>>6087641
Wyatt Axel Termelon:
A humble grave digger, for noble survivors.
A ruthless incinerator, for bandits and zombies.
Currently standing in line, waiting to trade with The Merchant. [entry/creation roll]

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>>6088402
The Merchant sits up at his makeshift desk from a half slumber. He'd heard a scratching noise coming from the box even before waking, and he looks back and forth in the dark before fixing on this man stand without hat or pack, just in shoes (id8) and pants (id3) standing with a cardboard box that jiggles, as though involuntarily. Though for a moment it looks like puppetry.
>evening fella. Looks like you've got something moving in your box there.
And to the Merchant's bemusement, without saying a word or explaining the box at all, the man fiahes into his hip pocket and produces a neat crisp card, and presents it to the merchant

>W. A. Termelon: Undertaker

Uncertain of where the man could have made this recently, the Merchant shrugs in ascent. If this man had presented himself as a doctor, a scientist, or a solicitor, it might have seemed ridiculous, yet to pretend to be an undertaker . . . It was just too ridiculous to be pretended. He must be telling the truth.

In any case the Merchant was half awake, and this was his line of reasoning.

>so, Mr. Terr-mulon
He seemed to lean in towards the card. It was impossible to see his expression, but perhaps he was squinting, so the onlooker might presume. W. A. assumed he was squinting.
>oh, Termelon, beg your pardon, what can I help you with, sir? What's in your package?

[Your 2nd to last digit = item quantity, 1st is simple quality roll, 1-5 poor, 6-0 good]

>>6088447
Need me a shirt, and a hat.

>Spill over the cardboard box's contents for The Merchant to look at. [roll]

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>>6089371
You empty the bag and in that bag there is a sack and the sack are (7) seven cats. Seven scrawny emaciated cats (1, poor quality) which looked to be on the verge of death but cats. And in the dark they say all cats are grey, but these cats were orange, so not today.

>good lord!

The Merchant exclaimed, in a way that you would have expected indicated shock at the cats, but he was talking about the massive plume of black smoke far behind you, and some likewise, orange, glowing fire at it's base. There was no noise, so whatever the source of the fire was not explosive.

>i'll give you four bucks for all those. A shirt and a hat, ive got some for cheap, or nicer ones. 1/2 head for the discount bin, or a head each for the nicer ones. Either way, you'll have a few bucks to spare. Need a place to stay? Some food? How about a weapon? Only, it doesn't look like you're armed.

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>>6089946
>>6089371
[Descriptive vignette]
The plume of smoke and the fire continues unabated for a few minutes, and the Merchant checks the wall clock, which reads 2:30am. It might be the correct time, but how would anyone know these days? No one in the compound, as yet, is especially interested in checking on the issue in the dark, despite the merchant issuing a general reward for investigation through the PA.
>hey guys, I know it's late, but there's a fire, looks like a big one, to the north west of here. There might be some people that need help, or just some more junkies. Anyway, ill give a Mossberg 500a and a satchel of shells to whoever brings me intel on it by sunrise.
You hear this offer, made internally, and not necessarily to you. And think about the benefit of having a shotgun.

The Merchant continues discussing the deal for mr Termelon's orange cats.

Over the merchants shoulder a posted list of prices can be seen for various items and services
>Room - 1 head per night
>tool rental -1 head per day
>tool purchase - 10 heads
>hot meal with drink - 2 heads
>clothing - 1 head per article
>SALE ask about our bargain bin 1/2 per article
bullets - 1 head per round

To the left, smudged by dirt and grease are posted jobs
>Wood cutting - 2 heads per tonne (tool rental extra)
>outside tool retrieval - 4 heads per article
>warehouse work - 1/2 head per hour
>skilled labour - requires aptitude check
>car stripping - variable, but fair

The Merchant picks up a chalk board and starts scribbling this latest job,
>fire investigation, NW, within 2 miles
>time sensitive
>REWARD: Shotgun and bag of shells

>>6090491
>>6089946
>Spend 1 head/buck to rent a tool - flashlight
>Spend 1 on bargain bin - head and chest
>Spend 1 on a "quality" backpack [if backpack doesn't count as clothing, give me two more bargain bin articles]
>Spend 1 on a room for the night
>Investigate the fire to the northwest

After shuffling back and forth and perusing the wares, a tight-lipped Wyatt rings up some odds and ends, and declares, "Be back soon. Keep the room for me."

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>>6091023
>You uh, think you're up to it? You'd better find a weapon, it's a ways there and back, a couple miles at least. If you make 2 miles an hour, and id be surprised, no offense, but even at that, you'll be getting back by four or five in the morning, and you still need to investigate what's happened.

>Here's what I need from you:
>1 survive
>2 determine the cause of the fire
>3 search for survivors
>4 look for indicators of deliberate arson

>incidentally, how aware are you of the groups in this area?

[The Merchant is offering you an Awareness check using your post number] 1-4p, 5-0f

>I'm not saying I doubt you to be insulting, but you'd best have someone else come along. Assuming anyone wants to go that is.

[My final digit determines if someone from the compound answers the late call and joins.] 1-4p, 6-0f

>>6091033
>Exchange the rented room for a weapon (rent it if I don't have enough to purchase)
>Rolling fer Awareness

Mr. Termelon swats at a bug on his chest, then scratches his chin. "Well, shucks..."

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>>6091160
>>6091160
>well, no mr Termelon, (0) the "Shuckers and Jivers" aren't a gang, precisely. I've not heard of the "Bean Burrito Gang," either.
The Merchant draws a few symbols on paper and passes them through the counter tray along with a sturdy, hand made machete, with a rope lanyard through the handle, and a small digital camera.
>you want to keep an eye out for these markings. They might be painted on walls, or put on clothing, or vehicles. If you meet anybody wearing these markings, get a good shot of them, and watch them, but don't talk to them, or bring them here.
The Merchant gets up and grabs your bundle of items from a bin, a shirt and hat, along with a bluish green canvas rucksack.

>>6091033
A man in full riot gear exits from the compound and raps his knuckles across the counter (3).
>you too? Ok, well, this is Mr Termelon, he's new but ambitious, and i gave him the details of what to look for. Any signs of affiliated activity, or survivors. id like to hear on this before dawn. Good luck to both of you.

>>6091220
"Well, we better get a move on... Pal. You got a name, pardner? And would ya back me up on them Bean Buhrrita Boys? You've seen 'em, riight? Nasty fellers. Typa' fellers ta skin their own dogie for a second scoop o' slop at chow time."
>Start the investigation

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>>6091276
The man in the riot gear has a muffled voice, and doesn't remove his mask to make himself more intelligible.
>Burritos? You mean Mexicans? Yeah, I've seen a Mexican before.
the two of you step out into the dark street, and despite his gear, your compatriot, who failed to give his name, moves quickly, and you both make good time staying on the open road.
Your pardner doesn't ask your advice, but stays on the freeway feeder road, and climbs the embankment to the freeway proper after a few hundred yards.
>{Do you follow his lead, tell him to follow you, or travel by yourself?}
Moreover, you see that the other man doesn't even keep his weapon out, but holds it slung over his shoulder, and lifts an old camcorder to his eye, periodically, looking out at the open road, and the ruins.
You can't hear any rustling of feet, no dogs barking, or anything else for the first block.

