Rifts Adventure IC

[Psychie]

Terra looks over at Eron and says, "I have several of those crystals, one on each of my Automations. They have proven to be quite useful, so I would heartily recommend you get at least one, if not two to go with both of the swords you have. For my own part, I would get one more for my own sword, but I lack the funds for it. I'll end up making due with one of the ones off of my Automations if I can, and if not, I'll handle the bad guys with my blade as-is. Those Battle Fury swords do quite a lot of harm to the bad guys, so I should be set no matter what."

 

[Silanon]

"Should pick up two, then, if the gems allow for it. Got two swords, after all, and they'll both be of use. And maybe with all the things we don't need, we could also cover your sword as well? Just would need someone interested in all the stuff we found - not like we'll need all the vehicles anytime soon, for example."

 

[Purr]

Snowfall thought long at the accumulated piles and collections of sellable items Terra's Terminators had come across during their memorable and daunting adventures. "Yeah... just what do we want to sell off?"

 

[Sherwood]

Just to recap what you were able to recover from the bunker:

There are six suits of what appear to be some kind of variant of the Glitter Boy suit that you have never seen before, one of which was claimed by Eron.
Two suits of Triax Ulti-Max Powered Armor
Four Hunter Mobile Gun Assault Mecha
and two X-545 Super Hunter Mecha

You are able to sell some or all of this as you wish.

 

[Purr]

Plus all of the vans and tractor trailers, right? I remember a number of vehicles we got out of there.

 

[Sherwood]

Yes, those too, but they will not fetch as good a price as the Mega Damage mecha will.

 

[Sherwood]

As the negotiations continue, Moloch invites the group to join him for a meal. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit hungry, and when I get hungry, it distracts me from my work. If you would like to join me, I assure you that my chef has exceptional skills, and we can continue our discussions."

Along with Emma, he stands up and leads you into a comfortable dining room with plush chairs and a large hardwood table. Moloch takes a seat at the head of the table, and Emma hops up into a seat that is obviously made for her and her short stature, and she pulls out a datapad, ready to take notes for her employer.

Moloch tells you all, "Feel free to ask for whatever it is that you would like. We can eat and enjoy a drink or two. I have already canceled my other appointments for the day, so my time is all yours."

 

[Psychie]

Terra is quite pleased to see that Moloch is rolling out the red carpet for them to be able to shop and negotiate with him without the worry of interruptions. Of course, it helps to have the good word of Lord Brazamal to smooth the gears, not to mention the disgusting amount of money that is changing hands here. She is of the belief that they are not getting top dollar for the mecha that they are trading in, and if they were to push, they might be able to get a little bit more funds, but Moloch needs to be able to earn a profit from this transaction, too. He'll be able to resell these suits for top dollar, and everyone is happy.

The invite to stay for a meal is accepted with thanks, and as Terra eats, she is busy thinking of other stuff to get for her and the team. "Mr. Moloch, do you also have connections in the personnel field? I am interested in getting a good mechanic to keep the Badger and our other powered suits working at top efficiency. Probably will need a Techno Wizard for the Badger, since we are getting the various upgrades to it, and a skilled driver and gunner for the Badger, too. I am willing to offer you a finders fee to make this happen in good time. The job will pay well."

 

[Sherwood]

As everyone eats, the Ecto-man is putting away a hefty amount of food, even if you have no idea how he is managing to eat and drink without a mouth! When Terra asks about hiring on some good people to be a mechanical team and driver/gunner of the Badger, Moloch motions to her with a half-eaten chicken leg and says, "Of course I know a few people that might just fit the bill. It will take a few days to round up some good candidates for you to meet with, but it can be done. It will, however, cost a bit more for a rush job. It all depends on how much time you are willing to wait, and how picky you are with the ones you take on."

 

[Psychie]

Terra replies with, "The sooner, the better, but I don't want to be dealing with subpar candidates. With the work that we're getting done to the Badger, I would have to say that we are looking at at least a week before we can get on the road, so we have until then. What we have to get done for Lord Brazamal is somewhat time sensitive, so the longer we wait, the more likely we are going to be met with a mission failure, and failure is not an option."

 

[Sherwood]

Moloch says, "Yes, a week to get the Badger upgraded does sound about right. I know a couple of Techno Wizards that can do the trick no problem. That will give me enough time to introduce you to a few people for hire." He looks over at the dwarf woman next to him and says, "Why don't you start making some calls? You know the people I want."

"Yes, sir. At once."

 

[Silanon]

For the most part, Eron seems solely focused on blending in between people who are much more used to dinners than one like him could ever be. The food's good, of course, and so are drinks and company; but the world of homely comfort isn't where he's really at ease.

