Survey Mission 6B Location: Elkmont, TN (United States) Images:: x, x, x General debriefing: In the rural outskirts of Elkmont, among the Smoky Mountains, there is a swath of land occupied by abandoned frontier cabins as well as some more modern abandoned homes. Local lover's lane legend of "The Goat Man" has recently spiked and been accompanied by some isolated substantial reports of suspicious activity after nightfall. This would ordinarily be deprioritized, but the recent decision of the National Park Service to catalog the abandoned cabins and decide which will be destroyed and which preserved necessitates expedited investigations.
Due to the distance between cabins and the wooded terrain, two civilian ATVs will be supplied. Although the area is abandoned, the possibility of the ATVs drawing attention necessitates civilian clothing. Interference is unlikely, but if you are caught by local authorities, have a cover story of being tourists exploring out of bounds due to the local ghost stories. * C class difficulty level (must have a team of three, at least one of them must be an intermediate trainee)
MECHANICS
* MECHANICS: RP assembling a team, as necessary, before heading towards the Lighthouse portal to request a portal to Survey Mission 6B. Once there, roll a 100-sided dice and match the roleplay to the results below, as well as any reactions. Players can continue rolling until any of the players roll a BOSS ENCOUNTER, in which case the BATTLE PHASE begins. See below for battle phase mechanics. 1- 10: The dilapidated one-room cabin you investigate appears to be empty of anything of interest. You turn to go through the single door, and when you step back into the darkness outside--you find yourself in the room you just left, as though you'd just stepped through the door in the other direction. A second attempt to leave is uneventful, and puts you outside as expected. 11 - 20: A cabin is already occupied by a skinny stray dog. It is not vicious but it is cringing and terrified, and if you attempt to catch it it will run outside and disappear into the trees. The windows and doors of the cabin were all closed when you approached. 21 - 40: The cabin here is reduced to a chimney and some foundation stones, but a rickety barn still stands. Should you choose to investigate, see below.
The barn appears, despite the general disrepair, to have been used recently for something. You find the following things in a row: an empty plastic container of the kind used to transport small animals, a small plastic kennel, a large crate of the sort used to house a dog (there is a very worn leather collar hanging on the corner), a pen with a dirt floor covered in the hoofprints of a goat or sheep, a stall full of fresh hay and the droppings of either a cow or a horse, and finally, a stall with an old farmer's jacket hung from the corner and a coil of rope in the center, cut cleanly through. There is, in the back of the barn, an old, crumbling table tilted slightly upwards, scored with a deep groove that is stained a dark reddish-brown.
41 - 50: You pass through a clearing. The distant trees silhouetted against the sky toss gently back and forth. It's quite lovely, really, until you realize that there is no wind. 51 - 60: A cabin with broken-in windows yields a plethora of graffiti. Most of it is unremarkable, but you find a heart with an arrow through it carved onto a crumbling mantlepiece and realize that the names inside of it are yours and your mission partners'. 61 - 70: You see very distinctly, passing through a close cluster of trees, the white shape of what at first appears to be a dog. Drawing up closer, it appears to be a stray goat, walking in a purposeful straight line directly away from you. Should you attempt to follow it, you will find that it always somehow manages to remain approximately twenty feet ahead of you despite never changing its speed, before it enters a copse and disappears entirely. It leaves no footprints. 71 - 80: You find what appears to be the remains of some squatters' party: empty beer bottles, cigarette butts, a cluster of dusty blankets, and some blurry, badly-exposed polaroids of partying twenty-somethings in a loose stack. In the background of about a third of these is the face of a handsome, bearded, but inexplicably strange-looking man that is always perfectly in focus and always staring at the camera. The final photo at the bottom of the stack was taken from the front door of the cabin: it depicts you, examining the photos. 81- 100: BOSS ENCOUNTER: - You load up onto the ATV to set off to the next cabin, but its engine sputters and dies in classic horror movie fashion halfway to the next destination, near a small tree. The tree shifts in a wind that you do not feel, and you realize that it is no tree at all, but a writhing shape something like a tree and something like the thrashing legs of a dozen goats. It immediately attacks. Occasionally you see in your peripheral vision the stock-still shape of a handsome, bearded, but inexplicably odd-looking man dressed in jeans and flannel, his hands in his pockets. As soon as you attempt to focus on him you find that he is no longer there.
