Futuristic Nuclear Winter Wonderland

[Apple Thief]

Summary

​

In the wild lands of Wisconsin, frontiersmen struggle to survive in a land permanently locked in Nuclear Winter. While food and shelter is plentiful, the irradiated wildlife has grown vicious and the environment will kill you if you underestimate it; Super Cells spanning miles instantly freeze anything caught within them and the biggest one of all surrounds the malfuctioning Vault-Tec weather machine in Milwaukee. But be warned, a savage garden of monsters inhabit the underground tunnels and railroads if you choose to seek shelter below!​

​

Meanwhile, the Enclave wages total war against the Robot Liberation Front, a faction created from the remains of the recently disbanded army of The Calculator. As tensions rise across the blood soaked snow, the remains of the Master's Army that fled north force the aging stragglers of the Brotherhood chapter that chased them to pick up their guns once more with sightings of new Super Mutants raiding the wastes.​

​

Your tale begins behind the scrap iron barricade of Little China, a Chinese-American internment camp turned settlement. You have clothes, a gun, three stimpacks, and a handful of bottle caps with which to stake your claim. What life will you choose to lead in this lawless wasteland of ice and snow?​

 

[Apple Thief]

~~~You may now begin posting~~~​

 

[Apple Thief]

It was hard to tell that it was the end of the world with all of the hustle and bustle in Little China; what had started out as a well defended Chinese-American Internment camp for World War 3 became a prosperous apocalypse settlement when the bombs dropped. It's defenses and caches of food and guns were the garnish on the side of just how convenient the location was; near enough to main cities to loot without being caught in the blast. This meant scavenging was very ideal and Little China soon became a hub of commerce which only attracted more people within decades of the global collapse. Our story begins in a quiet corner of Ogre Street, a dead-end road that leads to a corner of the settlement where poorer establishments set up shop. Not being on the main road meant business was harder to come by, but anyone that came this way paid for the peace and quiet it offered rather than the services rendered.

It was here that Chin Po was busy boiling pots of oils and noodles in his tiny roadside stall for a singular customer on a quiet afternoon. The stranger wore skins and furs and kept to himself, but that's what Chin liked; that was a sign of respect around here. "...and respect deserves to be returned."​ The stall owner offered a small meal to the stranger free of charge-- judging by his weathered musket, this man most likely contributed to the settlement in meaningful ways. "In town to trade furs, stranger?" Chin spoke softly, not wanting to ruin the peace.

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4​

Jeb​

Jeb looked up at the owner, grizzled eyes thanking him for his hospitality. "Fur don't come till after winter. 'M here for supplies an' see if anyone 'round needs a good tracker an' such. Jeb said as he laid more than the meals worth in caps on the table and pushed it towards the owner. "I'll have what spirits you got too, 'f you don't mind. Heard anyone needin' help 'round here?"

 

[Apple Thief]

"I appreciate your business..." Chin replied, scooping the caps off the table with a gnarled hand and into a bucket held below, "...and as it were, you came at a good time for work. There's a lot of people that require aid here; groups looking for skilled looters, scavengers to be rescued, monsters to be put down. Lots of work. I think I recall that Our Leader is looking for skilled hands of all sorts for a special project. Of course, the really good stuff happens away from main street, if you catch my drift..." He accented his last few words with a subtle emphasis as he slowly poured a small glass of whiskey. Normally he used the cheaper alcohol when dealing with his customers, but it only felt natural to raise the standard when the customer did. A man who pays his dues on Ogre Street wasn't just looking to get drunk.

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3​

Jeb​

With an understanding eye, Jeb nodded to the owner. "Where'd I find this leader a' your'n?" He asked, taking another look around the bar to make sure they were alone.

 

[Apple Thief]

"Shshsh, not so loud!" Chin whispered vehemently, a shadow falling across his wrinkled face, "You do not just find Leader, it's--" before he finished, the stall owner leaned back quickly to see if anyone was around to hear before returning inside, "--it's not safe to just talk about him out loud. See, there isn't an official leader in charge here, but if there was, it was would be... errr... Lo Pan..." As Chin Po spoke the name of the infamous Leader, he hacked and coughed and used that distraction to discretely make the sign of an 'X' over his heart, "I was joking when I referred to him, I assumed you knew who he was." Even through the clouds of steam partially concealing the old man's face, it was clear that he was genuinely concerned about the conversation at hand. He continued, "When people disappear here, it's because they made an enemy of Leader. If he wants your talents, he will use you. Cross him, and he will use your head as a warning to others. Besides, nobody even knows who he is or where he's at. But if you keep showing your face and making a name for yourself here, he will certainly find you. If you really want to meet him, you may have to get your hands dirty first."

