Mission
========================================================
Original Message - "Mission"
Posted by Xar on 04-Nov-99 at 00:49 AM
........................................................
(Disclaimer: This section of the campaign is mostly the adventure "Heart of
Evil" by Rosenstein and Siembieda, published in Rifts Index – Volume One copyright 1996 by Palladium Books and Kevin Siembieda.)When Lt. Murphy leaves the room, Sgt. Kailar snorts, "Director of Transportation! More like Chauffeur! My job mostly involves dropping off troops and picking them up later. So, you better be nice to me, or I’ll "forget" where the pickup coordinates are," she says with a mischievous smile.
"As you may know, our prime focus is on the area surrounding the Devil’s Gate in St. Louis, but we are stationed here, at Ft. Vigilance, 50 miles to the southwest. Our base, built in ancient lead mines in the Pre-Rifts town of Bonne Terre, Missouri was chosen for both its proximity to the Devil’s Gate, but also for the name. The top brass thought that a place named Good Earth was too good of a sign to pass up. This location serves as an excellent support location for both Whykin, 75 miles to the southeast and to the new Ft. Girardeau, still under construction 65 miles to the southwest on the Mississippi River."
"You are ordered to patrol and tour an area to the north and west of here, some 35 to 40 miles north of us and about as far to the west of the Devil’s Gate. You are granted discretion over your specific routes provided your squad satisfactorily surveys the entire area. Your general orders, in descending priority, are: To patrol the area in question to insure that there are no D-Bees, mages, rogue psychics, or any other incursions or threats to the security and safety of the Coalition States and its citizens. Your squad is authorized to use any means at your disposal to "neutralize" any such threat. You are to provide a visible presence to the populace of the designated area, so as to bolster their morale and remind them of the Coalition States’ strength and commitment to them, and thereby, insure their continued loyalty. You are further authorized to act as a peacekeeping force among the civilian population, should the need arise. Although the area in question is a part of CS territory and has been surveyed to a certain extent, further surveying and detailed observation could prove helpful to the Coalition States; provided said surveying and observation does not interfere with the higher priorities of your mission.
Corporal O’Leary, here are detailed coordinates of the area to be patrolled. Review them and make sure your squad has gear for a short field campaign. We leave in two hours."
**************************************************
The ride in the Exploratory Personnell Carrier is uneventful. You reach your
point of insertion in about two hours. Sgt. Kailar wishes you good luck and tells you that she will meet you at the pickup coordinates in three days. With that she rumbles off in the direction from which you came.After spending the rest of the day surveying and scouting, you come across a small, quiet village nestled in a shallow valley just as storm clouds roll in from the west, speeding the advancing nightfall.========================================================
Reply Number 1 - "Small village..."
Posted by Dirge on 15-Nov-99 at 05:43 PM
The CS Psi-Stalker immediately goes about "sniffing around" and checking the area for any magical/psychic presence...
****Corporal Drakylbane****
========================================================
Reply Number 3 - "Hmmm"
Posted by Xar on 15-Nov-99 at 10:21 PM
........................................................
You (and the two dog boys) detect a definite feeling of supernatural evil. You've never felt anything quite like this before. You have the impression that the magic source is quite large, seeming to permeate the whole village without being in a specific fixed location.
========================================================
Reply Number 7 - "Evil is afoot..."
Posted by Dirge on 16-Nov-99 at 05:55 PM
........................................................
"There is SOMETHING here" Draxlus warns the group..."Something BIG"... The Psi-Stalker and his Dog Boys draw their weapons and try to seek out the place in town where they feel the "Presence" the strongest (if possible)... If not, they will just follow their respective noses and search the entire town for the source of this foul "Magic"...
****Draxlus (and friends)****
========================================================
Reply Number 11 - "bustin out all over"
Posted by Xar on 18-Nov-99 at 01:00 AM
........................................................
As night deepens, you sense the psychic emanations growing stronger. Despite this, even after searching around the village for some time, you are unable to find a source.While you are searching you come across several dead animals. Five dogs that were chained up seem to have either choked themselves to death or broken their necks. Also you find some instances where chains or ropes were broken loose and three instances of animals that died trapped as they tried to escape from their cages.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 14 - "What have we here?"
Posted by Dirge on 18-Nov-99 at 12:54 PM
........................................................