"Would be good, to get it done in time. Always a hassle when the car gets blown up. A week's pretty long, though, I'd say, lots of time... how long for the other things? Equipment, the swords? There's only so much one can do to prepare..." A short pause. "And how would the crystal thing work, exactly? One of the swords isn't quite mine, I'd say; it serves a higher purpose than any one bearer would. Wouldn't want to leave it here, if ti can be helped - no offense. It helped to stop him, you know..."

 

[Purr]

"What about a powerful silenced energy rifle for taking down goons quietly?" Snowfall mused aloud between nibbles. "Lasers are naturally quiet but often bright." Snowfall continued munching, his body language including everyone when they spoke, especially Eron. He left the crystal conversation though between those who knew better, for while he knew their purpose, he didn't make them or know how they were created, and for the moment, that kept him from speaking up in the hopes that someone who knew more, would.

 

[Psychie]

Terra rubs at her chin and says, "If we want quiet, I'd go melee. Use a sword or something along those lines to cut down a target instead of risking a rifle shot. Save the guns for when stealth is no longer an option. That's my two credits worth of thought for you."

 

[Purr]

The Kitsune's reply as his silver chopsticks reach for a dumpling is casual. "That assumes melee is an option. If crossing a barrier, entering a vehicle, or some other movement would chance setting off an alarm, I'm better off not trying at all - remember, I'm not the heavy hitter other people in this team are!" Snowfall winks at Miss Terra as he indicates the Atlantean and Eron.

"And besides, sneaking up on somebody close enough to stab them is definitely more difficult than sneaking up into rifle range and sniping them. Mystic Healer? I've got you covered. Tai Chi Master? I'm your fuzzball. But ninja? I'd leave that to the, er, turtles as it were." Snowfall grins. "I'm much more comfortable with a ranged energy rifle that can knock a typical baka down with a well-placed shot. I think it's a fox thing. My people let the wolves, tigers, dragons, and Atlanteans, and do all of the fussy melee stuff."

"You know? I really think we could use another strong melee-capable person in the team should we ever come across another. I'm happy hiding behind your big boys than being upfront any day!"

 

[Sherwood]

After several long hours of negotiating, Moloch glances down at his watch. "Oh my. Look at the time. It has taken so long, it has really eaten up the day with us working together. I have your contact information and will be sending you several applicants for driver and gunner positions to help you get to your destination in one piece. The time it takes to get the work done on the Badger should be more than enough to see you on your way with little disruption on your schedule."

Heading back out to the surface, the Ecto-man bids you all a fond farewell. "I will have delivery of your items you have ordered within twenty four hours to Lord Brazamal's manor, and if there are anything else you need, don't hesitate to contact Emma and she can contact me directly."

 

[Psychie]

Terra thanks Moloch for everything that he has done for them. "I do appreciate the time you have put aside for us, Mr. Moloch, and I look forward to seeing just how well our new gear works for us on our run down south. If there is any future business to be done by us here in Dweomer, I will make sure to bring it to your attention first. Let this be the beginning of a very profitable friendship."


Heading out of the underground complex, she gives Snowfall and Eron a smile. "Well now. I don't know about you fellows, but I am thinking that the Coalition will have its hands full with us once we get to the Lone Star complex. We just need to get the work finished on the Badger, pack our gear, and be on our way."

 

[Sherwood]

It takes just over a week before you get the requested work done on the Badger and get the large vehicle back from the Techno Wizard that is working on it to start packing your gear inside the cavernous cargo hold. Once the delivery is made, the wizard shows you how to use the various enhancements that he added to the vehicle and makes sure that you are all sufficiently impressed with his work before leaving you to your packing.

Soon enough, our intrepid heroes are on the road, heading south on an old highway, putting miles behind you as you are on your way to the Lone Star Complex.

There are few encounters of note as you go along, all of which are easily taken care of by a group of adventurers with your skill.

It is currently mid-afternoon when you are shaken from the dull drone of the tires on the pavement by a call from the driver. "Hey everyone. Heads up. There is a fairly large fire burning up ahead, looks like several small structures are involved."

Your topside gunner calls back, "I've got eyes on it, too. It looks like it is some kind of farm on fire. With my zoom optics, I can see a single figure walking about, apparently gathering up bodies and laying them out next to one another. I get the vibe that whatever it is that has happened here is long over, and we're just seeing the aftermath."


