Once Upon A Time In The Wastland - Part 1

[Laird_Thorne]

Welcome to the Commonwealth, the nuclear-ravaged wastelands outside of old Boston. You have each followed the sounds of screams and gunfire to Vault 95, a remnant of the world before the Great War, before the bombs dropped. The vault’s external lights flicker several times but remain lit and, remarkably, its doors lie open—inviting any manner of scavenger or scoundrel to plumb its depths.

It’s a cold night, bone-cold, and the sky is aglow with an eerie green light. That tell-tale light radiates from the region beyond the vault known as the Glowing Sea. A gust of frigid wind blows tumbleweeds across the small hill outside of the vault entrance. Each of you is standing in a circle, facing each other there on the hillside—strangers meeting for the first time. Each of you knows the vault promises valuable treasures from the old world, treasures most people in the Commonwealth would be willing to kill for.

OOC: Somehow, you have all ended up at this point outside the vault. You've apparently arrived just behind an older man in a white labcoat caked in mud.

• How did you get here?
• What does your character like to be called? 
• What is one moment from your past when you lost something important to you and what did you lose?
• What is one moment from your past when you were pushed too far and how did you react?
• What happened the last couple of days to bring you to this point?
• What does your character look like at this moment and what is their demeanor?

---

Action Points

• GM: 4
• Heros: 0 of 6

Edited November 22, 2023 by Laird_Thorne (see edit history)

[sxeBUDDHA]

Standing in a loose circle with strangers on the small hill, Billie felt the weight of anticipation. She knew the lure of the vault's potential spoils would make this encounter unpredictable. Adjusting the goggles concealing her ghoulish features, she took a calculated step closer to an older man in a mud-caked lab coat. Billie, ever pragmatic, cut through the tension with a sardonic tone, pointing her 10mm pistol at the back of his head.

"Plan on a dramatic exit, old-timer? I call dibs on your stash if you're going out in a blaze of glory." Her words hung in the frigid air, a mix of dark humor and survival instinct.

With a steady hand, Billie warned him against any sudden moves, maintaining a distance that shielded her from potential explosives but kept her within range to deliver a lethal blow if necessary. Her other hand gestured downward, signaling her loyal companion Lucky to stay put. In this dance of uncertainty, Billie's actions and words were a calculated display of both caution and opportunism, a testament to the harsh reality of survival in the nuclear-ravaged wastelands of the Commonwealth.

[tyrtaeus]

Dr. Maxim Aleksandrovich - Human Survivor | Trader

---

Melee Bonus: 0 | Defense: +1 | HP: 8 / 8 | Initiative: 14 | Action Points: 4/4
Damage Resistance: +2 | Energy Resistance: +3 | Poison Resistance: -- | Radiation Resistance: --
STR: Athletics: 0
Melee Weapon: 0
Unarmed: 0 4 | PEREnergy Weapons: 0
Explosives: 0
Lockpick: 3
Pilot: 3: 9 | ENDBig Guns: 0
Survival: 3: 4 | CHABarter: 3
Speech: 3: 6 | INTMedicine: 3
Repair: 3
Science: 3: 10 | AGISmall Guns: 3
Sneak: 0: 5 |  LuckContent...: 4
Carry Weight: 12 / 190 | Caps: -- 

---

TraitsEducatedBenefit
You have one additional tag skill
Penalty
When you fail a skill test using a skill other
than a tag skill, the GM gains 1 AP
GiftedBenefit
Choose two S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes and
increase them by +1 each.
Penalty
Your maximum number of Luck points is one
fewer than your Luck attribute.











  | PerksMedicRanks
1
Requirements
INT 8
When you use the First Aid action
to try to treat an injury, you can
re-roll 1d20.  | WeaponsPipe GunWeapon Type: Small Gun | Damage: 3 | Damage Effect: -- | Damage Type: Physical | Fire Rate: 2 | Range: C | Qualities: CqC, Unreliable | Weight: 2 | Cost: 30 | Rarity: 0 | Ammo: 9 x .38 [Equipped]











  | ArmorTough ClothingDR +1 | ER +1 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 3 | Cost: 20 | Rarity: 1
Leather Chest PieceDR +1 | ER +2 | RR 0 | Coverage: Torso | Weight: 5 | Cost: 25 | Rarity: 1[Equipped]
Lab CoatDR 0 | ER 0 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 2 | Cost: 10 | Rarity: 1 | Special: Between the utility of the design, and simply feeling smarter while wearing one, a lab coat allows you to re-roll a single d20 on one INT based skill test you make each scene.[Equipped]











  | ConsumablesDaddy-O
Rad-X
Mentats [3] | WaresPlasma Cartridge [15]
10mm 17]
Flamer Fuel [27] | SpecialTrinket: Pre-war Party Invitation

