Ambush at Aasir's
General Summary
Zyxthylum's GM Report
March 1st, 2277, late afternoon at Aasir's Bar..
Returning from the bank with whatever they were able to carry out of the building before it filled with poisonous smoke, the drifters from Jack Sullivan's caravan head to Aasir's Bar after they make a quick stop at the Medical Outpost. The only spot in the entire city to engage in some of the more illicit entertainment the wasteland has to offer, it is filled to the brim with intoxicated patrons and even getting to the bar proves a challenge. Aasir sits surrounded by a throng of adoring fans, wasters to listen to his stories, pretty women to laugh at his jokes, and of course some muscle to watch his back while he charms the room. Upon noticing 'The Drifter who Broke the Bank', he makes a scene, inviting Coven over personally so that he might borrow a bit of her luck on the next hand.
Sullivan is the next to be called out of the crowd, getting a bit of good natured ribbing for his outstanding tab, Aasir is eager to see what he brought back from his trip. Having already slipped in ahead of the group to get the lay of the land, Dodger takes this opportunity to join the table as well, bringing with her the caravan's score. Initially impressed, Aasir's demeanor quickly shifts to one of a businessman. They begin to haggle over terms of an exchange and a deal to insure the bag while the proper funds are secured, all the while unaware of the new presence in the bar.
Stepping through the dingy curtain that separates the parlor from the street, rays of sunlight frame the hulking figure of a man that stands nearly as tall as a super mutant. Despite the merciless heat he wears all black from head to toe, including a balaclava and leather gloves. A pair of mirrored shades completes the look, the same kind police officers from before the war would wear to establish their authority, they do a great job of concealing his eyes from the general public. With his head on a swivel he slowly scans the room until his gaze falls upon Sullivan at Aasir's table, the iconic blue and yellow jumpsuit sticking out like a sore thumb against the canvas of grays and browns in the rest of the crowd. There is no expression or tell of his intentions. The stranger simply begins to approach the Vault Dweller, casually reaching inside his coat in a disciplined and fluid motion to retrieve a loaded Plasma Defender.
Not far behind the chaos about to unfold, Sir POSH, Vesk Varik, and Patrick Collins have been trying to keep up with this hulking stranger since the East Gate. Suspicious of his activities and line of questioning about Sullivan's caravan, they have been tailing him in the hopes of learning more about his true motives. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst, their fears are about to be confirmed as they rush to the side exit just in time to see their quarry open fire in the crowded establishment.
As the bulky recon scope that has been mounted to the top of the hand cannon highlights Sullivan against the rest of the crowd, a moment of good fortune saves his life. Spotting the assassin over Aasir's shoulder by sheer luck as they haggle, Coven springs into action before the weapon can discharge. Grabbing a hold of both Sullivan and Aasir's chair, she yanks both of the large men to the ground and out of the line of fire in a burst of adrenaline.
Losing the element of surprise, the hulking stranger adjusts his strategy. A little surrounded in his current position, his left hand reaches under the large trench coat to bring a 10mm submachine gun to bear as he opens fire on the security. Utilizing both weapons simultaneously with ruthless efficiency, he moves inhumanly fast when the fighting begins and three bodies collapse to the floor on opposite sides of him before anyone else can manage to react. Two of the guards are nearly cut in half from the barrage of automatic fire, bullets punching a myriad of new holes in the corrugated steel behind them that begins to illuminate the massacre in hues of deep orange as the sun sets outside. The monster turns back to pursue his quarry with such force that its sunglasses slide down its face, revealing a pair of synthetic crimson eyes and the true nature of the advanced machine..
Pierce and Chase try their luck by drawing down on the murderous automaton but neither laser nor 12 gauge buckshot seem to have much effect. The polyurethane flesh has been mixed with an insulator, causing the energy to dissipate before it can penetrate too deeply into the core of the android, and when the pellets from the combat shotgun manage to perforate it, they are met with an unyielding ternary alloy steel. Wondering how it might like an extra few cranks from his laser musket, Cooper raises his weapon and squeezes the trigger but his expression changes abruptly as sand interrupts his connection, producing nothing more than an acrid burst of hot smoke near the fusion cell.
It is about this time that Sullivan is crawling out from under the playing cards and loose poker chips to look for an exit, but instead spots a familiar hunched over figure covered by a robe. Thrusting a hand into his satchel he procures one more object from his ancestral home and begins to sprint with the chem above his head towards Vesk. Screaming something he meant to sound intimidating, he jams the syringe of Jet laced Psycho into the Deathclaw's shoulder and tears off his cloak to reveal his form to their enemy.