WlfSamurai
Another farm is burning, the third one this week that you've come across. At least this one is not as large as one of the others you found before, but the casualty count is upwards of sixty people. Your first thought was that this was the work of vampires, but this attack was done during the day, and it was by something big, not a handful of wild vamps going nuts. You can tell that it was a large creature that did this because of the massive clawed tracks that you've come across, and the fact that there are several buildings that were flattened by whatever-it-was that did this.

So far, you have not run into any survivors of these attacks, which is rather horrifying when you consider that there are children among the casualties. None were spared, perhaps due to the fact that there were some that tried to fight back against the thing that did this. Whatever it was that did this was tough and fast, as can be evidenced by the fact that the handful of defenders of the farm were using older MDC style firearms to try and fight back, weapons that were left by the bodies of the fallen.

As you are gathering up bodies, you perk up when your sharp eyes catch sight of a large armored vehicle driving raising some dust along the old highway heading in your direction. It is not a Coalition transport, but instead you believe it is a product of the Northern Gun series of armored transports. It is cruising along at probably fifty-sixty miles per hour, and is just about a mile out from where you are at the moment.

Considering how exposed you are, it is likely that you have been spotted by the crew of the transport.

 

[Psychie]

Terra sits up straighter from the half doze she was in at the notice of the fires up ahead with a frown. She makes sure that both Eron and Snowfall were up, then says, "Take us in nice and slow. If there is trouble, I don't want to just jump into it blindly." As she talks, she pulls out her Nova Rifle and tosses it over to the Infiltrator Automation, and then snags her Force Cannon for good measure.

After checking her weapons, she says, "We go in hoping for the best, but plan for the worst. Lets see how well our new TW enchantments on the Badger work." With that, Terra activates both the Impervious to Energy spell and the Protective Force Field. Finally, she makes her way to one of the vision slits and pulls out her Crystal Eye and peeks though it, both to see this one individual for herself, and also to check out if there are any invisible beings in the area.

 

[Sherwood]

Psychie how many PPE do you pump into the Protective Force Field? It is 10 PPE per 50 MDC protection.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Damn. Exposed. Still too much work to do here, but he hadn’t kept his head on a swivel. Too late now.

Daggon takes a deep breath and raises his face to the sky. Might as well lean into it at this point. Roll out the red carpet. He stands up from where he was examining the edges of the massive tracks and brushes the dirt from his hands. Hefting Dragon Thunderer onto his shoulder, he mounts his hover-cycle and fires it up. He slings the warhammer in its custom pouch, perfectly crafted so the Dragon’s head is upright and forward, and guns the cycle toward the road on an intercept course.

When he’s close enough, he raises his hand—open, unarmed—in a friendly signal to see what response the transport has.

 

[Psychie]

Psychie how many PPE do you pump into the Protective Force Field? It is 10 PPE per 50 MDC protection.

I'll put 20 PPE for a 100 MDC force field from the Badger's battery.

 

[Purr]

Earlier...

Before they left Moloch's company, Snowfall gave the fellow his utmost gratitude not only for his services but for being on the side of the great and good-hearted, namely Lord Brazamal.

While the team in their newly-modified-but-as-yet-unnamed Badger went flying down the road, Snowfall had spent his traveling time in the form of a small white fox. Curled up in quiet meditation, his beloved and trusty Tatsu Blaster on his left, his Fraggle Rock sword to his right, and now his Rod of Stormy Booms before him, the serene Celestial Messenger of Inari contemplated the company of not one but three rune weapons. Nearby, a fourth, the sword that Zephiron had left behind sat in its sheathe. Snowfall thought of each of these items as indeed living creatures, each with their own purposes, their own joys and sorrows, and their own methods of attaining those purposes.

What would become of the potent demon-slaying sword? For such a weapon with so grand a purpose, Snowfall couldn't bear the idea of asking the team to sell it to Moloch. The team had fought and defeated a Vampire Intelligence, the true demon Salnesh, and all of the horrors and terrors that had infested the Pyramid of the Were-Jaguars to gain the three blades. Of the three, probably the oldest and most-storied of them all was the Fragarach sword, what Snowfall had dubbed the "Fraggle Rock" sword, for embarrassing him. In his foxy little heart, Snowfall knew this was the sword belonging to a god. Snowfall had for over 7 centuries served the Spirit God of Foxes, Inari, with unwavering loyalty, delivering messages and items from one point to another across the entire Megaverse, dangers be damned. So why not deliver Fragarach back into the hands of its rightful owner? It had greatly surprised Snowfall to learn that the owner of the legendary Fragarach was no mortal at all but the heroic Celtic god himself, Mannanan Mac Lir!

To return lost or stolen property to its rightful owner seemed to be the most honorable route.