 

Maxim lights a cigarette as he watches the stranger point her gun at the other old man in a lab coat. Guess it was not just the raiders that did not have any manners. He brings the perfectly preserved cigarette to his lips and takes a long drag, watching the events unfold before him. Buran hovers behind him, the empty headed Brahamin making its usual shuffling noises, braying carelessly, likely complaining about the muddy earth having no grass for him to feed on.

"Well are you going to shoot? Or are we both going to die of old age first?"

Whether or not she pulled the trigger did not matter to him, but it was not a way to ingratiate oneself to a crowd, witnessing a pointless murder often had the undesirable effect of turning a crowd against you. He had not left behind a bunch of raiders just to meet up with another bunch. His own weapon remained at his side, his gun hand holding the cigarette, evidence he had no intentions of drawing it. Whether or not she pointed the weapon at him next was her own problem, but he was not going to waste his time on this.

 

OOC

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by tyrtaeus (see edit history)

[Laird_Thorne]

8 hours ago, tyrtaeus said:

I'm not sure if the prompt was meant for Maxim, but he too is an old man in a lab coat, so I went with it.

OOC

Sorry! That's probably my bad for the confusion as I too had forgotten you were dressed similar. :) It's actually another older man in a lab coat. :)

 

[sxeBUDDHA]

As Billie locked eyes with the second man in a lab coat on the opposite side of the hill, she couldn't help but quip, "What is this, a scientist convention?" Her gaze darted around, suspiciously searching for more of these unexpected figures popping up from the shadows below. The absence of Vault-Tec Pip Boys heightened her skepticism, and her deduction of their scientific background was reinforced by their coherent English and the unmistakable attire of lab coats.

The man who spoke, accompanied by a Brahmin, revealed himself as a trader. Billie's experienced eyes swiftly assessed the situation, and she couldn't help but smirk at the unexpected turn of events. She brushed off a witty comment from one of them, refusing to be distracted from her survival instincts. "No way am I dying of old age out here. Still got my girlish figure," she muttered under her breath, her dark sense of humor lingering in the chilled air.

Pulling back the hammer to her 10mm pistol pointed towards the original man in the lab coat, Billie prompted him to speak up. In the wasteland, one could never predict what would emerge from the darkness—a Super Mutant, the Brotherhood of Steel, or perhaps something even more unpredictable. Billie's grip tightened on her 10mm pistol, a silent reminder that survival often hinged on adaptability and being ready for whatever the Commonwealth might throw at them in the dead of night.

[sxeBUDDHA]

As Billie continued her exploration through the desolate wasteland, her faithful companion, Lucky, padded silently by her side. The stray dog, named ironically for the perilous fate that often awaited its kind in Billie's company, was a constant presence in her ventures. Each bullet dodged by Billie seemed to find its way to an unfortunate canine companion, and the ghoul survivor had stopped counting the toll of loyal friends lost to the unforgiving wasteland.

Stopping amidst the eerie silence, Billie turned a disappointed gaze towards Lucky, whose keen senses had failed to alert her to an approaching threat. "Warning next time. Do... better," she chided in a mixture of exasperation and genuine concern. Despite the harsh words, Billie extended her gloved hand to tenderly pet Lucky's head, the touch a silent acknowledgment of the bond they shared and the sacrifices made in the name of survival. In the wasteland, where danger lurked around every corner, Billie's actions spoke of a pragmatic reality where each companion's fate hung precariously in the balance, and a moment's lapse could spell the difference between life and death.

[Laird_Thorne]

In those quiet moments as each of you stare at each other, locked in a tense standoff, there’s a loud burst of gunfire from somewhere within the open vault. A moment later, a woman’s scream pierces the air with three haunting words: “Help me! Somebody!”

