Atomic Highway: In Salvation

Cast of Characters:
Merddyn Baruma, a feral beastmaster (Nathan)
Jeet Jeet, a Trog Scavenger (Darryl)

*Saturday, July 21st 2017

Jeet, Merrdynn, Big Barda and Slim Phantom don’t plan on sticking around in Salvation for longer than a day or so. Salvation is a small ‘stead with a population of 98 residents which is located around an immaculate church. With homes and small farms around it. Hoop seems to enjoy the settlement as he is befriended by a young couple, Larken and Mark, and inquire about his parents. Jeet tells them that they had picked him up along the way here and that he apparently has no home.

Larken takes a shine to Hoop and it seems Hoop likes her. Jeet sees it in his best interested and tells Hoop that if he wants to stay he can stay. Hoop nods his head and on that note he becomes a resident of Salvation. Big Barda tells him that it’s a good thing that he had done because it would be only a matter of time before the landscape ate up the young child.

Jeet decides he needs a stiff drink. But, he discovers there is no drinking establishment in Salvation and there’s no hotel as well, but there is a boarding house where travelers can stay. He figured at a drinking establishment he can pick up some hearsay, rumours and maybe possible clues on where some “artifacts” might be located. So he decides the next best thing to do is find out where some of the oldtimers are hanging out.  He walks up to the general store and joins two old fellows who are sitting on the deck, whittling away and he gets into some small talk with the old timers while Merrdynn tends to his moose giving him a good brushing and feeding him some oats.

Jeet is chatting with old timers Myron Biggle and Red Wannamaker and he wants to get a feel of the place they are in and in their surrounding territories. He learns that there is no trade going on with Moonshadow since the Terror Dawgs roam the area and attack anything and everything that enters the area. The Terror Dawgs are mutanted Coyotes that have laid claim to the area and prefer the taste of anyone whose foolhardy enough to enter their domain.

After brushing, Merrdynn wanders around Salvation and inspects the sentry posts to find that they have a .50 caliber machine gun in the posts. He seems that maybe, just maybe it might be good to have one. But, Salvation’s peacekeeper tells him that none are for sale.

Merrydynn meets with Jeet to discuss their next course of action. They plan on heading up to Moonshadow to see if anything can be done with the Terror Dawgs, Jeet tells Merrdynn that there is only 30 members in this “gang” and they are pretty vicious, and maybe just maybe they ought to do something about it. Big Barda is by the garage as she is going over her vehicle “Ms. Mystery” since they are planning on heading out in the morning. Jeet and Merrdynn approach her and ask if she is willing to make a detour to Moonshadow, and she tells them that it’s heavily patrolled by the Terror Dawgs, then she says if they want to go she will take them since they had dealt with the Suns of Sudden and maybe just maybe they can do something about the Terror Dogs.

They decide to head to Moonshadow at the crack of dawn. They head to the bunkhouse and bed down for the night and when dawn arrives they eat a home cooked breakfast prepared by the boarding house cook and then they are on there way.

In the morning, Merrdynn decides to ride his moose, while Jeet gets in the vehicle in the back. Following the old highway towards Moonshadow and Merddynn sending his eagle up ahead as his eyes in the sky, the eagle returns and communicates with Merrdynn and lets him know there is a Terror Dawg outpost situated ontop of an old cloverleaf section of the highway.  Several vehicles have been piled up at each end of the cloverleaf and a makeshift hut is in the center.

Sentry Dawgs

Big Barda slows the car down. Jeet and Merrdynn decide to go in on foot and scout around, but the trouble is Merrdynn doesn’t hunker down low enough and is spotted by a sentry.

And thus he lets off a shot with a blunderbuss, the blunderbus boom echoes in the area alerting the other Terror Dawgs that trouble is here and they too spring into action as the other sentries begin to move in, and three Terror Dawgs come out of the shack and two of them climb into a dune buggy and peel away towards the post.

As the dune buggy approaches Merrdynn sends his moose in to do what it does best, go charging head down with it’s antlers and hit’s the vehicle broadside and knocking it over, it rolls a few times.

The Terror Dawgs that where on watch at their post move rather quickly, like dingos across the plain. It’s only a matter of minute or two before they are on our heroes with weapons drawn and ready to fight. And boy was there a fight to be had. It’s a fight that takes better part of the session and when it is all said and done, our heroes emerge victorious.

They decide to rest here and take inventory of what this outpost had and also to tend to their wounds as well.