You should be able to move without incident, so long as you don't make noise and draw ghouls.

You have 4 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, move towards destination, hunt for animals, go stargazing, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-6p, 7-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-6p, 7-0f

>>6091363
"Keep yer secrets, thee-yen. A-hyuck."

[Actions]
>Immediately follow Ol' No Name onto the freeway
>Ask him if he believes in the afterlife, what happens when we die
>Stay alert for the symbols The Merchant wants us to photograph
>Stuff the rucksack with found raw materials, loose components, or abandoned treasures, collected with the assistance of a machete if need be

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>>6091371
You ask him about the what happens when people die (1) and he tells you at length. He has a foreign accent. Slavic, in some way. He talks slowly as you walk and climb in the dark, your light passing and waving aheadof you both, and he continuously halts to look about with his camera.
>To the soul, i don't know. I've heard there might be a return to a universal energy, or something. The premise that a buddist denial of desire might redirect us to a singular consciousness, but that always seemed like an oriental idea, better suited to a chinese. For myself, I believe in god. Ive not met him of course, but Jesus seemed like a good man. Many people, whom I do not like myself, seem to hate him, and this goes a long way in my mind. If the things said about Jesus, that he helps to save people's souls, if this is true, then it is something to be confident in. If not, of course then the whole thing is rather academic, and preposterous, truly. The other people, even some people who you find talking about jesus, they love to go on about formalities, and customs and so forth, but they don't focus on what happens to people when they die, and probably can't help anyone. If it were true that we are energy, i'm not too concerned because the energy cannot hate me or watch what i do. It is not concerned with my soul, neither if the people who are obsessed with customs, does it help me because I am not for their customs, no matter what they tell me, and if the soul is merely a matter of customs, i am not going to keep them correctly even if i were to attempt them. If the atheist materialists are correct then i can't alter the formality of nature with my mind, and will be gone. And the mystical people if they are right, everything is a card trick anyway, and i don't have time for this. None of them has any concern for my soul, only for suppositions and for their own philosophies. But i think that if Jesus was a real man, he knows that I would regard him well, and then he might possibly help me as well, and do something for my soul.
>As for our bodies, we become dirt of course. The worms eat us, or we get burned. Unless we get this sickness and we turn to monsters. It doesn't matter.
You see recent signs of a car, (3) fresh tire tracks in dirt atop the raised freeway. But although you look (7), you don't find anything worth grabbing.

You've made it half a mile without incident (1). Not a single ghoul seen, let alone any to bother you. Distantly you see a church sign, as your now talkative companion speaks of the human soul.

You have 4 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, move towards destination, hunt for animals, go stargazing, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-6p, 7-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-6p, 7-0f

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>>6087641
Meanwhile back at the compound.
A woman comes into the office through a back door, and tells the Merchant something quietly, but the general PA is still clicked on, and it can be heard that
>the toilet is full, we need to change the receptical, or dig another pit.
>get someone on waste disposal. Know what, nevermind ill post it.
>general duty for waste cleanup in the latrine. Yes, haha,
>Doody duty
All the people outside can hear, over the PA and from inside the compound exclaimations of
>Doody Duty, doody Duty
It rises like a chant in the dark. It draws your mind to the county lockup, and the way the prisoners, having no responsibility, or reason to care, would chant about all manner of non-sense, about cigarettes, about rapes of other inmates, about the food, about the warden. One wonders what sort of people have congregated in the place, despite the intentional politeness of the front man, what must they be like inside to only respond to 3rd world filthiness inby the mimicry of jailbirds?
The Merchant writes this, newest job on another part of the chalk board
>waste disposal, "doody duty"
>Clean up of waste spill. Swap latrine receptical
>pays 2 bucks
>dig extra latrine pit
>Pays 2 additional bucks

>>6091406
"I hopes I gits the worms, miself, I'd already set me aside a pine box, sanded and stained and air'thang, but I had to use it fer... Fer... Y'know the fascinatin' thang 'bout worms? Thurr's all kines o' worm. You gots ya earth worms, ya round worms, yer flat worms and tape worms, then there's the hook worms, ribbon worms..."

>Investigate the church sign and the church, with Ol' No Name's blessing
>Check for supplies in the area
>Stargaze in the area
>Continue on the road to the fire

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>>6091455
>you go off into buildings at night you'd better be careful, or else you gonna be de worm face! (1)

You start rooting around in the building, and, the parkinglot is empty, and the front door opens easily enough. You search around inside, and find the place empty of ghouls, but you find (4 food) a container of sacrament waifers in a supply closet, and they've held up well enough. They should be fine to eat, being prepackaged.
Outside again, you look up at the sky and see the night sky. If only you'd not fried your brain for so many years on chemical fumes, alcohol and embalming fluid exposure, you'd probably get more our of it.
As you look at the shinning lights you consider the worms again,
>all thems worms that you used to git out de ground with an elecric current, course thats anudder story. Cause life is like a handful of vicious electric worms. Sometimes life bites you and fills up your house and eats Mr Beardsly, and you have to call his name 50 more times rather than consider that he might not be home.
[Stargazing has let you become INTROSPECTIVE. You get a +1 to success rolls for the rest of the mission]
You return to find Mr NoName still on the freeway, and catch up to him (5).

Somehow, probably due to the massive fire drawing the ghouls away from the surrounding area, your excuraion in the dark has not drawn any ghouls (5).

You have 5 more blocks to go before reaching the blaze.

You have 4 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, move towards destination, hunt for animals, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6091630
"That constellation there kinda looks like the great worm, Vyxelhildrinomme, if you tilt yer head to the... Huh? Whurd ya go?"

>Focus on scoutin' and photographin' the symbols what The Merchant told us to look out fer.
>Perform some hillbilly aerobics and light stretches to prepare to run... Or fiiight.
>Keep a close eye on Ol' No Name, watch his back and try not to get sep'rated.
>Advance to the fire, eyes dartin' back an' forth like a dang owl, lookin' fer info.

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>>6091769
You Focus on the job at hand, (+1) and Limber Up from performing the ancient technique of the Grave Robbing Bumpkin, (No Cramped Legs/Anti Stumbling Buff).
>what is that ? You are doing ballet at this time? Just stay close, there is something ahead of us.
You stick to No Name's back, and read a piece of script on his Riot shield
>Py277pFE
You don't know the significance of this, but, in the circumstances it seems that this was once his identification. As it has been deliberately printed by hand in specific numerals upper and lower case letters, and looks to have been touched up a few times. The same ID has, you soon notice, also been printed on his garments, his helmet, and even on his boots. The same even hand writing having printed these things so as to approximate the sort of script seen on stensiled wooden crates, or prison garments.
You can hear some footsteps and shuffling on the road up ahead of you. Sure enough there are (9) ghouls in the freeway.

Suddenly, Py277pFE puts his hand over your flashlight and whispers to you to be silent. He motions for you to crouch behind an empty car.

>we can fight them or try to sneak away.

You can see over the guard rail that the freeway is about to span a bridge over a bayou. You can exit into this bayou section to try and reach the feeder road, or even follow it towards the fire through open fields, a dangerous move but out of the immediate confrontation.