Draxlus looks around for something (like a tool whose work was suddenly cut short) that would be good to use object read on...After finding said "object", he reads it to see if he can figure out what happened to the town (and/or what happened to the tool's owner, and where they are now)...
****Draxlus****
========================================================
Reply Number 20 - "Mixed results"
Posted by Xar on 20-Nov-99 at 10:45 PM
........................................................
You come across a house where someone had been repairing a fence. Across two sawhorses is a new fencepost with a saw left in it mid-cut. Upon opening yourself to the psychic eminations around the saw, you feel that the last user was a good and kind man, who was quite happy to be working outside on such a beautiful day. You sense that he was fairly short and stocky with a beard. You sense a moment of confusion and another's presence(from his perspective earlier today) and then nothing. Unfortunately, you get no sense of him after that. Also, you get no sense of where he is now. Upon examining a gardening tool laying in a street, you get an impression from a elderly woman watching townspeople marching down the street. She carried the tool for several feet as she hurried after them, calling out to them, before she dropped it.
Then you hear Corp. O'Leary's reminder to report to the bar to set up a secure perimeter for the night.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 24 - "To the Bar..."
Posted by Dirge on 22-Nov-99 at 05:53 PM
........................................................
The Psi-Stalker and company make their way to the bar as per instructions...
****Draxlus****
========================================================
Reply Number 40 - "At the Bar"
Posted by bryan on 20-Dec-99 at 09:22 AM
........................................................
Transmission
Finish searching and securing the bar
pvt. Joad will assist you
========================================================
Reply Number 47 - "trasmission"
Posted by bryan on 23-Dec-99 at 10:19 AM
........................................................
we are on our way back to the bar with two civilians
========================================================
Reply Number 49 - "Searching and Securing..."
Posted by Dirge on 27-Dec-99 at 05:48 PM
........................................................
Draxlus and company search and secure the bar, as per instructions...
****Draxlus****
========================================================
Reply Number 2 - "Jane Ripley"
Posted by scrubbyb on 15-Nov-99 at 10:02 PM
........................................................
Jane heads off into town hoping to find some "night life" and some town folk to
talk to. Jane has always valued what the people of the area are thinking. In
the past they have given her some great leads to follow.
In the back of her mind she wonders where O'Leary is going to have them camping
at tonight.
========================================================
Reply Number 4 - "Hello...hellloo...helllloooo..."
Posted by Xar on 15-Nov-99 at 10:29 PM
........................................................
As you enter the village, something just seems wrong. At first you have trouble
putting your finger on what it is, until it dawns on you how quiet it is. The
streets are empty. There are some lights on in some of the homes, but there is
no sign of motion anywhere.
========================================================
Reply Number 5 - "Jane Ripley"
Posted by scrubbyb on 15-Nov-99 at 11:04 PM
........................................................
I decided to follow along the sides of houses so as to not draw any attention to
myself. I keep my eyes and ears alert for any movements or sounds. I ready my
gun incase its needed. As I move along I bring my head up to some windows and
peek in.
========================================================
Reply Number 9 - "A body!"
Posted by Xar on 18-Nov-99 at 00:03 AM
........................................................
As you are creeping between and around houses you come across a young man laying
on the ground. His legs are splayed and his neck is at a strange, unpleasant
angle. Nearby is an overturned bucket of a thick black substance. In his hand
is clenched a thin bladed knife or tool of some kind. A ladder leans against
the house a few paces away.
After examining him, you determine that he is quite dead and has been for
several hours.
When you look in the window, you see into a kitchen. There is some food on the
table and a couple of plates with utensils. You can see a pan on the stove with
a thin trail of smoke rising from it.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 16 - "Knock, knock who's there?"
Posted by scrubbyb on 18-Nov-99 at 10:20 PM
........................................................
I decide to go around front and knock on the front door. I totally don't expect
someone to anwser however if someone is there I don't want to scare them. If I
get no anwser I will go back around to the kitchen window and climb in.
========================================================
Reply Number 17 - "No response"
Posted by Xar on 20-Nov-99 at 09:38 PM
........................................................
LAST EDITED ON 20-Nov-99 AT 11:04 PM (CST)
As you expect, there was no answer to your knocking. Upon climbing into the
kitchen window, you are hit with the acrid odor of food slowly charring on the
stove. On the counters there is other foodstuffs that were in the process of
being prepared before being seemingly abandonded.