-fini-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atomic Highway: Have A Safe Trip

*From July 8th 2017

Cast of Characters:
Merddyn Baruma, a feral beastmaster (Nathan)
Jeet Jeet, a Trog Scavenger (Darryl)

After a meeting with Greybeard Gunn, Jeet approaches Merddyn and tells him that whent hey return from their current trip that he plans on exploring the ruins of Edmund’s Ton City for this mystical See-Eff-Bee complex which is rumoured to hold a lot of ancient artifacts that just might come in handy.

They arrive at the gathering point where the caravan has fueled the tank with gas and have several vehicles ready to head out for the trip to Salvation. The big rig has been repaired, they four armoured vehicles tagging along as well as four cycles as well as a huge bus full of people wanting to head to Salvation.

Merddynn and Jeet decide to take their posts on the tanker, manning the crossbow weapon and also to keep eyes and ears open for any sudden attacks. Even though they have befriend  the Suns of Sudden there are still a lot of danger out there in the wasteland. Big Barda and her gunner, Slim Phantom, are ready to take the lead and they share a walk talkie with Jeet. Since Jeet would be slightly elevated and can see any sign of trouble and relay it back to them.

Merddynn assures them that his eagle and moose will be ready as well. Big Barda takes comfort in that after hearing the stories of these two beasts had done to the last group of people that tried to mess with the caravan.

The caravan leaves Markstown with a few of the Suns of Sudden tagging along just for good measure to make sure they leave the area safely, once they have reach the boundary the Suns will break off and return to Markstown. The caravan continues on a few more hours before deciding to hold up for the evening. Apparently, no one wants to mess with this group with the moose on guard and the eagle circling overhead acting as a drone. While Jeet and Merddynn are on watch they catch sight of movment off in the distance and they go to investigate and discover a feral child. He’s been living on his own and is wearing the hide of animals and has several sharp sticks on him.

They capture him and bring him into camp, the feral kid doesn’t say much other than grunt or bark at them. One of the caravan’s guard wants to put a bullet in the feral kid’s head to put him out of misery and just to be safe in the long run. Jeet thinks the kid just might be a loner and not working for anyone else and decides to let the kid go. The feral kid doesn’t want to go but decides to stay since there is food, warmth and people looking at him. Jeet says the kid just might be useful after all and decide to give the kid a name “Hoop”.

Dawn the next day the caravan breaks camp before sun up and hit the road, it looks like it’s going to be a long overcast day as chem storm rolls in. Black icky rain falls from the heaven, stinging exposed skin and making it even harder to watch the horizon. Using makeshift ponchos and wearing goggles they make their way across the terrain towards Salvation. Jeet, Merdynn and the rest suffer minor acid burns from the black tarry rain but there is nothing else had happened. Jeet summarizes that even bad guys don’t like to get caught in this “gunk”.

The arrive at a burnt out toll booth, the bridge is damaged as well and a good section had been blown up. The caravan stops and decides what to do next and Jeet and Merrdynn say they will see if the bridge can hold them because it will take another day to get to Salvation if they have to find a way to cross. The bridge is sturdy but they realize that only one vehicle at a time can cross and they decide to do that. There is nearly a mishap with the tanker as it got caught in a crumbling section of the bridge (due to the fact that the tanker was filled to the brim with gasoline), but everyone managed to help it across by tying a rope and heaving like they never heaved before.

As the last vehicle crosses they activate a mine that everyone else seemed to miss and it blows, the bridge and the vehicle go toppling into the gorge. After a quick prayer, the caravan heads out and reaches Salvation by night’s end.

Hoop is sticking close to Jeet’s side as they enter the ‘stead. Salvation is a small settlement in the heart of a nuked city’s ruins which is protected by a high , thick wall of reclaimed concrete and stone. An immaculate old church stands at the heart of the settlement and the caravan is greeted by Pastor David Wrens, the leader of the ‘stead.

Jeet, Merrdynn, Hoop, Big Barda and Slim Phantom don’t plan on sticking around and plan on heading back to Markstown in the morning. They get their reward for the trek, a good bed and a meal as well and a prayer from Pastor Wren thanking them for delivery the tanker without incident.

fini.

 

Atomic Highway: Mishap In Markstown

Cast of Characters:
Merddyn Baruma, a feral beastmaster (Nathan)
Jeet Jeet, a Trog Scavenger (Darryl)

Our adventure begins in Markstown.

It’s the destination that our heroes arrived at last session and once inside they discover that it’s a ‘Stead which cranks out oil, gasoline, and diesel. It’s a heavily fortified ‘Stead due to the oil well and refinery, the walls around the place is made from rusted metal sheeting, hunks of concrete, stone and iron, and has two huge watchtowers on either side of the town. There is only one way in and out of Markstown and that is a bridge over a huge oil-covered water-filled moat.