[You are currently hidden behind cover]

You have 4 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, move towards destination, engage ghouls, distract ghouls, avoid ghouls, talk with your compatriot, deliberately attract ghouls, or take another route.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-8p, 9-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-8p, 9-0f

>>6092604
>Head over the bayou bridge
>Exit a feeder road and enter a nearby building for a quick regroup and to double-check and secure current inventory
>Loot the area
>Continue trying to document the fire

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>>6092933
[Im including a better map of the area]
The Slav pulls out a page of key map, and points to it whispering to you.
>if we cross the bridge here, (2) we'll have to fight them first (9). They are between us and the other side.
[I was a bit tired when I wrote the previous reply, and think i muddled it a bit]
>We exit now, and cut around, perhaps maybe they will not see us.
He points his camcorder over the car, and opens the side screen, panning it, and motions to you that the path is clear.

The two of you walk stooped over, eastward, cut across the oncoming lane of the freeway, and cross the guard rail into the brush and from there to the feeder road. In front of you is a wide parkinglot for a retail home fixtures store, Famous Lighting, which borders the bayou.

You enter through the shattered edifice of the flor to ceiling glass store front and, find that nearly the whole of the interior is covered in debris and broken glass. Inside the place you find nothing on the shelves which you can use, but in the back you find some Clean Clothing (3) on a shelf by the register, Famous Lighting company logo T-shirts. Not the most stylish, but worth something.

You check and secure your belongings.

You and the slav explore the isles and the backroom and find the building empty, and looking outside, and on either side of the parking lot, (3) you see that you've avoided drawing any more ghouls, having ditched the last group back on the freeway bridge.

>You can proceed via the feeder road
Or
>You can proceed across the bayou

Beyond this choice, you have 3 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, move towards destination, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6093181
>Proceed across the bayou
>Cut down reeds and catch frogs and gators in the bayou, store in rucksack
>Move towards the fire
>Focus on finding useful info for The Merchant

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>>6093479
You choose to cross the bayou to the west of the freeway. You are heading north from the southern embankment.

You and the Slav exit the lighting store and the side parkinglot and move down the embankment towards the water. You don't hear too many noises of small animals, an odd facet of a July evening, but hunt around for them anyway. The bullfrogs, which would ordinarily be holding their evening debates, are keeping mum, and you realize why, as you come across the carcass of a female alligator half exploded with bullet holes. The lower end of a human torso, with a leg missing, lays near the reptile's jaws.

Some searching for animals nets you her nest where you find bits of cracked egg shells, a decaying chewed up human hand. You also find a small hatchling, too small to tear off your arm, but just the right size to be carried around(3).

In the grass and weeds, you can see several spent shell casings and shotgun hulls, recently expended, enough to have avoided corrusion in the humidity and wet grass. You also find a mud covered left boot (4) with a leg sticking out of it. Returning to the lower torso you retrieve the other boot to the set. You further roll out the pockets of the torso, finding a car key, and some (7) bullets before attracting attention.

You attract the upper half of the corpse, which crawls towards you from the opposite bank. Stumbling and tumbling down the vank, and through the water eight more ghouls are drawn in, a total of (9).

>You can fight through the marsh
OR
>retreat back up the south embankment

[Due to your position, in the base of the bayou, even if you retreat, the ghouls will actively follow you. However, they are fighting through mud, and will be delayed 2 turns in reaching the active playfield. If you make 2 consecutive evade rolls without drawing new ghouls, those in pursuit will be lost.]

You have 3 actions.

You can focus, move towards destination, talk with the slav, distract ghouls, fight ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6094432

>Fight through the marsh
>Collect trophies of each kill
>Head towards the fire

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>>6094669
You fight the ghouls, dispatching (4), and taking their heads (6).

You move through their ranks, and pass by the other 5 ghouls as you climb the north side of the bayou embankment. At the other side, you progress towards the fire (6). However, you find (9) more ghouls at the top of the Northern embankment.

The Slav takes a guarded posture with his shield and prepares to fight
>he focuses
>fights ghouls
>heads towards the fire

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids ghoul Draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can focus, move towards destination, talk with the slav, distract ghouls, fight ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-6p, 7-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-6p, 7-0f

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>>6094732
>>6094669
[Recap of my roll outcome]
The slav dispatches (7) the remaining 5 ghouls trailing you from the marsh, and 2 of the monsters you find at the top.

The 7 remaining ghouls follow after you from the grassland at a regular pace.

[Trailing ghouls will attack the next turn unless you make 2 consecutive evade rolls. Evasion requires moving while not drawing new ghouls]

The two of you have moved from the marshland to the back of a residential property line.
>picrel
You have 3 more blocks to go before reaching the destination.

You can choose to
Scale the fence towards Northborough Dr
OR
Follow the fence line north to the cross street.

>[going over the fence will lead to more loot opportunity, and more danger. +3 loot success, but ghoul draw is doubled. Staying behind the fence is a bit safer with less loot, ghoul draw and loot are halved]

>>6094757
>Set a trap for the trailing ghouls, deter them by knocking stuff in their path, locking doors, etc.
>Scale the fence towards Northborough Dr
>Head toward the fire

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>>6094776
>[You still have 1 action. Scaling the fence is just a path choice. Also here is a more detailed area map.

>>6094800
>Loot the Mexican restaurant with the giant rooster with poncho and sombrero [Casa nueva]

>>6094800
>bike park
hmmm... I've got some ideas for the way back

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>>6094776
>>6094805
You jump the fence into the back of an apartment complex. There are burned out cars and old bones littering the pavement. The industrial trash dumpster is overflowing with filth, and the trees all cut down to stumps.

The slav helps you cut tree branches down into stakes, (4) and mounts them in the ground on the inside of the fenceline.
You have delayed the approaching ghouls for 1 turn.

>let's loot the Casa Nueva
You tell the Slav, indicating it on the map.
>the Casa nueva complex is large im afraid. We must breach from one apartment to the next.

The two of you cross the street to the Casa Nueva Condominium complex, (6) without drawing any more ghouls.

>SIDE QUEST: Moonlighting at the Casa Nueva

[You have chosen to divert from your main quest to a side quest. This looting expedition will not count towards completion of the main quest, until this side quest ends. Fleeing the ghouls, if successful, ends a side quest]

You start at the management office.

The Slav maintains his guard on you, and watches for approaching ghouls.
[Guarding a teammate gives a +1 to success rolls]
[Watching for approaching ghouls, being On Lookout, gives +1 to ghoul draw]

You have 3 actions.

You can search the interior for loot, search the exterior for loot, Focus, deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

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>>6094944
"Git my back pardner, and we'll split whatever I find in here."
>Search interior for loot (management office)
>Search interior for loot (condos)
>Search exterior for loot (break room trash chute)

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>>6095024
[Your searches are 90% successful, because of your urban path choice, and my guarding you.]
Inside the management office you find furniture in the lobby, as it would have been the day before things went wrong. all the doors inside unlocked but the only thing you find (5) is a half pint bottle of gin in the manager's desk drawer.
The condos, there are twenty of them, are another story (0). Too big to search all at once, you reference a map that shows the spread of 2 story dwellings, most with garages, and numbered 1-20.
The guide shows the condos as roughly identical, with an entry, kitchen garage and living room downstairs, and 3 bedrooms, 2 bathroms, a walkin closet, and a laundry upstairs.
You grab one of the pamphlets from the sales literature stand, and examine it.