Over the commlink Corp. O'Leary's reminds you to report to the bar to set up a
secure perimeter for the night. As he signs off the heavens up and the storm
begins.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 21 - "Going to the Bar"
Posted by scrubbyb on 21-Nov-99 at 01:51 AM
........................................................
First I turn off the pot on the stove. I call out to be anyone who may be in
the house as one last check. Before leaving the kitchen I gather some of the
food on the counter for myself and the others and put it in my pack. After one
last glance around I head for the bar, all the way watching for movement or
things to report on.
========================================================
Reply Number 6 - "Bedrest"
Posted by bryan on 16-Nov-99 at 09:07 AM
........................................................
I walk through the town taking note of places of possible ambush and hiding
places
I am on my way to secure sleeping quarters for the team. If I walk any longer
without finding someone on the street or an Inn I will walk up to a house with
the lights on and knock on the door, talking with the occupants.
I inform everyone that we will head back out at 0600 hours as they leave on
their personal time this eveing I remind them to report any suspcious activity
to me immediately and will notify them when sleeping quarters are secured.
If none are found I we will take the first seemingly safe abandoned building.
========================================================
Reply Number 10 - "knock, knock. Who's there?"
Posted by Xar on 18-Nov-99 at 00:42 AM
........................................................
LAST EDITED ON 18-Nov-99 AT 00:45 AM (CST)
As you walk through town you do not see anyone or anything (not even stray dogs)
in the streets. There isn't really anyplace that could amount to an ambush, as
all of the lanes are fairly wide and the houses are well spaced out. You don't
see any inns, but you do come across one bar that looks big enough for everyone
to camp in. Of course, there is no one inside the bar. There are several
tables that have the look of having been occupied at a time and then abandoned.
Chairs are shoved away and glasses are left on the tables in various stages of
fullness. At the bar an ultra full glass sits under a tap as brown liquid
slowly drips from the tap.
Other than these details, the place seems secure. Very, very quiet, but secure.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 13 - "Report"
Posted by bryan on 18-Nov-99 at 09:29 AM
........................................................
I report to the group my findings and let them know where the bar is and that
well will be setting up base here unless anyone else finds better accomodations.
I am going to throughly search the bar unless something happens and then I will
go a running to the source of the trouble.
I ask for a situational from the team and that they report to the bar in one
hour to set up a secure perimeter. As well I tell Corp. King to have his
skelebots patrol the towns perimeter.
My weapon is drawn and readied, as I cautiously move around the bar.
>
========================================================
Reply Number 19 - "Splash!"
Posted by Xar on 20-Nov-99 at 10:03 PM
........................................................
In the course of your explorations, you move behind the bar where you step in a
very large puddle of beer that has run from the tap. Under the bar you find a
Wilk's 320 laser pistol (fully charged and not fired)and a neural mace. Aside
from this, there is nothing additionally interesting to the bar. To the rear of
the room there is a door that leads to a small stock room and lavoratory.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 23 - "Splish Splash"
Posted by bryan on 22-Nov-99 at 10:15 AM
........................................................
I turn off the tap and place the pistol and mace in my pack.
Upon hearing Corp. King's request for assitance I get his location and radio
Ripely to redirect to King's loacation. I then head to King's loacation myself.
========================================================
Reply Number 28 - "Going to see the King"
Posted by scrubbyb on 23-Nov-99 at 09:43 PM
........................................................
I turn and head toward the house O'Leary set coordinates for. I watch for
O'Leary as I walk to the house.
========================================================
Reply Number 8 - ""Interesting...""
Posted by Shadar on 17-Nov-99 at 11:36 AM
........................................................
After hearing the report from Draxlus, Corporal King immediatley begins
wandering about with his skelebots--searching for ANYTHING that may give some
hint as to what foul plot is afoot and why, as a result, the town is so quiet...
========================================================
Reply Number 12 - "What was that?"
Posted by Xar on 18-Nov-99 at 01:18 AM
........................................................
You wander around for a while and see several instances of what appears to be
peoples' work or chores abandoned in mid project. Here is someone's gardening
work with a plant to be transplanted with a hole neatly dug out, but the plant
unceremoniously dropped on the ground. In another house's driveway, a
hovercycle sits with parts and tools laid out neatly for the most part, except
for one part and tool dropped on the ground.
After several findings such as this, you see a flash of movement through the
window of one small, shoddy house.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 15 - "What the...?"