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3​

Jeb​

"Alrighty then, just point me in the direction of work. If its gotta be dirty, its gotta be." Jeb said with an understanding stare. He knew that dirty work usually meant someone didn't come home, but he understood that the world he lived in was just that sort of place and all he could do about it was try not to be the one to get dead. He resigned himself to whatever work would come his way, good or bad.

 

[Apple Thief]

"Best way to get in with him is to help his friends. A lot of Leader's lackeys enjoy the finer things in life. The kinds of finery that makes you feel real good and happy, but it's not exactly street legal." Chin explained by using his fingers to make quotation marks, "Sometimes I hear things, like a secret deal going down on Leader's turf without any intention of giving him his due. That's good for money, but bad for business." This was the tricky part.​ "Now..." Chin began again slowly, "Myself, I'm not in with Him. I'd like to be, it's good for business especially, but I lack the skills and I'm old now. Now, you? I feel like you're the kind of guy who has the talent. We've both got something the other needs." "What do you say? My know how and your muscle. Why don't we... make a deal?"​

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3​

Jeb​

Jeb thought deeply about this mans offer. He didn't normally work with other people. He didn't especially like working with other people, but he knew full well that this back-street bartender probably had enough know how to get the both of them into the right position in this town. As long as he didn't dare trust the man. Not wanting to refuse outright and miss this oppourtunity, yet not wanting to agree to a deal that might turn sour. "Well, what d'ya have in mind?" Jeb said, trying to gauge the man's intentions.{Perception check}(+2)

 

[Apple Thief]

Perception Success!​ +25 Experience Gained​ The old man Chin Po appears to be telling the truth, but he's showing clear signs of indecisiveness. He seems to have been holding on to this information for his own use which would look bad if exposed. He trusts you enough to make the offer, but there seems to be potential for you to make like a bandit by ruining his reputation with Lo Pan.

"In two day's time, in an abandoned pre-war bunker, Jim Hoss and his boys are going to make a drug deal with another gang. There's multiple ways in, making it ideal for escaping if things go south. It's also hidden, so we may have to find a way in." Chin began to relax, his furrowed brows and sharp creases resting against his weathered skin. He felt he could trust this stranger, even though they had only just met. He had an authority to him that could only come from experience. There was a measure of security to that. "I'm Chin Po, unaffiliated with any local colors. Who are you, stranger? I'd like to know a little bit about you if we're going to be partners."​ ​ ​

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb​

Extending his hand to be shaken, "I'm Jebediah Crane, folks call me Jeb. Glad to meet you." He said. "Now, this deal goin' down. If there's no way to find this Leader fella before then, you think there might be any way to get to one of these groups before the deal? Or do they even know how to identify each other? These folks won't be happy to see us if we stop in on their little party right in the middle, and I don't much like the idea of havin' to fight two gangs at once. So if you say you've got some know-how, then how do we get those drugs and get em' to this Leader without them knowin'?"

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (25/1000 XP)​

Jeb looked at all his options carefully. "Hmm, well I sure don't wanna fight 'em all at once, so that out. Puttin' bombs and traps all over the place would be easy but we'd just end up blowin' up all the drugs and have nothing to show to Lo Pan. It sounds like this Lo Pan guy is pretty hard to find, so the deal might be done by the time we do find him. Gettin' invited to one of the gangs might work, but we'd have to be watchin' our backs the whole time since we know that we're gonna screw these guys over. I'd put that on a back-burner and only do it if necessary. It sounds like sneakin' in is the best option. Worst case we still only got one gang to deal with. And if it goes off without a hitch then we got time to find this Lo Pan feller and he'll take care of the rest a' his people after that. No reprisal, no one knows. I'd say let's do that. Now, we need to know what the inside of that place looks like, and what we're gonna be gettin'. I'm talkin' what and how much. Keep in mind that all we need is evidence that these guys are gonna double cross Lo Pan. So if we can't get the full take then that's fine. We're gonna need maps too. What it looks like and if we can get it, what their patrols look like and what hardware they got set up. If you can get maps that'd be perfect, but if not then get some people. I'd rather have the least amount of people know as we can. Got all that? Now is there anything that you need me to do to get this ready?

 