These condos will have to be looted one at a time, room by room.

The exterior trash chute has a rat licking around inside (2).

The Slav continues guarding you both, watching out for approaching ghouls.

[If you roll a (0) Zero on a loot search, I'm going to add new loot opportunities, or other plot points.]

You can choose to
>Loot Condos
Or
>Leave the Casa Nueva Complex

You have 3 actions.

You can search the parkinglot for loot, search the condos for loot, focus, move towards destination, hunt for animals, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6095631
Loot a condo
>Garage
>Kitchen
>Master bedroom

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>>6095684
>[You'll probably want to loot in order, like you would IRL, and clear the buildings of ghouls before looting. im going to play off the layouts on these buildings, and remember, ghoul draw is doubled. Also, ghouls drawn inside Uncleared Buildings are assumed to be inside already]

Reckless and unconcerned with consequences, you charge into the first condo. You find (5) some old cigarettes, (6) a claw hammer, and (8) some blue tabs with a "12" on one side and a "U" on the other.
>use as directed
The Slav tells you.

You've not noticed any ghouls in the condo, or drawn any ghouls (4).

The slav guards you and watches for approaching ghouls.

You have 3 actions.

You can clear the condo, search the surrounding area for loot, focus, barricade windows and doors, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6095631
"Almost done, bubba. Let's just finish up this house and git."
>Loot walk-in closet
>Loot laundry room
>Leave the Casa Nueva Complex

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>>6095765
You manage to loot (5) some cigarettes and (7) some bullets before leaving the complex (6). Despite your quick decisions, or because of them, you manage the entire raid without drawing any ghouls (5).

Back on Northborough, you have 3 blocks to go before reaching the destination.

You have 3 actions.

You can search the surrounding area for loot, focus, hunt animals, proceed towards your destination, talk with your compatriot, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-6p, 7-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-6p, 7-0f

>>6096492
>Proceed towards destination
>Stay focused, to look for anything interesting
>Ask rikki-tikki-slavvy what he thinks we'll find, and what he thinks appears to be the source of the fire

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>>6096578
You move up a block (6) through the dark streets. You focus on the job, the looking part. You focus (5) on doing what you were sent to do, which is, you are reasonably certain, looking for the cause of a fire.
>Fire! (7)
You blurt out.
>you know it gets hot and bright? Why do it be like that?
>what are you on about now?
The Slav retorts, genuinely offended that you would ask such a thing.
>"why do fire be like that?" Because of aliens of course. The heat-ness of the fire. This is the key to the entire scheme which Fire has devised to trick us. It is this heatness, the Unbearable Heat-ness of Fire which does the thing. You see most people, they speak of what things fire burns up. Up! Do you see? What is the meqning of the paridigm of burning up except the obsession with Up-ness.
>Heat-ness and Up-ness?
>yes, they obsess over this Up-ness of theirs and are blinded to another source of the fire. Down-ness. Burning down-ness of the house.
You suddenly get the idea that you've been lured into a battle of 1980's lyrics.
>you talkin to me like some kind of talkin' head?
>AAAAAAH, watch out!
The (8, now 16 because of draw debuff) ghouls which are drawn by this conversation from the surrounding buildings are strange, but not strangers.
The slav sees them approach and readies his weapon and shield to guard and attack, but keeping his attention on any approaching ghouls before reassuring you
>I'm
>an
>Or
>di
>na
>ry
>guy
>BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE

have 3 actions.

You can fight the ghouls, distract the ghouls, search the surrounding area for loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6096662
>Fight!
>Fight!
>Fight!

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>>6096669
>Hold tight
>Wait 'til the party's over
>Hold tight
>We're in for nasty weather
>There has got to be a way
>Burning down the house

You and the Slav dispatch (6) ghouls, then (6) more and then the last 4 (6). But, due to your antics or the David Byrne lyrics, you wind up drawing another wave of (9 doubled to 18).

The Slav continues
>guarding [+1]
>watching [+1] for approaching waves
>fighting

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6096674
"Is this the last of 'um, mister tall, dark, 'n' han'some?"
>>Fight!
>>Fight!
>>Fight! Special Hillbilly Technique: Machete Lawnmower!

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>>6096933
You make a rumbling sound as you swing the machete low
>blum blum blum blum
Your plan is a runaway success as you kill (6) then cripple (9) then dispatch (3).
The Slav protects you from ghouls as you stumble into their group, dispatching (7) of the crawlers, and leaving the other 2 floundering on the ground. These two are missing feet, and can be ignored, so long as you escape their immediate area.
[Crawling, crippled, ghouls advance half as quickly as ghouls in mud or water, taking 4 turns to reach the active play area]

Neither the Slav (4) nor you (3) draw any new ghouls.

The Slav continues
>guarding you [+1]
>watching [+1] for approaching waves
>advancing to destination

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

The street is clear of ghouls up ahead.

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, search for clues, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6097141
Using zombie fingers and toes as blood Sharpies, I pen a message on the side of a nearby building with white paint. "Tired of the dead rising? For all your burial needs, consult a professional! I put 'em under, and they stay under! -W. A. Termelon, Post-Apocalyptic Undertaker"
>Advertise services
>Hum a hillbilly ode to the two best zombie killers on the block
>Advance to destination

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>>6097340
[I've tried advertizing a couple times in the general since starting this chapter. Feel free to recruit, if you're enjoying it]

>advertizing, that's a good idea. Eyes on impact is important, I hear. Makes better business. But you'd better leave them a ways of contacting you, or to find you. Some kind of number with some arrows.
The Slav nods approvingly at your message, and gives you a hand, and a half dozen thumbs(7).
You find yourself humming a tune (3), a dueling tune, a tune that might involve Ned Beatty making strange noises, or Burt Reynolds shooting a compound bow, then you start to singing the chilling lyrics
>gather round all you freinds and cousins and a heathins, there's some boys you put the monaters in their graves
And that's it. Clearly there is some sort of legend surrounding the song, but it's a new legend, and still needs to catch on. In the meantime, your ode to your own exploits inspires you both with a touch of bloodlust [+1 to mission kill range]

As the two of you wander up the road, your arms feed alternately weak and rejuvinated. The Slav likewise is starting to look tired.
>Hand me cigerette
He tells you, and obliging him, he takes just one, tears off the filter, lights and inhails and exhails quickly two or three times, before lowering his face mask again, and regaining his frenetic hostile energy. He will not wear out as quickly in battle now.
[Slow smoking has a relaxing effect, while quick puffing excites and agitates. This is actually true]

>[Fighting hand to hand is, and would be, exhausting. So having fought 2 or 3 battles against slow targets would leave both men sweating more than they already would be, and just a bit delerious. Every 3rd continuous engagement in melee combat will now inflict a debuff on accuracy, a stacking -1 on Kill range and general success, down to an unbuffed minimum of 4. I had a similar motif for the longer battles in the previous chapter, but those tended to involve firearms. So we have fought 2 times in a row, but lucked out on drawing new ghouls last time, thus resetting the effect.]