Roaring like the wild beast he is often mistaken for, Vesk snarls and leaps onto the android in a chem-fueled rage. Raking razor sharp talons across its synthetic visage, they cut so deep into the metal that they dislodge the left eye and jaw mount. The fancy energy weapon is also knocked away from his right hand and goes skittering across the concrete floor and under one of the blackjack tables, leaving its arm in a similar state of disrepair as the head. Taking this time to launch his own attack, Sir POSH valiantly rushes forward despite the immense danger and tries to overpower the android's core programming. Scintillating lights and focused radio waves emanate from the humble eyebot as he taps into the abilities granted to him by coming in contact with one of the Artifacts from the Nameless City.
Despite all his efforts, hacking the advanced tech boils down to adding or deleting random lines of code in an attempt to disrupt the system. It is at that moment that POSH realizes that this is no simple automaton. The hulking android has a name, and an origin of its own. Hailing from some organization called the 'Institute', it goes by the name 'Ares' and is a part of a small team in the region hunting someone that managed to escape to the Great Dust Bowl. Accessing caches of memory files, he is able to deduce that there is at least one other combat asset with similar directives in the area, as well as a human handler. When they couldn't find their original quarry, they settled for relieving Sullivan of his GECK after they learned about it through the eavesdropping technology they possess.
Sensing the tables being turned, Ares falls back onto protocols to deny enemies access to his remains. A high pitched hum can be heard as energy builds within the android's chest. It turns towards the group blocking the eastern exit and charges four hundred pounds of steel towards them in a blitz of motion. Those in its path are thrown violently to the ground or into the furniture, the force so extreme that the automaton crashes straight through the wall and into the alley. Debris rains down on the reeling Sullivan and few remaining security guards as they get caught in the direct path of Ares during his escape.
Pierce rushes forward to provide first aid to the wounded but finds most of the injuries to be superficial, so instead he focuses his efforts on bringing the dazed deathclaw back around to finish the fight. Taking this opportunity to trade up from his jammed rifle, Cooper quietly scoops up the misplaced Plasma Defender and moves into a position where he can give it a test fire. Viridescent green light burns into the synthetic shoulder of the fleeing assassin, and although the attack might kill a normal human, the android doesn't even react to the punishment. Slipping out during all the pandamonium, Pat Collins ducks through the shredded curtain to the street and sprints towards the guards at the West Gate to get them into the fight.
Meanwhile Dodger and Aasir have made it to his vintage Highwayman, with Aasir taking the wheel while Dodger works on the garage door. Responsible for protecting the caravan's interests by keeping the duffle bag safe, the bank vault cracker sticks to the shadows until she has a chance to slip outside into a flanking position. Eager to give her new Deliverer model 10mm pistol some action, she is not quite fast enough to take her shot before Vesk is on the android once again.
This time the deathclaw manages to close his jaws around the right arm, shearing it off from the body above the elbow in a vicious jerking motion that leaves a trail of oil and coolant dripping from the two severed ends. With options dwindling, the machine activates its final failsafe and begins a countdown to a collection of explosives located at sensitive points in its frame. Detonation would not only leave behind little evidence to study, it would also cause untold chaos with the loss of civilian life and property damage.
Sent spinning from the bullrush of the android, Coven saves Sir POSH by clasping both of her hands on his frame to stop the centrifugal force from sustaining his spiral. Without a moment to spare the valiant eyebot once again chooses to rush into the danger rather than away from it. He launches another one of his strange electromagnetic attacks against the other automaton, bathing its damaged body in a wide spectrum of light and waves of energy as he fights against the timer. Those that haven't evacuated the area stare on with wide eyes and slack jaws as the humming sound continues to intensify from inside the synthetic man. Unaware of the struggle happening between both POSH and Ares, they continue their fight for dominance in a digital frontier. A warzone in an abstract realm of numbers and code, the consequences are ironically every bit as real as what is happening on the physical plane of existence.
Amidst the chaos and violence, Sir Posh discerned once more the impending danger emanating from the synthetic monstrosity. The room pulsated with tension as the countdown timer for the self-destruct sequence ticked relentlessly.
Sir Posh's screen flickered with various interfaces and strings of numbers; occasionally, his face was displayed again, his eyes focused and determined. The room held its breath as a timer appeared in the corner of his screen. Although it read less than one second in milliseconds, it was clearly ticking at a considerably slower pace, as Posh managed to alter the internal clock speed of the Synth.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. I... I think... I... no-"
Posh's screen flashed red, milliseconds ticking down faster in a staggered manner. The mechanical hum from the synthetic kamikaze seemed to intensify, matching the accelerated rhythm of the spectators' hearts.