[Apple Thief]

"There's a couple of ways we can handle this. If you think of anything to add, just chime in all quick like." Chin Po began. As he spoke, he cleared a space on the table and grabbed a handful of utensils and caps to make a diagram with. "We could show up guns blazing. They'd both think they double crossed each other and it'd be a free for all. We could get word to Leader somehow and have him show up with us, even. Orrrrr..." The elderly man stroked his long, wispy goatee lovingly, "We could show up before they do and rig the place. Heck, we could even sneak into Jim's place and steal the drugs from under their nose. Or we help one gang and then turn tables on the rest. Any ah'this soundin' good to you?"

Option 1: Guns blazing (Combat, no other skill challenges foreseeable) Option 2: Contact Lo Pan for assistance (Combat with reinforcements, potential Perception or Charisma checks or bribes) Option 3: Rig the bunker with traps (Potentially Perception or Intelligence checks) Option 4: Infiltrate gang and backstab (Several rolls, combat) Option 5: Sneak into hideout and steal drugs (Several rolls, potentially some combat) Option 6+: ? ? ?

 

[Apple Thief]

"There aren't exactly floor plans for the building they hide in and I've never been in there, personally speaking..." Chin Po said, "But we might be able to find one of his old buddies at a local bar, The Tipsy Riverjack. His name's Dumb Kelso and he left because of all the harassment. He used to be Handsome K, but Jim just wouldn't let things be on account of some sort of fight they had over a woman. I'm sure he'd tell us everything he want to know after a few swigs of beer; he's pretty disgruntled about it. If you don't want to spend time doing that, though, we could always just wing it and sneak in. Well, you could wing it. They'd hear my knees creak a mile away."

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 180
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (25/1000 XP)​

"Alrighty then, if that's the only option for us, take me to him." Jeb did't necessarily trust this bartender, and certainly did't trust this former con. He intentionally let Chin Po walk in front of him, and kept his eyes open for anything and everything around, waiting for a few minuites outside the bar while Chin Po went inside. Looking through the windows, trying to see what manner of people frequented the bar, he also wanted to get a good look at this man that Chin was going to meet. After seeing him, Jeb went inside, avoiding Chin and the man, sitting covertly at a table not far away, just close enough to hear whatever words might be passing between them.{Perception check}(+2)

 

[Apple Thief]

Perception Success! +25 Experience Gained​ Jeb's body language and natural social instincts allow him to blend in with the bar patrons, other trappers and trackers and hunters, without alerting Chin or Kelso to his presence. This gives him the advantage of sitting close enough to hear everything that the two men are saying without blowing his cover. Unfortunately, it's not quite the information they were looking for.

Kelso was easy to spot, his shrunken frame slouching in the dim barlight and his jerking, jittery limbs making the other bar patrons scooch further away. Were it not for the intelligent gleam in his crystal blue eyes, you'd never have known this man had once been Handsome Kelso. He appears sickly, almost as if some disease or several were ravaging his body. Nobody in the room is talking about it, which makes it even more heartbreaking; the slow, painful death of a stranger. "Holy... K, what happened to you?!" Chin exclaimed, his hands in the process of figuring out what to do with themselves, "You... you look awful. Who did this to you? Why? Why did this happen--?? You need to see a doctor! You need--" Kelso stopped Chin in his tracks with a single look: a gaze of absolute despair. He opened his mouth as though to speak, but no words would come. He could only grunt and make crude gestures with his trembling hands, which he used to explain he didn't want to be bothered as he slipped into the bottom of a bottle. The elderly man spent minutes trying to speak to his young and troubled friend before quietly giving up... but as he scooted his chair back and stood up to leave, Kelso's hand suddenly shot out and shoved something into Chin's hand before returning to his dance with excess. A small, folded up map of Jim Hoss' gang hideout in the western end of town.​