Posted by Shadar on 18-Nov-99 at 05:46 PM
........................................................
After witnessing the flash of movement, I very cautiously approach the shoddy
looking house. I order one skelebot to follow me while the other stays back and
watches carefully for any signs of impending danger. I look in the window,
being careful not to be seen, and look for the cause of the sudden flash.
========================================================
Reply Number 18 - "Contact"
Posted by Xar on 20-Nov-99 at 09:54 PM
........................................................
As you approach the window and peer in, your eyes are met by those of a
wide-eyed little girl. When she sees the helmet of your Samas armor and the
skull head of the skelebot behind you she screams and flees further into the
house.
Just then you hear Corp. O'Leary over the commlink ordering you to have your
skelebots patrol the town's perimeter.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 22 - "Who's there?"
Posted by Shadar on 21-Nov-99 at 02:05 AM
........................................................
I order my skelebots to patrol the towns perimeter and to report back to me if
they see or hear anything suspicious or dangerous. I myself proceed further
into the house, removing my helmet so that I do not frighten the little girl if
I see her again. I also report the contact to Corp. O'Leary and request that he
send assitance in my direction.
========================================================
Reply Number 30 - "You enter"
Posted by Xar on 30-Nov-99 at 10:20 PM
........................................................
You enter through the front door of the house. It is a small room, and mostly
bare. A picture hangs on the wall of a family; a mother, a father, two teenaged
boys and a little boy and girl. You hear a low murmur coming through a doorway
to the rear of the building.
Another door leads off to one side into the kitchen.
As you stand in the living room, Pvt. Ripley arrives.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 31 - "Let's look around"
Posted by Shadar on 01-Dec-99 at 00:24 AM
........................................................
I ask Pvt. Ripley to go through the door to the kitchen and look around in
there. I myself proceed slowly in the direction of the low murmur with my
weapon drawn, but behind me--just in case. As I near the doorway I listen
carefully to see if I can tell what is being said. I cautiously peer into the
room before I enter.
========================================================
Reply Number 32 - "To the Kitchen"
Posted by scrubbyb on 02-Dec-99 at 01:09 PM
........................................................
I look around the house for anything that would be useful or for things that
seem out of place. I hear something that sounds like talking, and I go towards
where the sounds are comming from. I ready my weapon and stop to listen.
========================================================
Reply Number 33 - "Ripley and King"
Posted by Xar on 05-Dec-99 at 11:27 PM
........................................................
Ripley-- in the kitchen you find nothing more than you would find in any other
kitchen. Like the other house that you inspected, there are signs that people
just walked away from what they were doing…Through a door in the rear of the
kitchen on the right wall, you hear a high voice in speaking in a sing-song
pattern.
King---You go through a door in the front room that leads to a hallway. Down
the hall on the left there is another door. Through this door you hear a high
voice speaking in a sing-song pattern. The voice is chanting the words to a
lullaby.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 34 - "Who could that be?"
Posted by Shadar on 06-Dec-99 at 10:26 AM
........................................................
I slowly open the door and peek in--careful not to startle anyone on the inside.
(My helmet is still removed and my weapon still drawn and hidden.) I try very
hard not to scare anyone.
========================================================
Reply Number 35 - "There she is..."
Posted by Xar on 06-Dec-99 at 02:50 PM
........................................................
You see the little girl sitting low behind a chair. She is singing to a little
boy who is laying on the floor with his head in her lap. They both appear to be
about five years old. His face is very flushed.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 37 - "what's going on?"
Posted by Shadar on 07-Dec-99 at 02:24 PM
........................................................
I put my weapon away and approach the little girl--explaining to her that she
should not be afraid and that we are here to help. If she does not attempt to
run I go even closer and try to discern the state of the little boy's life (or
death). If he appears to be in poor health then I look for the cause and
attempt to remedy his situation using my robot med kit. After all appears to be
well I begin to question the girl and see if she knows what happened. I report
my findings to Corp. O'Leary and ask for instructions, all the while attempting
to comfort the children in any way I can.
========================================================
Reply Number 38 - "stabilize situtation"
Posted by bryan on 09-Dec-99 at 09:18 AM
........................................................
** Cpl. King stablize the children **
** I am already heading to your location **
** ETA 5 mins **
========================================================
Reply Number 39 - "10-4"
Posted by Shadar on 10-Dec-99 at 10:31 AM
........................................................
