Dawn, Session 2: For Mother, Forgive Them

 

EPISODE 2 - March 13, 2024

For Mother, Forgive Them

Month: March
Weather: Clear
Shift: Day, visibility=no effect
Setting: Surrounding area, The Uni
NPCs: 6

4 prisoners, 2 adults 1 kid;
1 decently armed guard
1 person or group who created pamphlet

Settlement stats:

Settlers: 18, all healthy
Food: D12
Water: D10
Ammo: D10
Medicine: D12
Security: D4

Threads:

• There is a prisoner/guard situation near the Uni by the docks.
• Clove found a leaflet with writing that has apocalyptic, anti-tech vibes
• Chaos Factor: 5

---

We left off with Clove getting derailed from her scrounging mission. Instead she spotted an armed guard with some prisoners. She decides to go back for help. Now, instead of playing out her journey back and telling someone and organizing a party, we'll just roll for how long it takes. I assume it takes her 15 minutes on her bike to get back. We have to roll for how long it takes her to fully organize a party.

Oracle question: Does Clove find a settlement member fairly quickly? I judge this as "Very likely" in the assumption that there are folks on guard duty or doing other chores nearby.

Roll

D100, result=48, yes

As she nears the border of The Uni, she spots someone in the distance struggling with a wheelbarrow. They notice her and notice how fast she's biking, and they unsling their weapon.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm okay," Clove answers as she catches her breath. "But I need to talk to Dawn. Do you have a walkie?"

The settler produces a walkie-talkie, the kind that the University security would have had. Clove tells Dawn the situation as fast as she can. Dawn tells her that she'll scrounge up some folks and send them to her.

Note

The question is how long does this take? I decide to just do a D6, 1-2, within 15 minutes, 3-4, between 15 to 30 minutes, 5-6, 30 to 45 minutes. I do this because this will influence some questions on the oracle.

Roll

D6, result=6, so 30 to 45 minutes

It takes a while for Dawn to locate folks available. After what feels like an eternity for Clove, Old Bear and Crow show up bicycles in tow.

Note

I have Old Bear and Crow show up because they are main characters in this story.

Oracle Question: Do they take the settler member with the walkie talkie? I judge this as 50/50, since we don't know this person yet.

Roll

D100, result=42, yes; I guess we are rolling up a new character!

Note

I do some stuff behind the scenes to generate a new PC. I'll introduce this character and the mechanics I used in a separate blog entry.

"Alright, Clove," Old Bear says. "Lead the way and tell us the details on the way."

Old Bear turns to the settler who had helped Clove contact Dawn and says, "You coming? Tern, right?"

Tern hesitates, surprised by the invitation. They've only been with the settlement for a month, still regaining their strength, but helping out with chores as best as they could. Fixing the garden is one thing, but going out to confront some baddies was another. But out of a sense of loyalty, she nods yes.

Tern produces her bicycle and they get going with Clove in the lead. Before they get to the exact spot where Clove observed the guard and prisoners, they ditch their bicycles and packs, and slowly move towards the spot. About an hour has past since Clove first observed the situation...

Oracle Question: Is the guard and the prisoners still here? I judge this at 50/50 since I have no idea who these people are.

Roll

D100, result=87, no; makes sense, it's been an hour.

Clove points out where she saw them but they are not there anymore. Old Bear decides to go investigate and gives them all instructions. He tells Tern and Clove to stay there and watch their back, and to use the walkie-talkie if necessary. He tells Crow to watch their right while he watches their left. They approach cautiously.

Oracle Question: Is there any sign or indication of where they might have gone? First, I roll some Recon rolls to determine odds.

Roll

Old Bear's Recon Roll, D6, D8: No successes
Crow's Recon Roll, D6, D10: No successes; I decide to push the D10 roll, which gives Crow 1 point of stress; Roll D10: No success

Since my recon rolls failed miserably, I assign "unlikely" as my odds.

Roll

D100, result=36, no; disappointing, but again, it makes sense.

Old Bear and Crow see no clue as to where they could have gotten to. They decide to rejoin Clove and Tern. Old Bear is not giving up yet and suggests they split up into two teams to do a little searching, but firmly says not to go too far, to try and stay within the walkie-talkie's range. Old Bear takes Tern with him and Crow and Clove go together.

Note

At this point I turn to my overworld map. Since they are going one unexplored hex further each, I make each char do another stress roll.

Roll

Clove, D10, D10, result=6, 2, one success
Crow, D10, D6, result=10, 1, two successes
Old Bear, D8, D8, result=5, 8, one success
Tern, D6, D8, result=1, 4, fail, takes one stress

Old Bear takes Clove further into the port area, keeping low and quiet.

Oracle Question: Do they notice anything?

Roll

D100, result=50, yes. I use some tables from T2K4 to get a narrative direction. I get: Trickling rain, killer on the loose, trade, very helfpul/very dangerous, prisoner

As they go further in, it starts to drizzle. Old Bear is the first to see the four bodies, two adults, two kids. They are slumped down on the ground, a border of drying blood around them.

"Stay back, Tern," he instructs them firmly. Tern complies, wide-eyed, but she's already seen it.

Roll

Rolling for Stress for Tern, D6, D8, result=5, 3, fail; gain 1 point of stress.

Arranged around the bodies are dried leaves, twigs, and other plant-like material. Next to them, some words on the floor in black spray paint:

"FOR MOTHER, FORGIVE THEM"

Old Bear searches the bodies and finds of all things a wallet on one of them. He looks through it and pulls out a Driver's License. The picture is of a man, 55 or older. He compares the picture to the man before him. It's definitely him. He notes the address and estimates that it's not too far from here. Maybe two miles further. He pockets the license and then gets on the walkie-talkie.

"Crow, do you all see anything?"

"No, nothing," Crow answers.

"Okay, let's rendezvous now, and get back home."

Result of Scene

NPCs: 6;

• 1 decently armed guard; no further information, except likelihood that this person is connected to leaflet
• 1 person or group who created pamphlet

Stress:

• Clove: 1
• Crow: 1
• Old Bear: 0
• Tern: 2

Closed threads:

• Prisoners have been murdered; guard presumably murdered them is nowhere to be found

New threads:

• Murder of prisoners looks like a ritual killing; seems like it's connected to the leaflet that Clove found.
• Old Bear finds an address for one of the killed prisoners. May be worth checking out.

Chaos factor +1, so now 6