malek77

Jason takes a breath.

"Think? They ain't tidy housekeepers. If they just move back and forward, ok that'd explain the cleared path - but - did they dig it, or did something else dig it for them? Digging, clearing, retreating to a secure location...that's deliberate concealment.

They don't mind us getting in else there'd've been real barriers, not just concealment.

So I'm thinking either animal level intelligence, making a warren to hide in, or full sentient with a force projection and containment strategy.

Fact is, we're in deep to make a contact & gather intel. If they use this tunnel, we follow it till something happens. When it does, we blast our way out, using the contact as our primary intel.

My bet is that if we stumble on something ahead, it'll be not-so-smart stuff like the SchoolGhoulGirl.

If it comes from behind there's concealed side tunnels and response plans, meaning smart badguys...or they've returned from a hunting trip - and I'm sure there'll be evidence o'that a'plenty - so...we just keep pushing until we find a 'Secret Hideout' sign and a 'World Domination Plan' on a big board...and that'll tell us how smart they are. And how many KG's of semtex it'll take to end this."

Sweeps up ATRV, checks battery and scrapes gunk off its drums.

"Less you Spiritual type guys are getting useful signals, I say we keep moving. Fast."

Middle of the Column for Jason...

"Should we check/secure a basement to street level escape route? Gives us options..."

Will head into the Cellars, assuming the party goes too...

Jason, vapidly explaining from (second last position!) in the column...

"Ah...tunnel is 2 3 5 ahhmm 7 metres long...mud mud mud and water...water and furniture, I'm in someone's basement and it's flooded. Boxes 'n crap and some seriously rotten lounge-chair. Ew. No big surprise - bloody terrace houses up above I hate them things - And! We have another tunnel on the far side. Yay.

One moment while I reconnoitre."

Jason has the ATRV chuck an aquatic doughie' in the middle of the Basement pond, to check the corners and ceiling, and assuming no thrilling discoveries will then head for the other tunnel, and in.

(ooc: GM Trigger - if its all clear will just 'surge' the ATRV on down the tunnel and will state 'All Clear' and move himself into the basement.)

With the evidence of deliberate tunnel construction, potential for multiple surface accesses (stairwell in the basement?) and thus rear 'flanking', Jason's getting quite anxious to MOVE and Get Out; and he'll be detectably fidgetty and urgent to the spiritually attuned sorts...

...who of those countries would have the expertise to create an oil destroying BioWeapon, or a solid reason for using it?

I'm just imagining here an Ecoterrorist plot to stop global warming by hitting oil supplies in a non-lethal manner...with Russian or American expertise. In doing so they smash the legs out from under the Mid East economy. Faced with a survival time scale measured in weeks, a limited nuclear exchange occurs - first a revenge Iranian strike on what they see as an Israeli plot. They hit Jerusalem with a saturation attack to get through the ABM shield - Tehran buys it in return.

Conventional force mobilisation - the oil's only going to work for a few more weeks, might as well get it over with right now...a mechanised all angles Blitzkrieg. Israel needs a bargaining chip to slow them down - demobilize or Mecca gets glassed...and they don't slow down enough.

This really angers everyone, and anything Strategic in any Muslim nation comes at Israel from all angles, saturating the ABM shield but only resulting in a few more radioactive spots.

Then the oil-killing bug catches up with all the tanks and technicals and jet fighters; and suddenly we're back to camels, horses and forced marches. A counter-agent for the OilBug is 'released', fuelling conspiracies about American or Russian involvement since it vastly inflates the value of their remaining reserves. (In reality, it always existed and our original Ecoterrorists are horrified at the extremity of the results, not having intended it to be so, uh, effective.)

A positive side effect that all that Biologically converted carbon is now erupting from the oil fields in geysers of algae, which die on the surface and can be capitalised on to recreate farming land.

The Quarantine to prevent oil carriers spreading the OilBug worldwide is lifted, and oil can now flow back into the Middle East; but the market for oil is shrinking rapidly, and CHOOH2 is replacing it...and so what they really need is engine conversion parts...which is great for WarToyotas, but a big problem for tanks or finicky aircraft.