The two of you cross the intersection, and up Northborough another block to Rankin Rd. Distantly you can see the glow of the fire in the sky, and the flames licking into the air, and the smoke grows thicker

Your singing, or the spreading around of blood on the wall draws out a pack of (10, doubled to 20) ghouls into the road.

>watchout, Undertaker they are coming.

The Slav continues
>guarding [+1]
>watching [+1] for approaching waves
>fighting

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6097429
>Give the baby alligator in my rucksack a good luck kiss on the snout
>Huff three stogies at once, Slav-style
>Engage the pack of zombies!

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>>6097462
You kiss the Gator (7) giving you a Plus 1 to the Way of the Reptile, which gives you a +1 in all interactions with snakes, gators, dinosaurs, or other lizard people.
Huffing the cigarretes en masse has a calming effect, as your blood thins, and your arteries are warped by the chemicals. You feel at once euphoric, light headed and dizzy. Too little water and food, and too much chemical appitite suppressant make you feel as though you are leaning over. You might be leaning, in fact, as you press up on your Machette which is angled towards the ground and attack (6) ghouls in quick succession, decapitating them.

The Slav changes tactics
>attack
>guard
>attack

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-6p, 7-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-6p, 7-0f

>>6097516
>Take a swing at the zombies again
>Keep a look out for more zombie hordes or other odd phenomena - stay aware of surroundings
>"Retreat" forwards, leading the zombies towards the fire
"Time to show this slavic lad what a country boy can do to a zambie with a little faaahr."

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>>6097544
Gunfire bursts out distantly and and the ghouls look around them, distracted for a moment from attacking you.

You swing and slay (7) ghouls. All of them screaming and lunging making a mess on the ground. The alligator jerks about in your backpack. Giving you a reptilian feeling, a swamp feeling, the feeling of a man with an alligator in his backpack.

You couldn't feel any more peculiar if you heard a helicopter flying around the ghetto. Then (5) you hear a helicopter flying around the ghetto.

At the sound of the helicopter, and the intermittent explosions of gunfire, you break out towards the fire (4), panting and leaping over obstacles, just like an alligator.

The Slav swings in true alligator fashion, almost becoming an alligator, seemingly. If you could see him you might think that. It is dark, after all. He dispatches (7) ghouls, then (1) more.
[He also would have got an additional 2 from my previous turn]

The Slav continues
>guarding [+1]
>watching for approaching ghouls [+1]
>move the final block towards the fire

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>>6098273
>move toward the fire
>begin hip tossing and suplexing the zombies into the fire
>investigate said fire if everything is calm, or else keep throwing ghouls in the fire

>>6098332
You approach the fire, a storefront is engulfed, a few nearby buildings, likewise, are starting to smoke and catch fire.

There are hordes of ghouls gazing into the flames, oblivious to anything else, like moths and when you look at them, they really do seem like zombies, tranquilized passive and some of them docile. Slightly north you hear another burst of gunfire, and see muzzle flashes from atop an ambulance. Streaks of body parts and fluid run in channels around the heaps of bodies that line the street. And the bullets rattle off in bursts while plooms of spraying gore and blood fling off the mass of ghouls like so much popcorn.
Here and there, under the rattle of the machinegun, you notice lighter caliber shots crack off, a milder and more measured noise, and the upper profiles in this growd of nike clad beasts slump to the ground one at a time. Their flesh is dark with dirt, dark with smoke and soot, dark with heritage. And you puzzle your brain for a moment, imagining them protesting the price of Menthols a few years ago, demanding healthcare, and all of them fresh off the boat from somalia or Nigeria. Even the ones who grew up here were essentially foreign, and all of them protesting for the dignity of Apes.

You try to manhandle a hypnotized ghoul and hurl him into the fire, and notice that she (it now?) Willingly accepts the nudge and stumbles (3) forward into the blazing storefront. A few others briefly look towards you, but find the fire a better lure and distraction than your unsmellable flesh.

You try looking about for graffity, and see that it is everywhere and in all kinds. The only thing new looking is a circled hourglass on a wall, blotched and uneven in green paint. (3)

The center of the flames, and yet the thing burning hottest of all, is (3) an electric car, some sort of boxy hard cornered trend-mobile that throws up q cloud of smoke.

The Slav suddenly grabs at your arm
>this, undertaker, wear this
He hands you a gas mask, and you oblige him, and notice that you're suddenly fealing very light headed. The fumes from this burning lithium polymer are, you recall, very toxic. The ghouls all seem to stand about, like patients waiting for pills in a psych ward.

The ghouls behave normally, to invoke such terms, the further away they are from the fumes and the fire.

Apart from the obvious source of the flames. You see that to get any real answers, you will have to help, or at least reach the trapped survivors in the ambulance.

The ghouls are so numerous as to be infinite, having formed a CRITICAL MASS.

The Slav continues
>guarding [+1]
>fighting
>signalling to survivors

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, proceed towards your destination, evade ghouls, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

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>>6098700
>>6098332
[Forgot my name and the picrel]

>undertaker, we should reach them
The slav points to the Ambulance and attempts to signal them, while bracing against the roving ghouls that approach, stumbling and disoriented, like so many homeless crackheads.

The survivors take (0) no notice of the Slav, and meanwhile a group of (10 doubled to 20) ghouls are attracted and draw off from the huddling crowd.

>>6098700
>>6098707
>Snap a steady pic of the circled green hourglass
>Fight my way back up to my partner with a Hillbilly Special Technique: Claw Hammer Whirlwind!
>Signal to ambulance survivors in conjunction with slav, with a Hook 'Em Horns salute, to show them we're not ghouls

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>>6098943
You snap a picture of the spraypaint, but in the chaos (8) you've forgotten to put on the plash, and the frames come out pixelated, blurry. You consider asking the wall to hold still, and asking the ghouls to please stop inturrupting, because these things happen only once a year, but you decide against addressing the crowd, or trying to converse with these flesh eating monsters

They only speak Spanish.

Spinning around creates a whirlwind. A terrible whirlwind of the claw hammer and you spinning and then the ghouls spinning (9). Or is it you standing in one place, and the entirety of the rest of them spinning around you? Nope, it was just you spinning around and getting dizzy. No existensial observations here! You manage to whack (9) the ghouls in their temples or foreheads, thus destroying their already underdeveloped senses of Empathy and Abstract Thinking. Whatever they would have felt had they eaten breakfast yesterday, is beside the point because not only did they NOT eat breakfast, they can't comprehend the notion of a 3-D apple spinning around in their imagination and besides all that.

THEY ONLY SPEAK SPANISH.

>im finna try and signal to the ambulance folks o'er there.
You inform the Slav.
>ill give em this a here college Say-Lute!
>you're mad, undertaker. You live the life on the edge. Supposing they vent to A&M?
>Aggies wouldn't know the difference
You assure him.
You signal them with your best longhorn mewling noise, and they refrain from responding with a rake of gunfire. In fact they stop firing and just look at towards you, confused, as though they'd never been near a beef, or won a football game in their lives.
>well, maybe they ARE Aggies. Or perhaps they went to Rice?
Instead they signal back to you with finger guns shouting like civilized educated men (4).
>HIT EM, WRECK EM
Their game chant inspires you both [+1 kill range], and they begin firing through the crowd, cutting a path through the flood of ghouls, a red path, a red parting.