Item(s) gained: Jim's Hideout Map Picture of a young man playing baseball with a child​ This small, unassuming piece of paper has a clean drawing of Jim Hoss' Hideout; where to find it, how many ways in and out, and what rooms are used for what. It gives a detailed rundown of how many people live there, where the weapons are stored, and where patrols and guards are posted. Potentially unimportant, there is a small phrase circled on the room where the drugs are stored stating 'Pretty Lady'. There is also a picture of an unassuming asian man playing baseball with a little boy, but there seems to be no information about them on the postcard or from Chin and Kelso.

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 150
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (25/1000 XP)​

Overhearing this, Jeb walked over to the table and takes the note from Chin. Seeing what is on it and what has happened to Kelso, he waved the bartender over and laid down 30 caps on the table. "Make sure this gentleman drinks for the rest of the evenin'." He said, exchanging understanding glances with the man withering inside a bottle. Folding the paper and putting it inside his pocket, Jeb ushers Chin outside, leaving the disparaging Kelso to his chosen fate. "I know we're both takin' a lot on faith, trustin' each other even a little. Neither of us really trusts the other, but I got somethin' to ask of ya'. Stay out a' the rest o' this business 'till it's done. I don't want you gettin' in my way, and neither one of us wants to worry that we're bein' double crossed by the other. If you learned anything about me in there, you know I'm as good as my word. Let me handle the rest an' if you don't hear nothin' just believe it's 'cause I'm dead. Once I finish this business and get a meetin' with Lo Pan I'll put in my two cents about you. He'll know that your'e useful, an' we'll never have to worry about dealin' with each other again. Sound fair to you?" Jeb asked, extending his hand to Chin as an olive branch and a farewell. Hoping that Jeb's own fears and distrust would be solved after his response.{Charisma check}(0)

 

[Apple Thief]

Charisma Failed!​ Negative Consequences​ Chin's current emotional state is far more powerful than Jeb's cowboy speech and he refuses to listen to reason.​

Chin Po didn't shake Jeb's hand.​ "It's not just about getting in with Lo Pan anymore, Jeb." Chin said as a shadow crossed over his face, "Kelso... he meant more to me than you could understand. Something happened to him in Jim's gang. I didn't approve when he joined, but I knew he could take care of himself. He was a smart kid. I figured he was fine because I hadn't seen him in awhile and I was happy when I heard he left, but this? I didn't think things had come to this. I don't think he wanted me to know..." As his sentence trailed off, Chin's eyes shone with a dull light, as thought contemplating something tragic. "I was going to sit this one out, but now I've got a good reason to visit the hideout. Once we get there, we're parting ways; you can get the drugs and I can do something worth writing home about for once. I won't go down as a lowly noodle shop stall owner. Not after this."​

Item(s) lost:​ 1) 30 caps​ 1) Jeb spent 30 caps to pay Kelso's tab at The Tipsy Riverjack.​

[/size][/font]

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 2
Armor: 4
Caps: 150
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (50/1000 XP)​

Jeb lowered his hand and nodded his head. He understood what this meant to Chin. "You gotta do what you think is right. I ain't gonna stand in yer way. But if yer gon' do this then do it smart. You ain't no good to your friend's honor gettin' dead. I say you go get what you need to get, we'll meet a block away from Jim's place at midnight tonight, we'll go in together. After that you do what you gotta' do. What d'ya say old man? Jeb stared straight into Chin's eyes, hoping that the fire behind them would cool enough to see simple reason. If only so Chin wouldn't go barging in and ruin Jeb's own plan.

 

[Apple Thief]

Criminal Jim's Hidden Hideout some time after midnight​ ​ It was here that Chin begrudgingly shook Jeb's hand. He could not be swayed from infiltrating the hideout, but it made sense to play his cards right if he was going to do something foolish. With the dull light in his eyes replaced with cold steel, Chin Po parted ways and made his preparations to invade Jim Hoss' place. As the wintery day turned to frigid night, our story resumed once more, this time a block away from their target's base of operations. ​ ​ It was here that the hunched figure of an old man sat quietly in a nearby alleyway. He was clutching a weathered revolver in his shaking hands, waiting for his partner in crime to arrive. ​

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 1d12+1
Armor: 4
Caps: 150
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (50/1000 XP)​

Walking up beside Chin, Jeb hands him the picture on the back of the map. "I been lookin' at that map all day but I did some starin' at this here too. That there's you an' Kelso, ain't it?" Jeb looked right at Chin, the expression on the old man's face as he looked at the faded photo was all Jeb needed for an answer. Taking the picture and putting it inside Chin's breast pocket, Jeb placed his hand on Chin's shoulder to steady his shaking frame. "Remember why 'yer doin' this. The drugs can wait, now let's go get that dirty, rotten 'sumbitch what messed up 'yer boy. You ready to go old man?" Jeb's face was steely as he said this, but there was a kindness to his eyes. He knew he couldn't just sit by and let such an injustice simply pass by him. He knew how endless a father's rage could be, and he aimed to make sure that Chin didn't miss his mark tonight. With new resolve they set off for the safest way into the gang's hideout. Tonight, Jim Hoss would die by their hands.

 