The final person in your standoff circle, the middle-aged man wearing a white lab coat caked in mud, his face entirely covered by a wheezing gas mask, slowly raises his hands above his head. He’s not holding a weapon. “P-please, friends,’’ the man says as he takes a nervous, but brave step towards the center of the circle. “Please. Someone inside that vault is in trouble. And besides, I’m sure there’re enough valuables inside for all of us. None of us need to die out here.”

---

OOC: If anyone wants to make a Difficulty 1 (D1) PER+Medicine roll, they may. :)

Action Points

• GM: 4
• Heros: 0 of 6

[sxeBUDDHA]

In the tense standoff on the hillside, the silence between Billie and the strangers is shattered by a burst of gunfire echoing from within the open vault. The sudden eruption of chaos is swiftly accompanied by a woman's desperate scream, pleading for help. The atmosphere becomes charged with uncertainty as each member of the standoff circle assesses the unfolding situation.

The man in the mud-caked white lab coat, his face hidden behind a wheezing gas mask, raises his hands in surrender. Billie, maintaining a steely gaze, listens to his plea for cooperation. She hears his words but remains vigilant, her 10mm pistol unwaveringly trained on him. "Fine. Give me your name so if you die, I know what to put on your headstone. Also, feel free to lead the way into the Vault," Billie retorts with a mixture of sarcasm and practicality. Her mind races with apprehension about the potential dangers lurking inside the vault, and she imagines the worst—bullets, automated gunfire, or perhaps a deadly turret.

The ghoul survivor remains on high alert, cautioning the man with a hint of dark humor, "Again, no sudden moves. I startle easy and have a hair-trigger finger." Billie's words are a reminder of the unforgiving nature of the wasteland, where trust is a rare currency, and survival demands both vigilance and a readiness for the unexpected.

 

OOC

Perception + Medicine + 1 Difficulty = 2 Successes

Edited November 25, 2023 by sxeBUDDHA
fix dice syntax (see edit history)

[Passione]

Coward
Lv.1 Super Mutant

Coward Super Mutant Def 2 HP 16/16 Init 13 LP 10/10 S.P.E.C.I.A.L.STRENGTH 7 PERCEPTION 4 ENDURANCE 7 CHARISMA 4 INTELLIGENCE 4 AGILITY 9 LUCK 9 SkillsAthletics ^ 3 Barter 0 Big Guns 0 Energy Weapons 1 Explosives 1 Lockpick 1 Medicine 1 Melee Weapons 1 Pilot 1 Repair 1 Science 1 Small Guns 1 Sneak ^ 3 Speech 0 Survival 0 Throwing 1 Unarmed ^ 3 AP ?/6 AP 4/-

 

A super mutant clad in a blue shirt and white sweater rolls in from the circle.

'Stupid thick limbs.' he thinks to himself. There is nowhere to hide behind on this hillside. The muttering human and the old man with snacks seem amicable. The masked one appear to just be scared. It feels weird for him to be perceived. A tingle runs down his spine, his muscles clench, his throat dries. 

The super mutant approaches with both arms held high. "Peas and pwoshperithy to you peeps! Coward means no harm. No trick or treat!" Their glances burn, he can't help but wince. At least the brahmin doesn't seem to mind him. Maybe he can go in for a pet? No. Maybe later.

"No shooting, no smashing, no snacking." he continues, taking a step further.

After hearing the cry for help and considering the possible fiasco waiting for them inside, he ponders if maybe he misspoke. Looking for direction, he waits for the others to speak their mind.

 

Mechanics

 

Damage Reduction

 

	Head (2)	Torso (8)	L.Arm (11)	R.Arm (14)	L.Leg (17)	R.Leg (20)
Physical Energy	0 0	1 1	0 0	0 0	0 0	1 1
StatusNormal or Blank Injured Treated

 

---

Placeholder: Placeholder

---

Major Action:
Minor Action:
 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Passione
special and skills (see edit history)

[sxeBUDDHA]

Billie, a survivor weathered by centuries of hardship, narrows her eyes skeptically at the desperate cries for help echoing from within the open vault. Her instincts, honed by a lifetime in the unforgiving wasteland, remain on high alert. She doesn't easily trust the sudden appearance of the panicked woman, having encountered too many deceptive ruses designed to let down one's guard, only to result in betrayal.