- BOSS MECHANICS: This boss has 100 HP. Every time you attack it (following the general battle rules), you TAKE 8 damage. It appears by turns to bite you with heavily-toothed mouths on the ends of branches and to assault you with thrashing hooves. If no team member is defending you, you may feel a blow to your FEAR shield from behind or off to the side--only to find nothing there. Make sure to tally the boss's total HP (the damage you did to it) at the bottom of your post as well as your total HP and the damage you did that round. If the boss's HP hits 0, you have defeated it, and your team can now take the portal back.
* 2 mission reward points for completing this successfully
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:34 pm
The text had come at an unreasonably early hour of the morning, and it had taken Gretchen a few long moments before she realized what the buzzing sound off tot he left actually was. She'd made a blind grope for the phone, dragging it under the covers with her once she'd managed to find it, and a loud groan had issued from within the pile of blankets after her eyes had adjusted enough to the dim glow of the screen for her to read it.
Gretchen had never been on a mission, she didn't have the slightest clue what to expect, but she could try to be prepared. A challenge, when she hadn't earned any runics yet. She did, however, have a smallish back pack, and she stuffed that with a change of clothing(just in case), a hand full of first aid supplies(just in case), and her iPod(just in case).
The message had directed them to leave jackets behind, so Gretchen had swapped her long, white coat for a wonder woman hoodie and down vest. Unless she was mistaken--and she didn't think she was, having grown up south-ish--the temperatures during the day were nice, but it still got mighty chilly once the sun went down.
She'd be the first to arrive at the lighthouse, hands in her pockets and back against the curved wall. New to all this, she didn't have a clue what she was supposed to be doing, but she was fairly certain this wasn't a solo mission.
medigel
kuuropii
Beejoux
Wrathful Demigod
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kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:45 pm
Chance was, unsurprisingly, still awake when his own phone went off, and it took him only a few moments to get ready to go. He gathered together his things, dressed appropriately (which for Chance meant a pair of artfully torn jeans, a starred sweater, and his hunter coat), added a few snacks to his pack (since he hadn't eaten breakfast yet), which was strapped around his waist, and then meandered off to the portal.
"Hey," he said lightly to the young woman already there, and a smile touched his lips, easy and relaxed.
"You here for the mission too?"
beejoux
medigel
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:28 pm
His phone had died. Normally Dawson was very careful about keeping it charged, but it was very hard to keep it both charged and remember where he stuck it. The basement had no plugs to speak of, so he often had to rely on finding empty sockets around headquarters while doing his job, and sometimes the two didn't always line up. So he sat by and anxiously waited for his phone to power up one morning (as he usually kept it on and next to him when he slept, just in case), up bright and early to accommodate for the charge as well as hopefully getting breakfast before his first shift of the day.
Then he read the first text that came in and wished he could change all of that just to let himself get a nap first. Something cold filtered through his veins after reading the word mission, and not even the fact that it was in the Smoky Mountains, somewhat familiar territory, was enough to comfort him. Dawson still remembered how bad he had done on his last mission. At least then it had been with strangers.
The anxiety deepened when he saw that he was going to be doing it with people he knew this time.
"'Sup, ya'll! How's erryone feelin' today?" he greeted them with his usual cheer, in red flannel and leather coat for the occasion. His choice of hat this time: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. He was probably going to need a stiff drink after this. "Oh, Freddie, ya might wanna leave yer uniform behind, man, we might see some civvies."
kuuropii
Beejoux
medigel
Anxious Spirit
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Beejoux
Wrathful Demigod
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:42 pm
Getchen had not met the young man walking towards her, but she knew him on sight thanks to twitter. They'd actually talked, quite a few times, just never in person. It meant the smile she flashed him as he drew up level with her was brighter than a 75 watt bulb, and pushing away from the wall she'd offer a hand. "Chance! Good to finally meet you in person. I'm Gretchen." If it wasn't obvious, maybe it wasn't. Maybe most people didn't look at the little portraits next to folk's names.
"Yes indeed I am." If Chance was going--and she was forced to guess here, based purely on twitter--then this mission wasn't going to be too bad. He seemed like a good guy, very easy going.
Dawson's appearance managed to pull her attention from the Sun. "Yo, Shaggy!" Two of five members of the mystery gang, not too bad. They'd have this mission wrapped up by dinner time. "I'm good, kind of nervous. Haven't been on a mission yet, so you'll both have to excuse me if I'm awful."
kuuropii
medigel
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:36 am
"Gretchen, right," said Chance, recognition dawning. "I've talked to you on Twitter once or twice, it's nice to meet you as well."
He gave her a pleasant smile, as mild-mannered as ever, and shook her hand with a reasonable amount of effort behind it before letting go. Chance slid his fingers into his pockets and rocked back on his heels, glancing about curiously for the third member of their team.