"My sincerest apologies for the disturbance; however, I must request your cooperation. Kindly maintain a safe distance."
A mixture of terror and curiosity filled the room, as anyone could clearly see Sir Posh's demeanor belied the urgency and a tinge of self-doubt. The countdown approached zero rapidly.
"A puzzle within a puzzle."
The room trembled, the imminent threat casting a shadow over their survival.
"Allow me a moment longer, please... please," he told himself as the timer read "03," slowing down to the second as the robot entered another code to trick the bomb's interface. "Remain composed; these people must live... Find the exit."
The timer read "02," his options dwindling, his mind racing. The eyebot remembered his friends—the rat, Thomas, all the scientists who lovingly put efforts into his creation, bright minds, the caravan as a whole, his Vertibird.
Was this it? He glanced around the room almost in slow motion, the adrenaline simulacrum rushing through his luminous brain. His consciousness flickered for a moment. Suddenly, Posh found himself in a crumbling labyrinth, as if pulled away to his mind palace by the energy of an artifact.
A light floated in front of him as the walls, floor, and ceiling crumbled into the void behind him. Posh followed the light as it turned and moved through the labyrinth. As everything dimmed, the little artifact light pointed to a big illuminated corridor. POSH rushed toward said light but stopped at the very edge as the floor ended, leading to a fall. As his optics accustomed to the light, he contemplated what was in front of him: the entire wasteland from a bird's eye perspective. He was moving slowly, drifting like a cloud. He felt the timer go down to "01."
"Not yet..." The automaton muttered to himself, surrounded by pure deafening silence. "I understand now... my... my daughter, how could I have been so blind?" The elegant automaton snapped back to reality; the bomb read "00."
"Not yet..."His claw reached towards the synth with impossible speed and precision, his elegant hat lost in the wind from the ferocity of the movement. A quick "snip" was heard as the automaton's claw managed to cut an exposed cable-like structure in the synth. The countdown remained at zeros, but the synth powered down, its form standing but completely immobile.
All light and sounds cease in the automaton. Heat still causes the air to shimmer, and a small fire has started on some of the clothing as it was brought to its flash point, but the android no longer seems to be functional. The violence, it seems, has finally ended. One of the guard's widows comes out to beat the motionless android in a fit of tears, but she is pulled off by the arriving security as they surround the survivors to figure out exactly what just happened. It is about this time that Aasir manages to pull his car around the back of the building and sees that the threat seems to be over, at least for now. Still paranoid that more may be nearby, he passes a message and a small trinket along to the guards and drives towards Fort Fairfax to take shelter behind its concrete walls.
This guard then clears up the misunderstandings and oddly enough even allows the deathclaw to move through the city as he explains Aasir's words. Tossing Vesk an Enclave challenge coin that has been defaced with three strikes through the faction symbol, he discretely lets him know that he has also escaped the extremist organization's clutches. Not willing to have these kinds of conversations in the heat of the moment or out in public, he invites the caravan to return the coin to him tomorrow morning after everyone has had a chance to rest and recover to discuss the attack further..
Player Reports
Sir POSH's Report (and bonus animations! :])
by Felivans
Sir POSH showing Pat Collins an image of his lost vertibird. Still sitting idle at Rattlesnake Jim's Sarsaparilla Plant, it is his dream to bring her home to him once he can create a signal strong enough to reach the autopilot.
A hard fight with the advanced technology of the Commonwealth has left the galant Sir POSH feeling a bit tuckered. Chugging along on reserve power, he will be more than ready for a power cable and a quiet evening now that this is all over.
by Felivans
My day took yet another unexpected turn when I encountered Ms. Jade and Monsieur Done Cole at the camp. Ms. Jade's initial response to my introduction was rather unwelcoming, hinting at accumulated stress, perhaps indicative of PTSD. Monsieur Done Cole and I were interrupted by the arrival of a colossal figure at the camp, accompanied by the more amiable Mr. Patrick. After a brief conversation, we trailed this figure to Aasir's Bar, a notable gathering place for our caravan.
The atmosphere at the bar turned chaotic as an enigmatic intruder, armed with advanced weaponry, wreaked havoc. Chase Hwang's valiant attempt to subdue the assailant with a combat shotgun proved futile. Mr. Pierce, armed with a plasma gun, observed the escalating mayhem, and Mr. Patrick, startled by the presence of Vesk, our friendly neighborhood Deathclaw, fired erratically at the synth before retreating. Security forces struggled to restore order as panic spread among civilians.