They PART the Red Sea, get it?

These thing happen without further trouble (3)

The Slav
>chants the Red Raider warcry [+1]
>guards [+1]
>fights

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-9p, 0f
[1st avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, try to reach survivors, evade ghouls, search for clues, or deliberately attract ghouls.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-8p, 9-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-8p, 9-0f

>>6101318
>Don culturally insensitive warpaint using ash and cinder from the fire
>Hit the zombies with the womper
>Race to the ambulance, encourage them to join the S.B.C. (Slav-Billy Connection)

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>>6101556
(1) you deck yourself out like tanto.
Seeing your war paint, the Slav, already in a black face mask cries out
>hi ho Silver
Granting you the buff of Kemosabe, [buffs from your partner grant +2]
You charge, both of you, into the sea of ghouls. The slav whacks, while you, for you part Whomp.
Whomp is the word and the word is whomp.
(5) ghouls were whomped that day in what authorities are calling the worst intra-day whomp spree since the the 1932 whomping epidemic, during which some 83 anti-whomping demonstrators were whomped in a single 36 hour period, by pro-whomping extremists.

The case was never solved.

The two of you race (5) to the ambulance.
The crowd murmers at this first at the houston race track, Termelon paying $2 against the unknown "slav" at $3.20, nevertheless a favorite to place.
>The men are ready and the track is muddy
>And they're off!
>Termelon starts with a slide and slip across just escaping the dentured jaws of a decrepit abuella
>El Slavorino comes up close behind to give the old girl a thrill
>Termelon skates forward across the hopes and dreams of 2 future doctors
>while the slav makes peace with never owning a home with his signiture guard move "forever a renter"
>Termelon gets caught in conversation with no less than ten underserved youths about the real meaning of pants hanging below your ass, and it's relation to prison romance
>not to be outdone, the slav tells a group of three philosophers, all named champagniqua, exactly what he thinks of social justice
>suddenly the slav pulls a head . . . from its body and takes the lead
>the slav gains by a length
>Suddenly termelon breaks out of the conversation about white guilt having picked the young geniuses brains . . . From his clothes
>it's a close move to the finish as Termelon and the slav dash down the slick track
>its slav Termelon
>Termelon
>Slav
>and Termelon takes it by a nose . . . still stuck to the tip of his machete

You climb up onto the ambulance hood, and one of the men there fires a few bullets at the twisting crowd.
>were you just shouting a play by play?
But this is no time for theatrics or time wasting banter.
>nevermind that old chap
You interrupt this questioner
>how about a super alliance? I've got this anagram i've been working on, for about 15 seconds. It's going to catch on, im quite sure of it.
>y-yeah, deal

You are now on High Ground, and can climb atop the ambulance roof to become Unreachable.
[Climbing atop the ambulance may leave you trapped]

The Slav continues
>guarding [+2]
>defenistrating ghouls
>fighting more ghouls

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-9p, 0f
[1st avoids calamity] 1-9p, 0f

You have 3 actions.

You can fight, distract, loot, focus, ask questions, survey the surroundings, survey ghouls, or flee.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-9p, 0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-9p, 0f

>>6102946
Absolutely nail-biting race. Finger and hand-biting, too!

Looks like Slavvos is handling ghoul business. Time for The Undertaker to go take the ambulance for... The Last Ride
>Survey surroundings (snap pics with camera of anything good)
>Hotwire the gat dang amberlamps and take it for a joy ride! My intimate knowledge of Chevrolet will not be on vain!
>Ask the new fellers to git down from the roof an' help out! If the ambulance can't be repaired, let's find a nearby non-burning building to occupy and talk, away from this POPSICLE STAND

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>>6103411
Atop the Ambulance hood, you take a moment to survey the surroundings, (3) and notice several indicators of freshly burned cars, cars apart from anything with scorch marks and ash, apart from any fire source. You're no arson investigator, but the vehicle fires are clearly the work of vandals. Yet you notice as well, that the vehicles targetted, are not lare model, or even high end imports, though you seen an Audi a5, or what was left of one, just a block before, and parked near enough the sidewalk that anyone could have burned it, if inclined.
Instead, you see that the cars destroyed are, all of them, older cars. Some of them with computers and fuel injection, but most of them early 1990s and before. The contrast is staggaring, when you look closer. You see a 201 Mercedes C-class 300, beat up and worn out, but untouched; the cas syphoned and the windows smashed but not put to the torch. You see a 1984 caprice, Brougham, you can still hear the voice of your grandfather boasting about his own, burn to ash and frame. A 1988 chevy 1500 burned. A 2007 Ford E-350 cargo van, looking out of place, with recent upgraded, burned and partially exploded.
You see, in short, every non-electric vehicle put to a match, and likewise every servicable domestic, every vortec 4200 engine, every Camery and Corolla, every Civic. All of them destroyed. You photograph this, but feel you may have to explain the significance of what it implies, you might even need an explaination yourself.
You look down at the Ambulance at hand, a 2007 AEV C-4500 Medium. You hadn't realized until now that it was a Chevrolet. You've worked with Chevrolet, you've stolen chevrolet, once on a dare, but you did it.
You decide to do it again. You scramble down and see that the passenger door has been torn off. Entering the cab you find the keys missing, of course, but the consul underneath is accessable, and you pull the wires out like you remember.
If you remember.
Oh, (4) yes, actually you do remember.
>Eurika! Inside, everybody get inside!
The others scramble down and around climb in. The two new additions dropping down, individually, and then passing ammunition cans down one to his mate, and stowing them inside, before they both pile in. The Slav, Py277pFE, climbs in last of all, as you close the door. And prepare to drive.

The ghouls staggar towards you, but seem to distracted to attack in their usual swarm. Instead they begin jerking and twitching next to the truck in a way you've seen before.

The Slav sits next to you and
>braces himself in the gap
>defends the cab with his shield [no bites from the passenger side]
>guarding against approaching ghouls [+2]

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-9p, 0f
[1st avoids draw] 1-9p, 0f

You have 3 actions.

You can put Ambulance in gear, drive the ambulance, loot, focus, proceed back to base, evade ghouls, use radio, or your own idea.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-9p, 0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-9p, 0f

>>6104956
>All systems go: Throw on the rooftop sirens and emergency lights, high beams on, windshield wipers for anti-viscera purposes, activate the backup power to all the medical equipment in the back, and beep the horn twice fer good luck
>Put 'er in third gear, we're going to the demolition derby, suckers! Culturually enrich the ghouls with the grill of this amberlamps, climb over their corpses and drive somewhere else
>Make introductions to the new friends. "Name's Wyatt Axel Termelon, undertaker supreme, at your service. I'm havin' a bit of a fahhhr sale. Ask me about mah two-fer-one cremation special, running through this weekend only." Ask who, what, why and how.