They are met at the gate by Liz O’Keefe, an amphibious mutant that is a sentinel in Markstown, and two other peacekeepers.  Jeet spots that tje watch tower has swung a flamethrower in their direction, the sentinel on duty has his finger by the trigger. As Liz inspects the tanker and questions the leader of the caravan; she also checks the contents of the tanker and is satisfied and grants them permission to enter.

The caravan moves towards the center of the stead greeted by cheers by several of it’s citizen due to the cargo that it carried. Greybeard Gunn, the leader of Markstown, arrives and congratulates them for saving the tanker truck and says that he will pay for their drinks at the bar.

Merddyn and Jeet are itching to hit the market square after finding out they will be here for a couple of days while the rig is under repairs from damage it took from the ambush. Merddyn wants to get armour for his moose; Hrothgar.  People are coming up to him and asking about what they heard about the moose and how it saved the caravan from being wiped out by “Sons of Sudden”. Merddyn does play up to that image.

They also notice a couple of men in an alley way looking at the moose and one of them points in the direction of the moose while disappearing into an alleyway.

Merddyn searches for a tanner, while Jeet stays with the moose. Merddyn meets with Derrik who is working on some furs and strikes up a conversation with im. Merddyn inquires about armour and Derrik thinks he can do it and they work out a suitable payment: bleach,  curtains, and several tubes of glue sticks. Derrik tells him it will take him two or three days to make but he’ll get right on it.

Jeet takes a tour through the vending stalls and he’s looking for some first aid kits and manages to find two for trade. He trades an alarming system for the kits. As Merddyn tends to his moose he is approached by a man who is willing to trade for the moose. Merddyn tells the stranger the moose is his companion. The man threatens Merddyn and man steps into the shadows. Merddyn sends his eagle to scare the fellow and it works like a charm and the man realizes that he is dealing with a beast master. Merddyn tells the fellow if he is hungry than chat with the caravan leader; they are looking for a few good men to help guard the caravan as it makes it way back to Salvation.

Jeet bumps into “Big Barda” she is a tough as nails road warden who has also signed out to the caravan heading back to Salvation. Since she’s been sitting in a place for far to long and was looking for a group to head out of town with. She has her own vehicle she calls “Tom-Tom”. The caravan leader tells them that he’s got a suite at “The Parkview” for at least three days until the rig is ready to hit the road once again. So Jeet and Merddyn head over while “Big Barda” and the caravan leader discuss payment.

The Parkview is a two story motel with guarded stables and sentries on duty which is a relief for Merddyn. They get to their room and choose a bunk and then lock up their gear in foot lockers before heading down to the dining hall and grabbing a bite to eat. As they do so, they notice a group of men at the bar glancing in their direction. Jeet realizes they are members of the Suns of Sudden and one of them is making his way towards the table.

As the biker approaches he reaches inside his vest pocket and says “This is for our fallen brothers…” Jeet is prepared to go into full battle mode, he alerts a waitress and asks her to go get the peacekeepers since their is going to be trouble. Jeet than is about to get the jump on the approaching biker when suddenly…

GM’s Note: The biker was about to toss a live grenade onto the table as an act of revenge for the gang members that died in the previous session. But, as the fellow was walking towards the table Nathan decided to cash in all his fortune for a Plot Twist. Which has Darryl at a loss for words, I never seen him so dumbfounded. 

The biker pulls out a very old bottle of whiskey and slams it down on the table and they drink the night away in a celebration of life. When the peacekeeper arrives and expecting to be bloodshed but finds the group drinking with several members of the Suns of Sudden and hashing out a plan to assist the peacekeeper in the area around Markstown.

Jeet discusses with Greybeard Gunn and discovers that Markstown was built near the ruins of an ancient city named “Edmund Ton’s City” and that there is rumoured to be a lost “See-Eff-Bee” base in the area as well. Which is said to hold a huge cache of weapons.

fini

 

Major Plot Twist

Last night’s session of Atomic Highway was indeed a fun one. There was suppose to be a  huge combat instead it turned into a celebration,  due to one of the players cashing in all his fortune dice for a major plot twist. Usurping the game in progress and making it a better tomorrow for the inhabitants of the town and surrounding areas.

It’s surprised the hell of the other player who was geared up for some combat but then whammo it all changed and I’ll go into more details in another blog.

 

Atomic Highway: Road To Nowheresville (Part 2)

Cast of Characters:
Merddyn Baruma, a feral beastmaster (Nathan)
Jeet Jeet, a Trog Scavenger (Darryl)

We picked up the action right where we left off. When Jeet and Merddyn had flagged down the approaching convoy and have warned them of a possible ambush ahead by The Sons of Sudden gang that want’s to take their cargo. The leader of the convoy, Reed, thanks them for the warning.

