.
<TR 22:53> WHERE ARE WE GOING?
<GM 22:54> I'M GOING TO TALK TO SOMEONE IN OUR INFIRMARY. YOU'VE HEARD OF ELLEN JOHNSON? <ellen johnson>
<GM 22:55> Of course you've heard of Ellen Johnson. She's basically the number one head-honcho for day-to-day affairs in the MPD and daughter of General Marshall Johnson, the head of the guards.
<TR 22:57> Wow. WHY IS SHE HERE?
<GM 22:59> SHE SHOWED UP ON OUR DOORSTEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, LOOKING LIKE SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN. HALF DEAD FROM EXHAUSTION, HYPOTHERMIA, AND A COUPLE DOZEN SUPERFICIAL WOUNDS. EVEN IN THAT CONDITION SHE WOULD ONLY SAY THAT THE BUSINESS OF THE SPECIAL OPS IS CONFIDENTIAL, AND IF THAT MEANT HER INTEL DIED WITH HER, SO BE IT.
<TR 23:00> LOL. Tough gal.
<GM 23:00> Indeed.
<GM 23:01> So you follow Nessman through the doors into this decrepit old building, the tile is dirty and it's not at all as white as it all should be. Most of the rooms are empty but you can hear a few voices crying out from somewhere, their voices echoing in the halls along with your footfalls.
<GM 23:01> The Tombstone ain't a nice place.
<TR 23:02> I gather that.
<GM 23:02> So Nessman waves you past the guard and the two of you enter a shitty little room and there, in the bed, is none other than Ellen Johnson. Her face is bruised and she's got all sorts of fresh angry scratches on her forearms. She does not look happy.
<TR 23:03> Does she know me?
<GM 23:03> Eh. Probably recognizes you. Might know the name.
<GM 23:03> WHO THE HELL IS THIS? she asks Nessman. He says your name and Lukowski clan, to clarify your affiliation.
<GM 23:04> GIVE ME MY GODDAMNED CLOTHES NESSMAN. I'M BLOWING THIS POPSICLE STANDS.
<TR 23:04> lol. do they even have popsicles w/o refrigeration?
<GM 23:04> you get the point. what do you say?
<TR 23:05> I'll ask her about what happened. NOT the nature of the mission, just to talk about how she got there.
<TR 23:05> Can I roll PER + INV? Seven dots!
<GM 23:06> Yes, but it's a contested roll. Ellen gets a chance to defend.
<GM 23:06> Roll em. 6s or higher
<TR 23:06> [ 8 8 8 7 1 5 3 ]
<TR 23:07> 3 successes
<GM 23:07> Yeah, she folds. Rolled poorly.
<GM 23:09> She feels she can trust you. SOMETHINGS GOING ON. I KNOW SOME LUKOWSKI GUARDS GOT PLUGGED RECENTLY. THAT'S BAD. THINGS ARE CHANGING. WE WERE OPERATING OUT IN THE NW REACHES, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. WE WERE ATTACKED BY A GROUP THAT WAS ORGANIZED. TRAINED. NOT YOUR AVERAGE SCAVENGER BAND. KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. FELT LIKE THEY WERE WAITING FOR US.
<TR 23:10> Any idea who they were?
<GM 23:11> She shakes her head. A FEW GUARDS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BAZAAR AND WHOREHOUSE IN THE CONCORD SETTLEMENT. THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD WAY MORE GUNS THAN THEY NEEDED. MAKES ME WONDER. THEY WERE THERE RECENTLY BY THE SOUNDS OF IT.
<TR 23:12> Are these guards still alive? I'd like to talk to them.
<GM 23:12> ONE'S NAME IS SINGH. AND I'M TIRED OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS SERGEANT. GIVE ME MY CLOTHES NESSMAN.
<TR 23:13> Wait, can I ask one more?
<GM 23:13> Nope, she's done with you. Nessman doesn't seem to pleased with you making her upset.
<TR 23:15> She's upset?
<GM 23:15> Just annoyed. No big deal. But you're ushered out.
<TR 23:16> How do I find this Singh?
<GM 23:17> Ol' Federal keeps the records for who is supposed to be where, when.
<TR 23:17> Do I have to go there?
<GM 23:18> Well...
<GM 23:18> They have phones and computers that connect the three main HQs. But they don't like people using them.
<TR 23:19> HA! Can I ask Nessman to use his phone?
<GM 23:20> He won't do it for a song.
<TR 23:21> I'll try to intimidate him
<TR 23:22> Wait no my intimidation sucks. Can I use bureacracy and manipulation?
<GM 23:22> How?
<TR 23:24> Like that I can make his life a bureacratic hell if he doesn't play ball?
<GM 23:25> Sure why not
<TR 23:25> [ 9 7 9 3 5 3 ]
<GM 23:26> just a sec, this is contested roll...
<GM 23:27> And he loses. So yeah, he puts up some token resistence but tells you to keep it short.
<TR 23:28> LOL no rollover minutes?
<GM 23:28> No :)
<GM 23:29> Turns out dude's stationed there at Ol' Federal.
<TR 23:30> I gotta go all the way back down there?
<GM 23:30> Yep. It's a mile closer than summerland tho
<GM 23:31> But we have to do rand enc again?
<TR 23:32> But of course!
<TR 23:32> That can wait until next time tho. We're done.
<GM 23:33> Wow. Went fast. Okay see you next week
<TR 23:34> bye bye

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