[Apple Thief]

Showdown at the Old Factory

​

The primary goal is to steal the drugs and leave the hideout, but according to the map, there are a number of things that might be worth checking out in this hideout. Jim's gang has around 5 members, including Jim himself, and you may run into one or all of them inside of their base. The building they're holed up in is an old textile workshop that was used by prisoners during their incarceration, so basically a miniature factory with old, rusty machinery everywhere making it an ideal place to sneak through as there is a lot of cover. Below is a list of places of interest:​

Points of Interest

​

Factory Floor: You must pass through here to go from one area to the next unless you can find another way around. This room is filled with machinery and furniture and the Foreman's Office stands in the back overlooking the entire room. Once you walk through the main doors, you'll see the raised Foreman's Office on the other end of the room connected to catwalks that circle the entire room. In the middle right of the room is a hallway that connects to the Worker's Quarters and across from that is the Storage Room. To the middle left of the Factory Floor is a door that leads to a stairway that connects the Workshop/Generator Room.

Foreman's Office: This is where Jim Hoss himself sleeps and also where extra guns and ammo are kept. You may find evidence of the shady deal going down here as well as other interesting documents being used by the gang.

Old Storage Room: This is where the drugs are most likely kept as it was built to stay cool and dry and preserve delicate product inside. It is filled with old machinery, lockers, crates, etc. Because of it's natural sterility, the gang has also made a makeshift hospital inside of the storage room, so you may find medical supplies here.

Worker's Quarters: This is where the gang primarily sleeps, eats, and spends their free time when they're laying low. While you may face multiple people here, you can easily gain the spoils of each individual gang member if you can clear it out.​

Points of Entry

​

Open Door to Factory Room: The main entrance is most likely unlocked and is the most convenient way in, but it can be seen from the Foreman's Office. While this may not sound ideal, it isn't all that dangerous of an entrance as it is most likely not being guarded at this time of night.

Worker's Quarters Window: There's a small window inside of the Worker's Quarters so that residents could smoke during their off hours. You may have to wriggle and squeeze to get through it, but even a large grown man could fit through it. Just be careful of the sleeping gang members.

Locked Door to Generator Room: Fire code dictates that the lower area workshop needs a way out in case of a fire on the factory floor which could block workers from coming up and leaving through the main entrance, so they created a cellar door style escape route for workers down below.

Window above Factory Floor: If you can climb up, you may enter through windows on the roof and gain a vantage point from catwalks on the roof that connect to the Foreman's Office so that he could walk around from above and observe his workers as they worked. Just be really careful using the ladder up, it's rusty and it could fall over and cause quite the ruckus​

 

[Powerful Labyrinth]

Attack: 1d12+1
Armor: 4
Caps: 150
Stimpacks: 3
HP: 10​

Jeb
LV1 (50/1000 XP)​

{perception check on ladder}(+2)"You think you can climb that rickety thing old man?" Jeb asked as he surveyed the ladder himself. {If ladder is unclimbable, look for adjacent roofs to jump from.}

 

[Apple Thief]

Perception Success! +50 Experience Gained​ Jeb's keen eye spots a fatal flaw in the rusty ladder and he points it out to Chin Po: it's not bolted to the wall anymore. A slight adjustment to allow the ladder to lean on the wall is enough to keep it from falling, but climbing up without having done that would've caused bodily harm. Even worse, it would've caused a racket that people could hear for a block in all directions.

After a minute of slowly climbing to dampen the sound of boots on metal rungs, Chin Po climbed to the top of the ladder and quickly surveyed the roof. Unfortunately, he spied something that would cause a complication: an unknown figure smoking outside of the stairway that leads to the catwalk. Thanks to his stealthy climbing, though, the figure didn't notice his presence and Chin quietly motioned to Jeb below someone was up there before climbing up and hiding behind an air conditioning box. He held the revolver to his chest to muffle the sound of him cocking it, but prayed he wouldn't have to use it.