...this scenario isn't the end of the world. There's still wealth, technology and politics. People can probably farm better than before, or migrate away AFAP. Most of the tensions of the area have been spent : everyone has lost Holy Sites and are no longer receiving torrents of aid, tourists or oil money. They have to make do.

Armies are scattered, and enterprising warlords and no doubt a resurgence in Nomadism will militate against the reformation of curiously antique British divisions of the area.

City State MidEast surrounded by roving Nomads?

Sounds feasible, suitable for background, and not so catastrophic as to be implausible.

Scenarios? Lawrence of Arabia meets MadMax in a divided Caliphate. Maybe if the Tribes can unite and retake Damascus...

ATRV is grinding slowly up the ramp. It's a bit steep...it's lamp should be flickering into the tunnel by now...

...a few minutes pass...

Jason quickly recce's the collapsed tunnel entrance, up past it 100 metres, then brings the ATRV back and sets it to grinding up the collapsed earthen ramp vomited out of the side tunnel and sloping muddily into the water.

"...Hello...I'm looking at the ramp now, and I'm seeing tracks in the mud. This tunnel's definitely in use. Going in..." vvvtttkkrrrrrrshss "...now." The buggy grinds at the mud, it's little flashlight looking mournfully tiny in the distance.

"And a random note in case of hurried retreat : 'Putney Bridge Station' is 220 metres plus metres dead ahead. Thus, if we need go into the side tunnel more than 200m, we can likely be cut off from exiting the same way we entered. This would be regrettable. You guys gettin' anything?"

"Woo! We got a side tunnel...you could drive a car through it. Dunno if it's flooded..."

Buzzing noise as the ATRV grinds at he lip of the hole, trying to get up in.

"...another hundred metres ahead, left wall, collapsed tunnel. Actually, I might scout past it first, come back to it. Avoid getting flanked 'n all that. Everyone cool? I - whoa! Ok..." seeing all the guns being pulled and cover being taken, orients himself locally and tries to make sure he's in no-one's line of fire.

Whispering hoarsely..."Just gimme a minute, I'm not seeing any greeblies right now..." and Jason starts carefully turning the camera on the ATRV, building up a picture of what the 'terrain' in the side tunnel is like (is it flooded/can the ATRV just plough on in?) and searching out any 'marks' that might explain the collapse or suggest recent use.

"Nah, looks mundane, run the renote into it an see how far it goes"

Jason gets the ATRV back, drops it in, screw threaded drums biting into the water. It's a lot quieter when not bouncing and scraping over concrete...

Sends it to search down the tunnel.

"I'm right if we gotta get in the water..."

Jason will try sounding the water with his broomstick/polearm/probe...

"How's it lookin' Johnny? You're not seeing anything nasty in the water are you..."

've joined this board in hopes of adding to my time line I'm making for my upcoming modern day blending into cyberpunk time RPG. After I get the ability to make new posts, I'll put up what I've got and see if anyone has any ideas to fill it out some more.

Cool! Do that...Let me know when you do. I've got a campaign set like that, and CP does that kinda thing really well. Then again, we also argue that the world has turned Cyberpunk already, and its just a case of the World waking up to the fact...

That and We have people who don't know about NOD.

That is true...the site has many innocent n00blets we should introduce to the party...and whatever happened to that Pirate Ship idea?

(And have we exceeded the Sky Pirates thread yet?)

Most certainly will be.

Take care.

<rant>

...and fer the sake of all existence please Ensure Clear Trusted Communication with said Girlfriend...I have just spent a weekend surrounded by the mental carnage NOT communicating causes and I am scarred...Don't be a Statistic!

And...uh...congratulations...or...stuff...

</rant>

Turns the ATRV 360º, looking for access stairs or ladders to the track level to get across to the next ledge.

"We got a gap in ledges over the tracks...might have to go down a bit if we wanna keep going in that direction, I'm looking for a safe way down now.

...Johnny, it looks all clear up ahead, you wanna vector us in on the residue?...I'm not seeing any obvious sources."