In the midst of the chaos, Mr. Cooke sought refuge behind a car, urging a swift resolution to the crisis. Fueled by drugs provided by Mr. Sullivan, Vesk transformed into an unstoppable force, attacking the synth with primal fury. Emergency protocols were activated, prompting a "Code Blue" response from overwhelmed security forces.
Dissatisfied with the increasing threats, Ms. Dodger rallied others for cooperation and a swift resolution. Mr. Vesk, once perceived as a menace, focused on the synth despite potential confusion induced by narcotics. The team managed to disable the synthetic human's hand, causing the android to go berserk and harm everyone nearby, including myself. Seizing an opportunity, Mr. Pierce tended to the stunned Deathclaw, providing much-needed medical aid. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Chase chose to pursue the synth, gathering abandoned weapons along the way. Mr. Patrick, in a panic, alerted West Gate guards to the ongoing onslaught. Responding to the "Code Blue," guards attempted to contain the chaos, with one fleeing while others shielded Aasir, the bar owner, escorting him to safety.
Coven, torn between aiding Aasir and the jumpsuit-clad individual, prioritized assisting Sullivan and urged him to escape. Dr. Andron seized the moment to acquire the synth's weapon and unleashed a volley of gunfire. Vesk, now unstunned, resumed its relentless assault on the synth. Astonishingly, the synth prepared for a devastating counterattack — a nuclear immolation. It was then that I took center stage, manipulating the synth's internal clock speed in a desperate dance to thwart the impending self-destruct sequence.
In a dramatic crescendo, my efforts seemed in vain as the timer relentlessly approached zero. However, a mysterious mental odyssey unfolded within me — a journey of reflections on my creation and a poignant realization about a metaphorical "daughter." In a final, decisive motion, my claw sliced through a crucial cable in the synth, rendering it powerless. The imminent explosion was averted, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Coven's Report
Vesk's Report - “The murderous machine”
“I just got back to Nuka city from the bank the caravan people were looting, and I stashed my new things inside of my Nomad. After lazing around for a while I got bored and decided to go into the city. I put on my best cloak to cover myself up and made my way in. Thankfully none of the guards suspected anything and I made my way to the bar, usually there were nice empty Nuka cola bottles I could add to my collection that they’d throw out. That is until there was some kind of commotion inside. I poked my head inside to see what was going on and suddenly had something sharp stuck into me. I don’t know why but it made me so mad and like time stopped around me, there was some kind of metal man with a gun shooting at people and for whatever reason that made me even madder. The rest was a blur, I’m pretty sure I tore into him but I don’t remember it well, all I remember was waking up back in my Nomad with sore muscles some weird metallic arm in a new place.”
“There was also an enclave challenge coin in my bag… I think I vaguely remember a guard telling me it was Aasir’s. That means he’s enclave… well ex enclave if the scratched out emblem is to be believed. I wonder how long he was in or if they’re hunting him too. He could make a good friend if he is sympathetic to my cause, the enemy of my enemy is my friend after all. Maybe he knows Dr. Ava…”
Cooke's Report
Turns out theres fucking fake people living among us. The ‘Institute’ or whatever. They make robots that look and act like people. Well we ran into one of these creations in the bar. Whipped out a gun and riddled three people before I had a chance to act. Thank god we had a talking deathclaw with us that tore it to shreds and that fancy eyebot there to stop it from going Great War on us again. Shit, I aint sure I'm making it much longer if I stick around.
I’ve never seen such a random assortment of misfits in my life, not since I joined up with my old crew for the first time. Some days I wish I knew where my old crew went. Henry probably blew himself up a while ago, but I got more hope for the rest. Maybe I’ll look for them on this trip.
Dodger's Report
GM: Zyxthylum
Campaign: Highwayman
Players
Beanlord as Cooke
Doctor Andron as Cooper Anzac
GameMumBenwen as Coven
Felivans as Sir POSH
TheGreenMachinery as Jack Pierce
Azryel as Dodger
G33 as Vesk Varik
Tyler as Chase Hwang
Talarius as Patrick Collins
NPCs/Critters
Report Date
05 Feb 2024
Homebrew References
Credits
The World Credits link has a list of inspiration sources and Tabletop Simulator assets available on the Steam Workshop for free that I used to design some of the maps we will use. We will also be using a bunch of stuff Xecthar has available for a couple bucks a map if you watch to check out his itch.io!
Credit to Fallout Vancouver for inspiring the idea, check them out if you want to join an established community with a lot already going on!
by JDGMNT
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