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>>6104976
You (4) activate all the gadgets and gizmos and pull all the knobs. Apart from.the missing door, everything works, and especially the noise bright stuff. The things that make lots of noise and draw tons of attention, those things are great. This ambulance is just ACE at drawing attention and the focus of all the ghouls that can see or hear, or move with the crowd.
You get the truck moving, and up to about 35, bumbling ghouls not withstanding. Though the engine doesn't sound great, and you didn't have time to check the fluids or the fuel level, it sounds, for the moment, to be running normally. You make it down a block of Rankin, swerving and avoiding the masses of ghouls too thick to simply crush, and content your self with merely clipping a few here, a straggler there. They all get crushed or maimed, and you don't even bother to count them off (9).
You shout over your shoulder, and explain yourself, your Ideas, your views on the trade deficit, your choice in hair affixatives.
Deciding this is not nearly enough, you turn your head right around for (7) whole seconds while barrelling down the unlit street and ask them about themselves.
>what's the idea? You a bunch of thrill seekers? Eh? Where's all them bullet come from, you maken em? You a couple er, Many factereers?
The two, men reply something in the dim lighting. You see them feeding cartidges into magazines and drums. One of them sprays a bottle into the large rifle, a synthetic furnitured RPK with a bypod and several drums which are piled into a bag heavy duffle bag. The other man pulls steel cartridges from a us pattern can and loads the drums mechanically. Next to him you see a canvas satchel of his own and small polymer magazine for a .22 target rifle. An odd contrast, these two.
>I'm Ray,
Says a nearly toothless man cleaning up the RPK. To look at his face, he is so wirey and scrawny you wonder how he manages to haul the gun around, he must be 60. His voice sounds like he is in his forties, but is in fact 67, and he has, so he claims, 3 sons two daughters and 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He reminds you of the old pictures you've seen of people from the depression, and yet he seems much younger, while looking older. He smokes and drinks, obviously, and talks like he is from the midwest, but maybe not a traditional yankee. Ohio, possibly. His hands are perminently stained with paint and grease and you can only assume he has been this way for 30 years. He has blue eyes, and short cropped light grey hair.
>yes sir i'm Andy, i work the scope sir.
His companion speaks. He is in his forties, childless, cuban patronage, very talkative, bouncing from one topic like a talk radio guest, yet very formal, overly formal in fact. It reminds you of jury duty with a defendent who insisted on representing himself at a pretrial hearing. He had a court lawyer, but kept breaking in with
>sir, I wish to correct the legalitude of this proceedings
You'd guess he's from New Jersy.
>cont-

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>>6105044
>>6104976
>[continued]
The two men, apart from their names, and generalities don't even attempt to explain what they're up to.

Outside you hear the helicopter again. The men in the back are murmering about their containers, you hear them rattling around empty in the back.
>you lootin?
>yeah, sumbitch burned the van.
>we burned their car
>flammable shit, those EV's don't go out for days.
>where did you and Ivan the Terrible come from?

What do you know of these men? Can you trust them?
You have 2 choices
>Tell these men the truth
OR
>Lie about your own motivations

Meanwhile, the helicopter circles above above and you hear it hanging around [-1]. Looking in the side mirrors you can see the whole ghetto is lit up with smoke plums, the sky glows in little hotspots in the distance, streets.

The Slav continues
>guarding [+2]
>bracing the door
>tries to ward off trouble

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st avoids avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

Py277pFE leans over to tell you
>we're about 6 blocks to get home.

You are starting to feel Fatigue [-1 mission debuff]

You have 3 actions.

You can drive back to the base, focus, use radio, stop ambulance, drive elsewhere, loot, interrogate further, or your own idea.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-7p, 8-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-7p, 8-0f

>[addendum. I'm trying to put decent thematic imagery and gifs into this. But as I look up concepts, i'm finding a ton of garbage pics that are obviously computer generated. Like helicopters with half a fuselage sticking out the side, and six tail fins. People pretend this stuff is cutting edge, but it can't even put together a believable rendering from it's own data pool of millions of real pictures and drawings. The quantity of garbage out there is really stunning.]

>>6105044
>Tell these men the truth
"Fellers, I oughta let the proverbial baby alligator out of the proverbial rucksack."
>Take Northborough Drive back to the compound
>Get on the radio, advertise undertaking services - "Ladies and gents, W. A. Termelon, the esteemed undertaker, has now gone mobile for a limited time! Got a body you need buried? Maybe two or more bodies? Stack 'em up on the corner of Greens and Northborough in the next fifteen minutes, and the funeral is free! Thaaat's right, free! Some exclusions may apply, no purchase necessary."
>Keep Andy talking

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>>6105119
Wyatt hops on the radio with an addendum: "Just throw yer unwanted corpses in that thar FedEx drop box!"
Also, maybe try to see if there's any funny business with other businesses on the way in between, like Just Juice, Victor's Painting Service or Modern Food Store

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>>6105282
>>6105119
>>6105282
>>6105044
You opt for the truth. At least you'll be able to keep your story consistent.
>we's coming from a feller, what said he'd pay us to check out that ther fire. He's a busy man, eh er, business that were, a business man.
This last description, draws silence from the two. You can't see their faces and watch the road. But you can hear that the rattling of cartidges, and the winding stops briefly, when you bring up commerce.

The Slav, has lost his bracing in the open doorway, (0) and not buckled up. But otherwise, nothing has happened to him.

You turn down Northborough and drive without obstruction for a block (5). The streets are mostly clear.

After announcing your presence and destination, the radio is briefly silent.

A man's voice comes on the radio
>help me please. I need bandages and iodine.
And another voice, a woman's voice.
>i'm, im hungry, is there any, do you have food? I'll find something for you, i've got um, ill do something. I'm so hungry, help.

Ahead of you two flashlights start shining into the sky. Nearby, rrom an upstairs window, a patch of candles are lit and an old woman signals like some shrine keeper, an ancient blue clad Abaya stands silently in the orange glow, looking down upon you.
>hey therre Andy, what's all this here writtin? You unnerstand that mess?
You slow down, and Andy, (1) reluctantly, gradually comes up into the cab and looks up and over through the windshield, reading the blue script pained, likewise in blue letters, all over the side of the building.
>muertos oricha. Hoy Dios, drive on, get out of here quick, that's a witch. She's a santera, a cannibal.

You hear a rumbling of feet over the road noise. Feet lifting higher and moving faster than a ghoul. The headlights don't note anything at first, but you can hear them.

Some shriek of spanish howls behind you and you notice the crowd coming. Timbers start being pitched into the road, and at 35, one large one catches under the passenger drive tire (9) causing the Slav to spill out into the road.

Ahead of you a crowd begins pouring into the road, while in your side mirror you can see the red drenched form of the slav laying out on the pavement, and behind him, but approaching slowly, the wall of ghouls choking the street from side to side, and dozens deep, like a protest for cop killers.

Above you, the Helicopter is slowing down and hovering, training a spotlight on you [-1].

You are UNGUARDED [the open doorway can let ghouls and other enemies into the cab]

You have 3 actions

You can double back for the Slav, drive through the gathering crowd, ask the 2 gunners to help, drive back to the compound, focus, fight the crowd.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-5p, 6-0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

>>6106475
"iAy caramba!"
>double back for the Slav
>ask the 2 gunners to help
>turn 360 and drive away

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>>6106563
You try to turn the wheel, try to do a U-turn, (6) but the street is too narrow, clogged with debris and wreckage. There's not enough space for two vehicles to drive in parallel, and your truck, this ambulance, is like the Rascal Wrangler's it used to shuttle to walmart and to Dialysis, an unforgivable fatass.