As the man in the lab coat slowly steps forward in response to her proposal, Billie doesn't relent. Her 10mm pistol remains trained on him, and her sharp eyes scrutinize every move. Lucky, her loyal canine companion, stays close by her side, mirroring her caution. Billie is a seasoned survivor, well aware that the wasteland's dangers are often more subtle than they seem.

Just as the tension thickens, a Super Mutant with a grotesquely prominent eyeball peeks out from behind the hill's edge. Its mention of someone being a coward draws Billie's attention.

"Wait. Who are you calling a coward?!"

She holds her ground, her gaze shifting between the four potential adversaries— the lab-coated man, the panicking woman, the Super Mutant, and the lab-coated trader. Billie's survival instincts guide her, reminding her that trust is a scarce commodity in the Commonwealth, and she must navigate this delicate dance with caution. At least the Brahmin, a peculiar presence in the standoff, poses no immediate threat, providing a small relief in the midst of uncertainty.

[tyrtaeus]

Dr. Maxim Aleksandrovich - Human Survivor | Trader

---

Melee Bonus: 0 | Defense: +1 | HP: 8 / 8 | Initiative: 14 | Action Points: 1/4
Damage Resistance: +2 | Energy Resistance: +3 | Poison Resistance: -- | Radiation Resistance: --
STR: Athletics: 0
Melee Weapon: 0
Unarmed: 0 4 | PEREnergy Weapons: 0
Explosives: 0
Lockpick: 3
Pilot: 3: 9 | ENDBig Guns: 0
Survival: 3: 4 | CHABarter: 3
Speech: 3: 6 | INTMedicine: 3
Repair: 3
Science: 3: 10 | AGISmall Guns: 3
Sneak: 0: 5 |  LuckLuck Points: 3/3: 4
Carry Weight: 12 / 190 | Caps: -- 

---

TraitsEducatedBenefit
You have one additional tag skill
Penalty
When you fail a skill test using a skill other
than a tag skill, the GM gains 1 AP
GiftedBenefit
Choose two S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes and
increase them by +1 each.
Penalty
Your maximum number of Luck points is one
fewer than your Luck attribute.











  | PerksMedicRanks
1
Requirements
INT 8
When you use the First Aid action
to try to treat an injury, you can
re-roll 1d20.










  | WeaponsPipe GunWeapon Type: Small Gun | Damage: 3 | Damage Effect: -- | Damage Type: Physical | Fire Rate: 2 | Range: C | Qualities: CqC, Unreliable | Weight: 2 | Cost: 30 | Rarity: 0 | Ammo: 9 x .38 [Equipped]











  | ArmorTough ClothingDR +1 | ER +1 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 3 | Cost: 20 | Rarity: 1
Leather Chest PieceDR +1 | ER +2 | RR 0 | Coverage: Torso | Weight: 5 | Cost: 25 | Rarity: 1[Equipped]
Lab CoatDR 0 | ER 0 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 2 | Cost: 10 | Rarity: 1 | Special: Between the utility of the design, and simply feeling smarter while wearing one, a lab coat allows you to re-roll a single d20 on one INT based skill test you make each scene.[Equipped]











  | ConsumablesDaddy-O
Rad-X
Mentats [3] | WaresPlasma Cartridge [15]
10mm 17]
Flamer Fuel [27] | SpecialTrinket: Pre-war Party Invitation

The sounds of gunfire and begging for help are nothing new in the wasteland. Hell, he had been part of multiple different traps using the exact same tactics over the few decades he had spent with Raiders. His age and lack of weapons and armor would lull wasteland heroes into the trap, and he would go for a smoke while the rest took care of the loot. Maxim was not proud of it, but it was dog eat dog out there, and he there was no room for weakness or compassion within the Raiders. The difference here though, was that they were in the middle of nowhere, and there was no reason for any Raider groups to be so far away from anywhere that could see much action. If this was a trap, then it was some very patient Raiders who had set it, and he had never met one of those. What was new to him though, was the zen Super-Mutant who approached them, hands to the sky, preaching the kind of shit he would usually only get from those Atom idiots who could be found sporadically through the wastes. A sight so unusual, there were no qualms about raising an eyebrow in surprise. Considering the usual hunger did not seem to be behind the eyes of this sweater wearing mutie, the surgeon still did nothing but puff on his cigarette, while their masked, gun-wielding associate would not shut up or stop brandishing their weapon.

