Chapter 1 - Arrival

Raconteur · 4:45am

September 5, 2025 -- 2345 hoursThe most direct and easiest route to follow toward the village in the fog is along the road leading to the ancient stone gates. As you slowly make your way deeper into the fog bank, the swirling shapes take on eery dimensions under the influence of your night vision equipment. The forms of grotesquely deformed humanoid figures loom up to disappear among the branches of the trees overhead. Horrific, demonic figures seem to writhe and scream in both rage and terrifying agony only to be torn apart by some invisible explosive force which the night breeze alone seems incapable of producing.

It takes you nearly an hour longer to navigate your way through this miasma than it should have, the disorienting effects of the fog having been difficult to account for, even when seeming to follow the line of the road. Only by staying and working close together were you able to penetrate what appears to be some sort of elaborate magical warding system, far beyond anything known to you in the current military magical arsenals of even the U.S. military.

The fog eventually lessens as you approach the stone gates leading to the lands of Corbovia. The trees of the Svalich Woods have thinned this close to the gates as well. Visibility has increased to about 20 meters and the road is more easy to follow. Gray in the fog, high stone pillars loom up from the ground on both sides of the road. Huge iron gates hang from the stonework. Standing before the pillars are two stone statues of armed guardians with wicked polearms. Their carved heads lie among the weeds at their feet, neatly broken from the stone shoulders. The gates stand open, held in place by rusted steel chains secured to large steel pins driven into the side of the asphalt.

According to the map, the village should be located about half a kilometer southwest of the gates. About 60 meters beyond the gates, into the less dense fog, everyone clearly hears the sounds of automatic weapons fire in the distance, its echoes muffled by the fog and forest. The shots, fired in repeated controlled bursts, seem to be originating from the southwest, in the direction of the village.

AegisShade · Oct 9 '12, 8:47am

The shots get Marcs's attention though his demeanour barely changes. Flicking away a lit cigarette that you didn't see him take out, he stares into the mists towards the village to the southwest.

"Lead the way, meatsh--I mean, compatriots," he offers helpfully. "I'll, uh, cover the rear. Yup, trusty ol'rearguard Marcs, that's what they call me. You might want to have a backup backup just in case though. Just sayin."

ProximaC · Oct 9 '12, 12:54pm

Jacquelyn rolls her eyes lightly at the (no doubt intentionally) clumsy jibe from Marcs, and retorts, "I'll let you know when you're getting close, Marcs, but to be honest, I don't think you have the sta-"

She cuts off, however, as she is so rudely interrupted by the chatter of automatic gunfire, and reflexively she snaps her weapon up to her shoulder. "I recommend we stick to the left of the road, try to find what cover we can in brush past the shoulder. I'll take point." And with that pronouncement, she doesn't really wait before hustling quickly through the gates, weapon still at the ready.

prof cephalopod · 10:38pm

Ben pauses for a moment as Jackie takes point, suprises by her sudden tenacity. With heher inning point he decided to let his smg fall to his chest hanging from it's combat sling. Drawing his Marlin he checked to make sure he had it loaded for bare. . . . Bullets arcanely imbued to deal with Lycanthropes six under the barrel and one in the chamber he pops the cover off the sight and shoulders the large silenced rifle.

Clicking his tongue Ben calls to Apto "Come, stay close, friend. There are enemies ahead."* . And without a word to his fellow humans he rushes off through the gates and into the mist looking for cover along side Jacquelyn.

My Sheet

Raconteur · Oct 12 '12, 5:14am

September 5, 2025 - 2350 hoursThe group settles into a rough battle order, with Jacquelyn in the lead, followed by Ben and Apto, then by Vyktoria, Charles and Marcs. It takes them about five minutes to cover the distance from the gates to the edge of the village, where the fog continues to limit vision to about 20 meters. The streets of the village are choked with mist. The buildings at the edge of the village look abandoned, burned out, or barricaded. Garbage litters the ground, and a carrion stench assaults your nose. Ahead, an overturned haycart blocks the street. The sounds of gun fire continue from somewhere further in the village.

Up ahead, nearly concealed in the mist, Jacquelyn and Ben first notice the figures lumbering slowly near the overturned cart. Something about their gait clearly reveals signs of trouble. Their clothes are tattered and they are moving in halting, shuffling steps.

Z3

One of them appears to notice Jacquelyn and turns to move in her direction.

ProximaC · 1:15am

Jacquelyn, with her rifle still raised, advances a little further into the village, and when she notices that she's attracted the attention of one of the shambling hordes, the muzzle swings to track the human shape. She's about to yell at them to get down on the ground and put their hands in the air when the full extent of their condition triggers something in her mind.

Flicking on the laser sight under the barrel of her SMG, she shouts back to the rest of the team, "I see at least three hostiles! Targets are the walking dead!" Her gun starts to chatter and add to the sound of gunfire as she opens up on the zombie shuffling towards her.

psychburn · 10:57pm

Vyktoria Vega, Engineering & Demolitions Specialist
Vyktoria advances

Move Action to F13

towards Jacquelyn and looks at the creatures

Knowledge Religion Check:
Dice Roll: 1d20+7
d20 Results: 5 (Total = 12)

to determine what they could be...

"Be careful Jacq...there are many...and who knows what these things can do here..."

As she says this, Vyktoria adds, "But let's see what this does!" Suddenly, Vyktoria unleashes an

Attack Roll using Explosive Missile discovery:
Dice Roll: 1d20+9
d20 Results: 16 (Total = 25)

Damage from bolt:
Dice Roll: 1d10+1
d10 Results: 10 (Total = 11)

Damage from Bomb:
Dice Roll: 4d6+6
d6 Results: 3, 1, 3, 2 (Total = 15)

explosive bolt from her crossbow directed at the

Attacking F4

creature standing directly in front of her.