Jeet offers the three bikes to the convoy in order to book safe passage to Markstown. Reed accepts the offer and tells them they can be placed on the rig. Reed and his crew inspect their vehicles to make sure they are equipped to handle the assault if one should occur. Merddyn tends to his animals but is compelled to try out one of the bikes to get a feel for it, after a fellow from the convoy gives him the basic training on driving a bike.

Reed tells them they are ready to hit the road and should be in Markstown by the end of the day.  Jeet and Merddyn climb onto the rig. Jeet at the back, with a fellow who introducers himself as Roamer, and Merddyn at the front manning the ballista, with Roldgold, a grizzled old man who doesn’t take to kindly to strangers. Merddyn also takes the radio that the bikers had and keeps it tuned in so that he can hear anything and relay it to the driver of the rig.

Merddyn tells his moose, Hrothgar, to tag along side of the rig. While he sends his eagle, Terry, to soar ahead and keep eye out on anything peculiar. As the truck begins Jeet and Merddyn and begins to roll out, both of them nearly stumble from their post but manage to keep on the vehicle. The radio crackles and the voice on the other end wants to know if they any sign of convoy yet. Merddyn tells him “not yet”.

As they travel down the highway, Jeet notices that Roamer is jittery and every now and then his hands disappear into his coat. Jeet asks Roamer how long he’s been with the convoy and he tells him that only a couple of days now.  Roamer turns his back to Jeet and brings out a radio, from his angle Merddyn can see that Roamer is chatting with someone on walkie talkie. Sensing that something is up, Merddyn takes his walkie talkie and throws it at Roamer, a glancing blow off the chest. Jeet sees whats happening Roamer’s radio and he stabs him as well. Roamer falls off the truck and into the path of a dune buggy that’s trailing. The driver of the dune buggy is wondering what is going on and Jeet signals that it’s a trap!

Merddyn has doubts about the fellow he’s with, Roldgold, is shocked by Jeet’s action and says he didn’t trust that young whippersnapper, Roamer, in the first place.  That’s when Terry the Hawk signals with a sharp cry that bandits are approaching.

And so the fun really begins.

The lead dune buggy of the convoy with Reed in it, disappears into a pit and ends up crashing and burning from a man-made pit. As the Sons of Sudden attack the convoy.

*GM Note: The bulk of the session was this huge epic chase, along the same vein as The Road Warrior and Fury Road, with “The Sons of Sudden” approaching with three dune buggies, two motorcycles, and an armoured pick up with a .50 cal gun mounted on it.

It’s a chase across the country as the convoy heads towards Markstown and battling with Sons of Sudden’s raiding party.  Both sides are losing men left and right, and with Jeet staving off a boarding party on the rig as bullets line the sky like outline drawings to be coloured in red. Merddyn did manage to fire off two shots from the ballista which did some nasty damage as well.  But the major highlight of the session was Hrothgar’s carnage  which is pretty brutal. The charging moose with his antlers plowed into dune buggies and basically saving the day and clearing a path for the rig.

But when all is said and done the original convoy is cut down to just the rig and a motor cycle as the approach Markstown. The surviving members of the Sons of Sudden, which was not even two or three, back off and let the tanker truck roll on.

Crashed & Burned

Well, last night’s session of Atomic Highway crashed and burned. I should of figured the Easter Weekend would have thrown a monkey wrench into game night.  So, I ventured forth to Roll20 and work on an adventure there and ended up running a Tunnels & Trolls one shot which I will blog in full detail later.

Atomic Highway: Road to Nowheresville (Part I)

Atomic Highway, Map and dice raring to go.

Cast of Characters:
Merddyn Baruma, a feral beastmaster (Nathan)
Jeet Jeet, a Trog Scavenger (Darryl)

Jeet is a Trog scavenger who is currently rounding up some supplies at a ruined settlement, he is hoping to find something big so he can have bartering power with the enclave and the bartertown nearby. He’s in the middle of the ruins when he hears something in the wind and turns to see a Blood Hound gliding in.

Merddyn has been tracking a blood hound that attacked his clan and killing a couple members of his tribe, He’s been on the hunt for this beast now for several days and he know he is close very close to finding his prey.  Merddyn is riding a huge moose as a mount and he also has an eagle as his eyes and ears in the air. There is something happening in the burned out ruins of an old station nearby and Merddyn investigates.