"Would you look at that; it's not often you meet a Super Mutant who's smarter than a wastelander, put the gun away, it ain't calling you a coward, I think that's its name"

He looks pointedly to the other old man.

"Ain't none of us need to die in there either, I fix wounds, don't make 'em, whatever is valuable will still be there once everyone is dead"

As long as the gunfire remained behind that Vault door, there was no reason for him to enter, especially not first.

 

 

OOC

3 Success for Medicine Check

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by tyrtaeus (see edit history)

[TiffanyKorta]

Sister Sledge

AP Pool: 0/6 Defense: 1 HP: 11/11 Initiative: 13 Luck: 6/6 Conditions: None

Here first mission off the leash and she'd managed to get herself... well not exactly lost but temporarily displaced, everything looked so different down on the ground. Still, she was confident that things were going to go great and run smoothly, even if she really didn't know quite what she was getting into right now.

"Sorry, I'm..." It was quickly obvious that things were going sideways, so as was the way she looked to see who was in charge

"We should be doing something about what's going on inside, right?"

---

OOC:

[tyrtaeus]

Dr. Maxim Aleksandrovich - Human Survivor | Trader

---

Melee Bonus: 0 | Defense: +1 | HP: 8 / 8 | Initiative: 14 | Action Points: 1/4
Damage Resistance: +2 | Energy Resistance: +3 | Poison Resistance: -- | Radiation Resistance: --
STR: Athletics: 0
Melee Weapon: 0
Unarmed: 0 4 | PEREnergy Weapons: 0
Explosives: 0
Lockpick: 3
Pilot: 3: 9 | ENDBig Guns: 0
Survival: 3: 4 | CHABarter: 3
Speech: 3: 6 | INTMedicine: 3
Repair: 3
Science: 3: 10 | AGISmall Guns: 3
Sneak: 0: 5 |  LuckLuck Points: 3/3: 4
Carry Weight: 12 / 190 | Caps: -- 

---

TraitsEducatedBenefit
You have one additional tag skill
Penalty
When you fail a skill test using a skill other
than a tag skill, the GM gains 1 AP
GiftedBenefit
Choose two S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes and
increase them by +1 each.
Penalty
Your maximum number of Luck points is one
fewer than your Luck attribute.











  | PerksMedicRanks
1
Requirements
INT 8
When you use the First Aid action
to try to treat an injury, you can
re-roll 1d20.










  | WeaponsPipe GunWeapon Type: Small Gun | Damage: 3 | Damage Effect: -- | Damage Type: Physical | Fire Rate: 2 | Range: C | Qualities: CqC, Unreliable | Weight: 2 | Cost: 30 | Rarity: 0 | Ammo: 9 x .38 [Equipped]











  | ArmorTough ClothingDR +1 | ER +1 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 3 | Cost: 20 | Rarity: 1
Leather Chest PieceDR +1 | ER +2 | RR 0 | Coverage: Torso | Weight: 5 | Cost: 25 | Rarity: 1[Equipped]
Lab CoatDR 0 | ER 0 | RR 0 | Coverage: Arms, Legs, Torso | Weight: 2 | Cost: 10 | Rarity: 1 | Special: Between the utility of the design, and simply feeling smarter while wearing one, a lab coat allows you to re-roll a single d20 on one INT based skill test you make each scene.[Equipped]











  | ConsumablesDaddy-O
Rad-X
Mentats [3] | WaresPlasma Cartridge [15]
10mm 17]
Flamer Fuel [27] | SpecialTrinket: Pre-war Party Invitation

 

Cigarette still between his lips, the doctor removes his staring eyes from the hunched over Super Mutant, and looks at the new arrival, his jaw tightening as the emblem on the lapel became clear to him. Brotherhood. Those holier-than-thou fucks had a hell of a reputation, though what were they doing all the way out in the commonwealth? Not being too keen on getting involved if he could help it, he keeps his hands clear of his weapon, knowing that there would likely be a threeway standoff once the trigger-happy waster decided that enough was enough. Luckily for him, there were more important matters at hand for her.