I attempt to stabalize the children (as I earlier described) in accordance with
Cpl. O'Leary's instructions in preparation for his arrival.
========================================================
Reply Number 43 - "The children"
Posted by Xar on 21-Dec-99 at 04:54 PM
........................................................
The little girl is much more receptive to you now that you don't have on your
helmet.
"My name is Sara. Danny is sick. I don't know where Mommy and Daddy are. Do
you know where my Mommy is?"
Both the children look to be about five years old. The boy is running quite a
fever, but you can bring that down with a little care and your robot med kit.
By the time Ripley and O'leary arrive, he has slipped into a more natural,
restful sleep.
Sara is running a slight temperature, but not to the extent that her brother
had. With a little prevention, she will be fine as well.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 45 - "Intentions"
Posted by bryan on 23-Dec-99 at 10:17 AM
........................................................
Upon arriving I remove my helment and get briefed by king. then I kneel down
next to sara and tell her:
"Sara my name is Finnius, Finnius O'leary"
"I am a Cpl. with the Colation States"
"The gentleman who found is King and the woman is Ripley"
"We are here to help you and your brother, he will be alright with some sleep.
You both are under our protection and care" "We will try to find your parents
and any others"
"right now I want you both to come with us so you will be safe" Then I tousel
her hair and give her a hug.
Then I stand up and tell king to take her brother to the bar. Ripely and I will
get clothes for the children and supplies that they might need.
I ask the girl if she will show ripely and I around and help get the things that
she and her brother will need (clothes, food, meds, etc)
Also I take a few seconds to inject her with some robots to help kill of her
fever and infections.
Then I want us all to regroup at the bar.
========================================================
Reply Number 36 - "To find King"
Posted by scrubbyb on 07-Dec-99 at 02:11 PM
........................................................
I head out of the kitchen in search of King and the noise.
========================================================
Reply Number 42 - "Next door"
Posted by Xar on 21-Dec-99 at 04:37 PM
........................................................
In the next room over you see King kneeling over two small children, a boy and a
girl.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 44 - "Children"
Posted by scrubbyb on 22-Dec-99 at 02:05 PM
........................................................
I find King and the kids and assist King with keeping the kids calm until we
recieve our next orders.
========================================================
Reply Number 48 - "Bakck to the bar"
Posted by scrubbyb on 23-Dec-99 at 11:28 AM
........................................................
I assist taking the children back to the bar.
========================================================
Reply Number 25 - "Tom Joad"
Posted by Xar on 23-Nov-99 at 07:52 PM
........................................................
As the rest of your squad begins to explore the village, you scout out the
surrounding countryside. You start moving to the east of the village, making
your way to the north in a quiet, but quick, ground eating pace. After
exploring for some time you come across a large amount of tracks in the soft
earth. It appears as if some large group has passed through.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 26 - "Ground eating pace"
Posted by Jason on 23-Nov-99 at 08:06 PM
........................................................
It appears as if Tom was not the only one moving at a ground eating pace. The
tracks indicate that someone or something was in quite at hurry when it passed
through here. There is also a scent in the air something Tom cannot quite place
but is familiar. He does know that the scent is not good and he hesitates. His
mind is split, his instincts are telling him to follow the tracks but his
training is telling him to get to town to give a report of his findings...
========================================================
Reply Number 27 - "More on the tracks"
Posted by Xar on 23-Nov-99 at 08:39 PM
........................................................
Upon further examination of the tracks, you determine that they were made by
humans or humanoids and they lead away from the village. Although at first you
thought those who made the tracks were in a hurry, you find no evidence to
support this when you look closer. The footprints are even, with no
characteristic signs of confusion or hurry.
As you take in these details, the storm begins and earnest. Through the rumble
of thunder and crash of lightning, you hear Corp. O'Leary's call to report to
the bar.
Xar
========================================================
Reply Number 29 - "To the bar..."
Posted by Jason on 28-Nov-99 at 09:33 PM
........................................................
Tom Joad promptly makes his way towards the bar.
========================================================
Reply Number 41 - "At the Bar"
Posted by bryan on 20-Dec-99 at 09:23 AM
........................................................
Trasmission:
help cpl. Draxlus at the bar and setup our command center there. we will meet up
with both of you shortly
========================================================
Reply Number 46 - "transmission"
Posted by bryan on 23-Dec-99 at 10:18 AM
........................................................
"we are on our way to the bar"
========================================================