Jeet rolls and in the process brings up his speargun to get a shot off since the Blood Hound didn’t get a surprise. Jeet hits the beast but it’s not enough to take him down but the creature does manage to get an attack in and sinking it’s fangs into Jeet. Jeet drops his spear and grabs a knife as Merddyn draws his bow and arrow and fires at the beast.  There is a scuffle indeed as the Blood Hound is outnumbered now and takes off, but it doesn’t get to far as Merddyn’s arrow sinks deep into the beasts torso and piercing it’s heart.

Jeet thanks Merddyn for his help and adds that he had it all under control.  Merddyn acknowledges this and dismounts as he draws a knife and then proceed to  skin the blood hound since he plans on keeping the pelt as a trophy.  Jeet knowing the dangers of traveling alone offers his assistance to Merddyn since they seem to be away from their respective homes and would maybe do better as a duo than being alone. Merddyn agrees and they both decide to set up camp for the night and proceed to the closest bartertown, which is called Markstown in the morning.

Jeet and Merddyn head off to Markstown in the morning, though they are travel 50 meters parallel from the highway. Jeet has managed to salvage two 50lbs bags of grain and has been carrying them in a makeshift stretcher. Which means he has to travel a few kms than rest then travel again. Merddyn patrols ahead, scanning and tracking as well, making sure they are not heading into trouble.

Hearing the sounds of motorcycles approaching, Merddyn signals to Jeet. Jeet then drops down to hide behind some shrubs while Merddyn follows suit, three raiders appear over a hill and zip along the wrecks on the highway, they slow down when they see an old barn standing and proceed down an old road to the barn.

Jeet and Merddyn think about what should do. Either they bypass the barn completely, or they go in and see what these riders are up too. They decide to investigate what the trio of riders are doing: they could be friend but maybe they are foes.

Jeet walks around the barn looking for a way in, a section at the back has given way and he sees it his opening. He signals to Merddyn that he is going in. He sneaks into the barn and smells the aroma of baked beans. One of the riders has set up a Coleman stove and has a pot of beans cooking on it. A two way radio sits on the hood of an old tractor.

Jeet overhears them chatting about a “shipment” headed this way and is confirmed by the two way radio. One of the fellows decides to “shake the weasel” and leaves the barn. Jeet heads outside to signal Merddyn about the biker. Merddyn reads the signal as to attack and he sends in his eagle to do just that. The eagle’s talon rips into the fellows face and this is where the fun begins.

Jeet overhears the man screams which alerts his buddies as well. Jeet pops up and fires his spear gun and hits one of the fellows inside the barn. The fellow outside draws a machete as the eagle comes in for a second attack; it scores another nasty hit. Merddyn finishes off the fellow with a bow shot.

Inside the barn Jeet is battling one of the fellows in a machete/knife fight and it gets nasty.  The fight goes on for a few more rounds as Merddyn rushes in and after the dust settles it’s just our heroes that are left standing.

They decide to set up camp for the night, dragging the bodies of the raiders away from the barn (as to not attract any other predators to the location) and do an inventory of what they had. It’s like they hit the jacpot!

The pick up a machete, a knife, a crossbow with a few bolts, one Coleman Stove, 7 cans of Beans, 2 cans of spam, 3 canteens of water, 1 wine-skin, a walkie talkie and a can of mystery, also 3 canisters for the Coleman stove.

The bikers belong to a gang a symbol of a sun in a clenched fists, Jeet thinks they might be with the “Suns of Sudden” gang that is a pretty “evil” bunch to begin with. The walkie talkie squelches and someone is asking for Baker and any sign of activity yet.

Jeet bluffs and says not yet. The voice on the other ends says when they do spot it they will relay it so that they can set up the ambush at Kelvin Pass. It’s there they can transfer the shipment to their base.

Merddyn and Jeet discuss their options over a bowl of baked beans and they wait til morning to inspect the bikes outside. After a good night’s rest they are up early and see the bikes have a deadman’s switch on it and luckily Jeet diffuses it. They have three bikes but none of them have a drive skill. Off in the distance they can hear the sound of a semi approaching. They go out to the highway and see a convoy approaching. Two dune buggies, three motorcycles and a huge rig. Jeet waves them to slow down and the convoy stops. The lead dune buggy approaches; the lanky passenger in black leather and wearing goggles seems to be in command. He asks what is the meaning of this?

Our heroes explain to him what had happened and what the communication from the walkie talkie has inquired. That the “Suns of Sudden” are waiting at Kelvin Pass to ambush the convoy.  The dune buggy leader asks them what they want for exchange of information and both Jeet and Merddyn say “safe passage to Markstown”.

… to be continued…