Which became apparent a few seconds later, and Chance's smile went from merely casual to something more friendly and warm, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Dawson," he said lightly, though there was a certain amount of affection behind his voice. "Oh, you're right, this is what I get for trying to get dressed and read the briefing at the same time."
The coat was pulled off with ease, Chance planting it unceremoniously in the portal tech's hand, giving him a winning smile and a promise to come back for it after the mission. He turned back around and gave the others a nod towards the portal.
"Since we're all here, shall we?" he asked cheerfully.
"S'all cool," he assured them with a dimpled grin, patting the runic daggers at his belt. "No need t'be nervous, I got barrier daggers if things go south." Which they wouldn't. Because he was projecting confidence and that meant everything had to go well. Yes. All good. With introductions not necessary and with Chance's coat shed, he tried to be an example and led them through the portal.
Which meant he got to drive first since he called one of them. He'd forgotten what a pleasure it was to not have to hoof it everywhere for once.
At their first stop, he chose to sit by the ATVs, half to watch them and half because he was a little afraid to investigate the cabins first. After a while, though, he heard movement ahead and saw a goat appear. Glancing about, Dawson crept after it with a gulp until it veered into a copse of trees, not to be seen again.
He returned to the ATVs and just scratched his head on that one.
Dawson could have driver rights for the whole of the mission, so long as he didn't mind having Gretchen on the back of the thing with her arms loops around his waist and knees pressed up against the sides of his thighs. The Death had never been on an ATV before, and though it did look fun, she really wasn't in the mood to wreck. So driving would be left to the boys, and she would remove the possibility of breaking one of their only two modes of transportation.
At their first stop she left the Moon to guard their ride, following Chance inside to look around. Not that there was anything to find. Gretchen came back out after a few minutes, bouncing down the porch stairs to head back to Dawson and the ATV. "That one's clear," she'd inform thei third, grinning as she turned to lean her hip against the side of their ride while they waited for Chance.
Chance had never ridden on an ATV before, but it certainly seemed exciting enough. He climbed onto one of his own and experimentally shifted it this way and that. Having never actually acquired a license (there hadn't really been a need before, and he hadn't ever been able to afford lessons), Chance had little idea of how to drive, but the ATVs were relatively simple to use, and they couldn't all fit on one, so he took one for himself and let Gretchen ride on the back of Dawson's.
The cabins were delightfully creepy, if not a little empty, and once they had investigated one, they moved onto the next. And they would have been more interesting had both of the ATVs actually gotten to their destination the way they were supposed to.
As it was, each of them made a rather pathetic sputtering noise, puttering to a stop in the middle of nowhere.
"Well, uh," said Chance, looking down at his own and then over at the other two, his brows rising. "I don't think..."
But something shifted in his line of vision, and Chance was instantly alert, a frown on his face as he slid off of the back of his vehicle. There was a man - no, wait, it was a tree - no, wait, it was a man, but every which way he turned, Chance couldn't see him.
There was a crashing sound. Chance's bow appeared in a gust of icy air.
"I think we have guests," he said lightly, stringing an arrow as fast as he could and firing - though something lashed out at him before he could get it notched properly, teeth snapping furiously at his arm, and the arrow snapped out of his hands, flew haphazardly.
"The ******** - "
HP: 42 DMG: 2 BOSS HP: 98
medigel
that's rite chance
beejoux
u do dat 2 dmg
medigel rolled 1 6-sided dice:
3Total: 3 (1-6)
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:01 pm
Dawson's Horror Movie senses were tickled the moment their ATVs died. Jinkies. He admired Chance's ability to stay as calm as ever--especially once they met the goat-tree.
His first instinct? Get the hell out of dodge. Thankfully his second instinct won over, and with a startled cry he summoned his shield over Gretchen as the branches came at them.
"The ********> Dawson echoed two pitches higher than normal.
HP: 40 Damage: defending Gretchen for 3 charge: 1/3
Things had seemed, at first, to be going so smoothly! Not only that, but the rides between their destinations were actually pretty fun. So the sputtering death of both ATV engines came with a considerable amount of disappointment that was more than obvious on pale features as she leaned around Dawson to peer through the trees towards where she suspected their next destination lay.
She didn't have much time to mourn the lose of their transportation though, or how they would be getting to the next cabin. Chance, seemingly unsure what they should do either, trailed off mid sentence as something caught his attention, and Gretchen turned immediately to follow his line of sight.