The rune weapons up to this point had displayed no emotions, offered no intentions, forced no agendas. They simply served as readily as any non-rune weapon or item owned by Terra's Terminators. While the mission to Lone Star was their nearest goal, what might Snowfall's fellows think of a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to return the sword of Mannanan Mac Lir back into his hands? And what then of the demon-slaying blade? Snowfall was trained in the use of melee fighting, but as a fox-spirit and therefore a prey animal, he did much to avoid close quarters preferring instead to attack from range. But there the blade sat. Useless as a broom in a broom closet. Snowfall remained a Japanese spirit. Oni (demons) were among the worst enemies of the Japanese, especially in modern times. Would Snowfall be right for the blade? Would the blade even want him? What to do?

"Hey, fellas?" he barked. Then he realized that he was still in fox-form. Few Atlanteans and fewer humans would be able to understand him here. So instead, with ease born of age-old practice, Snowfall became a mist of pure energy before transforming into another physical form. Now he was a ancient man, wrinkled and bent, only five feet tall and seemingly harmless. He retained the speech and appearance of the elderly yet his form was just as able had he chosen to be a twenty-year old. "Hey, fellas?" he croaked to his teammates. "What say after Lone Star, we track down Mannanan Mac Lir and return his sword to him? Thor the giant slayer would want Mjolnir back, right? And what should we do with this demon-slaying sword? We risked our lives and these were part of the rewards! If I were a demon-slaying sword, I'd want to be out there fighting demons! Any ideas?"

But before anyone could answer, adventure struck! What timing!

* * *​

Present time.

Snowfall madly scrambles up to the top of the Badger to kneel atop the speeding vehicle, his position behind the gunner as not to get in his way. If it was an odd thing to see a bony old man zipping about, he made no show of it. There were times for that sort of thing. And soon!

"Spear and Magic Helmet"


Snowfall takes from his Dimensional Pocket his celebrated Magic Helmet of All-Seeing. "Maaagic Heeelmet!" he sings loudly. "Aid me! I, Sir Looks-A-Lot, shall get to the heart of this matter!" He places it on his head and peers out in a heroic pose toward the lone figure on the hover-bike. Wait! he thinks. A lone figure on a hover-bike? Racing out to meet them? One upraised hand, empty but with coming from a burning farm? Apparently this guy was carrying corpses from some recent battle? This guy was either somebody doing a good deed or one heck of a distraction for... an ambush!

The Kitsune pours forth his own magical power activating his enchanted helm and peers at the rider. "Mine magic helmet reveals all! Er, or rather, lots!" But then he realizes he was forgetting his magic spear! Wait! He didn't have one! No, but he DID have his newly-purchased Rod of Weather Control! That would do the trick! It was time to get this rider's attention in a big way!

"HEY BUDDY!" Snowfall the ancient man roars to the rider. "YOU'D BETTER GET READY BECAUSE - HERE COMES TERRA'S TERMINATORS! RAAAWR!" Snowfall mightily thrusts his Rod of Weather Control down upon the surface of the Badger, mentally requesting his rod to perform the Thunderclap spell.

"Thunder Clap Loud - Sound Effect"


"Oooh!" he jumps excitedly in delight at the air-shattering sound. "That was cool!" And why not? the silly old fox muses. You only get one chance to make a first impression! Might as well make it a memorable one!

 

[Sherwood]

The driver slows the Badger down a bit, trying to give everyone time to be prepared for a possible fight, while the solo man at the flaming buildings climbs onto a hovercycle and heads out in an intercept course with you. From the use of Terra's spyglass, you do not see any signs of any invisible beings 'hiding' in plain sight, but it does help to give you a better look at the rider of the hovercycle, a man in a suit of green armor of some sort; not like anything that you immediately recognize. Definitely not Coalition armor. Possibly a custom made suit.


From the point of view of Daggon, the other vehicle visibly slows down as you wave, then you can see a figure out on top of a large observation platform with a long staff in hand. A sudden loud thunderclap then booms out with a bright flash of light from the staff as it strikes the deck of the platform. You are clearly well within range of being targeted, so if the person or persons in the other vehicle wanted to, they could have easily opened fire on you. Perhaps not a hostile act, but can one really be sure? Some measure of caution might be in order.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Daggon stops his bike and sighs. "Shit," he says to himself. "Well, three choices, buddy. What's it gonna be..." Daggon runs through his weapons, powers, and tactical assessments in his mind. Then, he shakes his head and looks down and stands up off his bike. Raising both hands this time, he starts walking toward the transport, leaving his bike behind.

"Option four," he says to himself. "Get too involved stupidly and double down. Why do I do shit like this at the worst times. At least this day won't be boring."