>fella's that ol' bruiser just fell out in the road, we've gotta back an get em'

Ray of the men throws open the back door and exits, (5) while Andy covers him with the scoped rifle.

Your passenger door flank remains Unguarded.

Looking at the massing mob ahead of you, you can see that there is no quick exit (6), no clear path out of this mess.

The slav, thankfully decked out in his riot gear, tries to
>focus
>guard himself
>stand

[My 4th 3rd and 2nd determine success] 1-5p, 6-0f
[1st avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

You can either
Fortress in the ambulance [+1 to rolls and ghouls can only attack 1 at a time, can still drive]
OR
Move around outside [you can escape, and distract ghouls, draw ghouls away, assist in recovery of the slav]

You have 3 actions [some contingent of being inside or outside of the ambulance]

You can back up, distract ghouls, focus, crush the crowd, fight ghouls, defend Andy, defend the cab, go retrieve the slav, or your own idea.

[4th 3rd and 2nd digits determine success] 1-5p, 6-0f
[1st digit avoids ghoul draw] 1-5p, 6-0f

>>6107458
>Fortress in the ambulance
>Down the bottle of gin >>6095631 and pop a couple pills >>6095751
>Haphazardly drive-by whomp the zambies with my implements, mailbox style
"This one's fer you, Jim Bob!"

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>>6107538
You choose to fortress in the Ambulance. [+1]
Your passenger door, lost as it is, allows entry of ghouls or what looks like garden variety blacks, into the cab to
>bring a ruckus
or
>destroy
or
>have some argy bargy
or
>peacefully protest
Or whatever the flack catchers call it.
Good thing for you that alone, these brain dead beasts are almost as easy to stab through the head as ghouls.
It's almost too easy. That's the problem. That's the thing about life that you've always hated is how EASY it all is. Like being a woman might be, if you talked to the right people and had got that opinion, you'd have thought that you had the easy life of a woman. Of course what do you know of time released insanity, or internal bleasing every other fortnite?
This is a new era, of course, and you think why not? Why not complicate the situation? It's only life and death, heck you can find life and death on every street corner. You can still buy whatever you want, especially now that there's no police, so why hold back?
You therefor choose despite, or perhaps because you're behind the wheel to drink and drive and consume pills.
First the Gin. It smells like gin, anyway, it tastes like gin. And most importantly, it feels like gin (7) as half the bottle spills all over you. You are now FLAMMABLE.
>[Being Flammable is exactly as bad as it sounds. An open flame can incapacitate, maim or kill you. This debuff will expire in 5 turns.]
The rest of the gin is helpful in downing (5) a couple of random blue pills. How could that go wrong?
You lean out the window and crack (3) heads with a hammer.
Meanwhile, (8) ghetto dwellers have swarmed around the ambulance.

Meanwhile Andy sits in the back of the Ambulance.

Andy
>covers Ray [+1]
>guards the Ambulance rear [+1 to you]
>picks off ghouls [numeric]

>>6107458
The Slav
Focuses [+1] and guards himself [+1] and stands up (5). But all the guarding and focus he can muster doesn't unsprain his leg (8). He can only hobble, slow as a ghoul, and starts back.

The Slav
>self guards [+1]
>treads carefully
>retreats

Ray carries 2 duffle bags, one empy the
>covers the Slav [+1]
>self guards [+1]
>retrieves the slav

The three men's fates, it seems, are interlinked.

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-5p, 6-0f
[1st avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

>The gin and pills have hit, and are calming you [+2 to rolls], but slowed your reflexes [-2 to trouble avoidance]

You have 3 actions.

You can crush ghouls, guard cab, focus, guard Andy, fight ghouls, reverse Ambulance toward the Slav, or your own idea.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-9p, 0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

>>6108309
>Rig the ambulance's gurney up against the passenger door to block it, wedge it in there real good
>Pick off a few more rotters with hillbilly kung fu
>Try to get the Slav and Ray back in the ambulance through the back doors, shout to encourage them back in the cab, so we can drive to safety

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>>6108475

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>>6108475
You manage to get the gurney from the back (8) and wedge it in the open doorway [no entry through side].
However this new protective gurney, this gurney barrier, it doesn't protect the undead, (4) of which you strike with the ancient art of a claw hammer swinging at a skull while travelling at 10 miles an hour. The husks of these former people crumple to the ground like a pile of wet pecan shells. Roasted pecan shells from a bag of roasted pecans, not unlike the pecans which grow from pecan trees, but roasted and in a bag.

Do you follow that premise?

Well the follow up to that is that the shells which get taken off the pecan nut, after the whole pecan is roasted in the shell, well, it gets cracked off and discarded. And these ghouls, or black people, their skulls crack in a similar way, and get thrown on the ground. Except there's gore and blood. It isn't stated explicitely, but it is implied. It is alluded to in a subtle fashion. This is called 'prose' this decription, and like chicken wing bones, it is scattered all over the place in no particular order.

More good fortune! You call to Ray and the slav, backward and in the dark and amid gunfire. You can hear the gunfire of Ray's AK, and the intermittent rifle desultory fire coming from the Ambulance rear, and you call out back out backward and drive backward, and look backward in the darkness.
But you don't speak backwards, of course, that would be going too far. Forwards. That's gow you speak.
You speak forwards backwards while going backwards. But really, you could do this backwards or forwards.
>get in here
You are heard to say. Backing up with the doors open should be enough to get the men inside, [+1 to their retreat].
You don't have any trouble.
>[you are still Flammable for the next 4 turns]

It takes a minute for the others to get it together
>>6108309
Andy has picked off (10) ghouls and continues as before
>covers Ray [+1]
>guards the Ambulance rear [+1 to you]
>picks off ghouls [numeric]

The Slav self guarded [+1], while being covered by Ray [+1], and Treads Carefully [no slip/no leg break], but isn't able to retreat (0).

Ray covers the Slav [buffs Slav] and self guards [+1], but has not yet recoverered the Slav (0).

The men face (9) more ghouls in the rear, from the innumerable crowd, but these are picked off as they appear.

Trouble is coming like a bad sandwich. But maybe you don't eat it all. You could save a quarter . . .

The Slav
>self guards [+1]
>treads carefully [no slip/no break]
>retreats

Ray carries 2 duffle bags, one empy the other full of ammo drums.
>covers the Slav [+1]
>self guards [+1]
>retrieves the slav

The three men's fates remain interlinked.

[My 4th, 3rd and 2nd to succeed] 1-5p, 6-0f
[1st avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

You have 3 actions.

You can crush ghouls, guard cab, focus, guard Andy, fight ghouls, assist Andy, or your own idea.

[4th, 3rd and 2nd digit determine success] 1-9p, 0f
[1st digit avoids trouble] 1-5p, 6-0f

>Tell Andy to snatch up the fellers into the cab, it's go time! With all these ghouls 'round, I'm startin' ta git latrine diggin' fever - it's time to git back to the encampment!
>Assist Andy with the task of wrangling the dogies back into the cab
>Scout the perimeter to see if there is any gap in this ghoulish march on the hotwaarrd amber lamps, or if we're currently being outnumbered and surrounded. If the boys all successfully board the cab, put the pedal to the mettle through the path of least resistance. Yeeeeehaw!