What she saw was enough to cool the blood in her veins, and maybe Dawson wouldn't notice the subtle tightening of arms around his waist, or the press of her legs against his thighs. "What the hell is that?" It wasn't a man, it was more, or less--the first awful thing Gretchen had encountered since waking up as a hunter. Her reaction probably wasn't terribly unexpected, not for a rookie. She stiffened, freezing where she sat, until Chance fell into motion and the s**t hit the fan in a sudden flurry of movement and attacks.
Damn near falling off the ATV, Gretchen hastened to summon her weapon, pulse already pounding in her ears. The idea of ghosts, the concept of them, had never scared Gretchen, but this wasn't a ghost. This was.. well, it was...It was a- "Monster."
(Sssssnap out of it, child. You will not be a burden.)
Dawson was on his feet, shield blazing, as he placed himself between the Death and the thing that was targeting them. There was a clang as he managed to deflect the worst of a blow meant for her, but the strike still managed to connect, and Gretchen felt the sting of claws before she was retaliating with a hard swing of the staff.
"Why, Shaggy, I do believe that's the first time I've heard you swear," said Chance with a laugh. "Or maybe I'm just inclined to not hear you when you do, but either way, don't worry too much, we'll take this ******** down and then we can get back to work, right?"
It was, unfortunately, easier said than done. Something raked across Chance's arm and he gave an annoyed hiss, breath whistling out from between his clenched teeth.
"Don't let it get too close, mama's apparently got claws," he said amicably to Gretchen and Dawson, in spite of the fact that they were now getting pummeled by something they couldn't really see all too well. It was dark and confusing, but Chance swiveled around, bow gripped tightly in his long fingers, another arrow already in place.
It only grazed the creature. He made an annoyed sound.
HP: 34 DMG: 1 chance ur the worst BOSS HP: 94
medigel
beejoux
kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
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medigel rolled 1 6-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-6)
medigel
Anxious Spirit
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Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:14 am
"I-I swear plenty, Freddie, when s'a good place to!" And right now, it seemed very appropriate.
His shield shook as he fought his own yellow bellied nerves. It was why it was so important for him to concentrate on helping Gretchen through this. He and Chance had been through at least one mission already, but this was her first, and damn if it wasn't a rough one. (Weren't they all?) "Gretch, hun," he said, swallowing, "you awright? Think we should probly tryin watchin' Chance, he cain' get off a hit with all the branches on him."
That, and he stood the best chance at hurting this thing as a Sun. Or so Dawson hoped. Defending was also a little easier, and maybe between them both they could eke out an ebb and flow that let Chance shoot without being interrupted.
With another glance at her, he quickly moved to his friend's position and beat off an incoming branch, and it broke over him with a loud crack.
hp: 40 action: defending Chance for 2 gj charge: 2/3 Boss HP: 94
Beejoux
basically his suggestion is to help defend chance with him for as long as they can for now, though she's free to freak out/do her own thing!
kuuropii
stares at d6s
Beejoux rolled 1 6-sided dice:
1Total: 1 (1-6)
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:58 pm
So far Gretchen seemed to be handling everything that was happening fairly well. Her eyes were too wide, she was a touch paler than her usual buttermilk complexion, and there may have been a slight tremor in her hands, but her staff seemed steady enough as she stood at Dawson's side. Scared, certainly, but determined not to let two men down.
Her attention was narrowed so steadily, in fact, that Dawson managed to startle her when he made a bid to catch her attention. She jumped, teeth snapping around a little yelp, and turned a wide-eyed look up at him. "I'm okay." Mostly. Though he did have a good point, and she nodded in agreement with the plan, gaze twitching to Chance before snapping back.
When he moved, she did, not quite scrambling after him to take up a post on Chance's other side.
She wasn't terribly well practiced with defense though. Branches were going for them, like clawed fingers reaching, and she swung at them, snapping off a few twigs, but it wasn't enough to break off the bulk of it, and wasn't exactly effective.
A laugh escape him, in spite of the dire situation they now found themselves in. Finn was not here to defend Chance, which meant he was left without his Moon partner; but Dawson was Claude's Moon partner and a good friend, and Gretchen was new, but still capable with her staff. And then there was Chance, one rank up and with a distanced weapon.
(Chance wondered if, with all three of those things combined, they might be able to defeat this thing. If his current attempts at attacking were any indication, it would take quite a bit of effort.)
"Thanks for the protection, guys," he said lightly, even cheerfully, his arm throbbing as Chance dragged another arrow into existence, notching it against the wire. Branches made a shrieking, creaking noise near his head, and he spun to the side, trying to find a good aim.
He missed, and a string of obscenties fell from Chance's lips.
HP: 29 DMG: MY DICE TODAY ARE THE WORST WHAT EVEN BOSS HP: 94
Survey Mission 6B