"Ladies first, let me know if you take a bullet or two, I can probably patch that up. For a price"

 

 

OOC

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by tyrtaeus (see edit history)

[Laird_Thorne]

Dr. Maxim, taking a hard look around notices a trail of blood starting just off to the northeast of the entrance and leading up to it. It's fairly fresh as the blood is still wet on the withered grass and there is a lot of it. Whoever was losing htat blood probably needs aid pretty quickly if they are to survive.

“P-please, friends. My name is Doctor Rast, and...,’’

The man in the cost begins but his words are cut off as the sound of rapid gunfire explodes from the open door to the vault, accompanied by flashing of barrels unloading towards the hill where you are gathered. A guttural male cry goes out from the entranceway, “Scavengers out here, tryin’ to follow the girl! Light ’em up, boys!”

A moment later, a large, muscle-bound bald man dressed in military fatigues armed to the teeth charges out of the vault towards you, opening fire wildly. Several other mercenaries follow behind him, equipped in the same fashion, with guns blazing. One of the raiders squeals with mad glee, “Nobody moves in on Rad Rocky’s turf!”

---

OOC: And we're in action! :)

Initiative Order

• @tyrtaeus Doctor Maxim (16)
• @sxeBUDDHA Billie (16)
• Rad Rocky (15)
• @TiffanyKorta Sister Sledge (13)
• @Passione Coward (13)
• Raider1, Raider 2 (11)

Doc Maxim and Billie can state what they're doing, and then I'll do for Rad Rocky and then everyone else can post. :)

Action Points

• GM: 4
• Heros: 2 of 6

[sxeBUDDHA]

Billie
 

---

AP Pool: 3/6 Defense: 2 HP: 11/11 Initiative: 16 Luck: 4/4 Conditions: None

---

As the flickering entrance lights of Vault 95 illuminates the chaotic scene, Billie, ever vigilant, shifts her focus from the potential threats within the vault to the sudden emergence of two raiders and their bald, muscled leader. The air crackles with gunfire, and Billie's grip tightens on her 10mm pistol, a familiar companion in the face of the wasteland's dangers.

The lab-coated man, introduced as Dr. Rast, stands bleeding, caught in the crossfire. Raiders, the bane of Billie's existence, are a menace she's never found reason to spare. She swiftly takes aim at the exposed head of the raider boss, her finger poised on the trigger. Lucky, her loyal companion, instinctively moves closer to the raider boss as Billie redirects her firearm towards a new target, ready to play its role in this sudden engagement.

In the midst of the chaos, Billie shouts a warning to Dr. Rast, "When I shoot, get ready to... eat dirt, Doc!!!" Her words carry a blend of urgency and grim determination. The wasteland has taught her the harsh reality that actions speak louder than words, and survival often demands decisive choices. Billie prays silently that the others gathered on this hillside are worth more than mere breaths of words as she prepares to unleash the lethal force of her 10mm pistol on the raider boss, hoping to end the threat before it escalates further.

 

---

 

OOC

Minor Action: Aim; Lucky moves to bite Rad Rocky

Major Action: Shoot at Rad Rocky's head [+0 Difficulty; Pip-Boy]

Result: 3 Successes after Re-roll; +1 AP 2/6 --> 3/6; 5 Critical Damage to Rad Rocky's bald head [Wound]

Result (NPC): 2 Successes; +1 AP 3/6 --> 4/6; No Damage dealt.

2nd Major Action: Spend 2 AP 4/6 --> 2/6; Shoot at Rad Rocky's head [+1 Difficulty for 2nd attack]

Result: 4 Successes; +2 AP 2/6 --> 4/6; 3 Damage to Rad Rocky's bald head

2nd Minor Action: Spend 1 AP 4/6 --> 3/6; Billie moves 1 zone away to medium range for full cover of outside hill behind Vault entrance.

End Turn.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by sxeBUDDHA
Include Billie's Intended Actions (see edit history)