The platform ahead...

It's bare with minor debris, most of the platform furniture (benches, lights) has been removed at some time (sometimes with a looters reckless abandon). You can see where the platform ends although a ledge does appear to continue into the tunnels.

The ATRV buzzes forward, makes for the ledge/north end of the platform.

It's torch beams (one white, one IR for those with optics) slash about, seeking any...lumps.

"...good so far..." Jason says distantly, inwardly, revealing a hint of his internal dialogue with the ATRV.

"If yes isn't good enough, how about not right now then Jason. We going down or aren't we?"

Quails at the subtext.

Jason checks Johnny's direction, and sends the ATRV burring off into the dark. Stops for a 360º, with the ATRV cam; reports...

Attempts to match what he's seeing with the maps of the tunnels, hoping there are no deviations as yet.

"Is this where Bobby, uh, saw stuff?"

smiles big

 

"Exactamundo"

"C'mon dude, we need more than that; is it ghoul spoor or spiritual distortions or goo left over from a ritual possession...is it dangerous, is it fresh, will taking samples tell us anything useful? What does it mean here, that the greeblies come up to the surface sometimes?

...and 'yes' is not an answer..."

"Residue?" sends the ATRV over the lip of the stairs, works it down gently. "Of, um, 'non rational' stuff?"

*fzzzzzzshhh...*

The ATRV tears in across the floor loving the water and burring to a careful stop at the lip of the escalator. Points its lens down, scans a 360º of the room.

If clear, will follow the point-men in and get to the escalator, hitting record on his implants.

The escalator - is it a steppy one or a belt? Can the ATRV take it easily?

Quick test comparison with maps, check for access holes.

Barring reason for pause, will state 'Clear' and get on with the advancing.

got some holy water, but it only works if ya believe. You all believe right now don'tcha?" at which point he hands out the water.

Thumb over the end of the bottle, shakes it like salt on his head. Attempts a dysfunctional prayer under his breath.

Passes it on.

"you boys all got something in case these folks don't wanna listen?"

Pats his angry looking knife in its webbing scabbard on belt, with its four-finger rings of knuckle-duster jaw cracking.

...Everyone ready?

Goes up to the station entrance, shines an IR torch beam in, picks a path for the ATRV. Places it, sends it whizzing into the dark.

"Let's hit it."

"Since the signal degraded so fast when we got near one of the voo-doo/hoo-doo types before...

"I'm afraid we've no external comms, I'm a wireless LAN with legs. It's all local, maybe 50m without LOS, depending on interference. However, good point - if the signals start hashing up, we secure our position, ID cause, neutralise, advance.

Repeaters would be nice...but who we gonna call anyway? I've got the maps here..." taps head. "And backups here." waggles PDA. "Just in case."

Jason, lap full of buggies, feet jammed either side of a backpack; zips strained over contents. He stabs frenetically at his pda with a thumb. Bewildered moment as he spots the black maw of Putney East, realises they've stopped.

"Gents, being that this is a sticky type situation, you won't mind me suiting up in the back before our friend from oz gets his buggies a rollin' now will you?"

"Ah...make sure you pin this somewhere prominent. Breast pocket." hands Johnny a 'pen' cam. Distributes same type penCams to the others, slick grey tubes with clips and glassy gem-like lenses. "Wear 'em where I can see what you do. Next. I've got maps laid on here, but I reckon they'll have errors, you see a turn, an exit, a grate - anything a child could get through, notify me, I'll pin it on the map. If we get seperated, I can vector in on you with the signal."

Pops his door, heaves the pack out. "We turn this vehicle around. If we need to exit fast, I want it pointing away so we don't need to turn." stretches in, clips a penCam to sunvisor. "Just in case."

"Evan - You'n Johnny are point men. I reckon you pair've a better'n even chance of sensing the freaky $#!+ if I don't see it. I'm gonna be effectively blind when piloting the drones, cos I'll be focussing elsewhere, so we move in stages. I'm sure you know the Drill. If something happens - retreat - We Are Gathering Information, not implementing the 'Final Solution.' Yet."

"Andy - how's those legs of yours, popped yer go pills? I want you as rear-guard, reason being you're hard to spring, you bounce supernatural attacks and if the frontline needs to retreat fast you won't be left behind." To all. "If it hits the fan, you three will be acting as a 3 element cover/retreat/repeat system around my illustrious self because I have the map."

To Johnny, who should be suited up now. "Supernatural prophylactics. Whattyagot for us?"

...and finally..."One last thing. Under NO circumstances, AT ALL, do we 'split up to search quicker'. Hear me? STACK UP..." spins his 5ft dowel like a bo and stakes out a spot on the concrete near the entrance.

He's enjoying this far too much. His All Terrain Recce Vehicle (ATRV) buzzes and spins, crabwise.

Ooookay...you asked for it...

Ghouls are corporeal spirits working with already dead bodies. Shooting the Ghoul Girl destroyed the ghoul's physical link to Here, sending it back There. You don't know if this stops the body being repossessed in the long term, but it seems to work for the short term.

*Relief*

WOW!!! I am tickled to see you so stressed. Yes info is needed, I research away until I find a ward vs possession that will work on me and my mundane chums. I also acquire a few 100 gallon drums of napalm to throw down the tunnel every time a rat jumps our way

Teehee...take it as a sign I'm having fun. Stressing.

btw - kero & liquid soap...doesn't that do the trick? It might not be to DOD standards, but, y'know...

(All terrain buggy - a drum on either side with a thread means it can traverse land or water with ease and handle accurately, unlike a hovercraft. Good stable camera platform.)

 

 

Niiice!

 

Well, unless anyone objects I'm going to take the story up 6 game hours later at the entrance to East Putney underground.

Jason gets converting, rigging up the ATB with cams and audio, probably cannibalizing the buggy that got partly eaten.

He'll assemble a backpack with water, Mars bars, rope, duct-tape, lighter, toolkit, a K-Bar (can he borrow Andy's? *puppy eyes* j/k - He wants the wire-cutting can-opening knuckle-dusting type), topping off with Medkits (3) and spare batteries. Normal torch and a bulb-swapped IR torch.

The stylish Zombie Hunter will also be dressed in waterproof clothing, solid mechanics gloves and an eye-patch.

And a solid 1" thick 5ft long dowel.

He's also interested in helping out with Johnny's Napalm plans...if he had more time he'd 'ave a go at making a Flamethrower...

<panic>

Ah! Argh! NOOO!

MORE PLANNING!

Research!Research!Research!Research!

ONCE we have a decent map of the area from ordinary sources and REMOTE scouting, AND a decent idea of the Ghoul background from that Library, AND THEN got some decent wards to prevent EyePull (which froze up Jason and knocked Andy around, and is probably enough to excite Clay into misbehaving, leaving, oh, Johnny on his own if he's lucky)...else we're what?

Blundering into a supernatural greebly's underground stronghold expecting to fight them with conventional weapons?

You've heard 'Don't Bring a Knife to Gunfight' - You're bringing Guns to a Spiritual war!?!

Double Tapping the evil little girl thing did what? Got Andy attacked by a cranky spirit and didn't necessarily prevent the body from being possessed and driven around again.

Times that by 10. Or 20. How about 50? No-one's told me there's a population cap on how many can be down there, or that there's nothing else nastier possible, or that there's no deliberate human agency involved...

If you need an ex-Ghoul body to chronomance and get background data on - get back to that industrial site for the japanese school girl body.

If you wanna get eaten alive on HDV, Jason will nauseously record your demise, then run like Hell...

If you wanna do this right, we go reeeaaal careful; remote when we can, stealth when we can't, and run when we're spotted; until such time as we can own anything that waves a tentacle at us.

...but, if you ignore the warning, Jason will hand out lapel-cams and try and lead the way with an expendable buggy* he remotes from a long way away. *s*

</panic>

(All terrain buggy - a drum on either side with a thread means it can traverse land or water with ease and handle accurately, unlike a hovercraft. Good stable camera platform.)