>>6338149

Now how many years has it been since the bombs dropped?
>50(super easy)
>40(easy)
>30(Average)
>20(Hard)
>10(Very Hard)
>5(Nightmare)
>1(Hell)
>6 Months(Dante Must Die)
>1 Month(DOOM)

Origin?
>Vault
>Subway
>Bunker
>Deep wilderness
>RANDOM
>Custom

Character requirements-
>Name
>SPECIAL(56 Special points to allocate)
>Tagged Skills(3)
>Date since bombs fell(higher difficulty comes with special rewards including bonus starter gift package and other stuff)
>Origin(random or custom may have special 'prizes' and surprises)

>>6338150
>Name
William
>Date since bombs fell(higher difficulty comes with special rewards including bonus starter gift package and other stuff)
1(Hell)
>Origin(random or custom may have special 'prizes' and surprises)
Subway
>SPECIAL(56 Special points to allocate)
S:5
P:9
E:9
C:8
I:5
A:10
L:10
>Tagged Skills(3)
Sneak
Small Gun
Repair

>>6338150
>30(Average)
>Subway

Bob Petter

S:10
P:9
E:9
C:3
I:10
A:10
L:5

Unarmed
Survival
Throwing

Trait: One Hander

>>6338150
>>1 Month(DOOM)
>Bunker
>Arty Smiggles
S:9
P:5
E:10
C:4
I:8
A:10
L:10
>skills
Survival
Repair
Sneak

>>6338150
>Name
Samatha Frost, age 23, aspiring novelist turned sudden mom of two.
>Special
S:5
P:6
E:9
C:10
I:9
A:7
L:10

>origin
Bunker which was meant to be shared between you and several neighbor households, but due to the fact several of them were out of town, you were now left with a very oversupplied bunker and the two teenagers you were house watching. Both of which are still somewhat in a state of shock due to the sudden end of the world, and the likely death of their parents which were visiting family in Arizona.

(Additonal characters are Jorge Anderson and Victoria Anderson.

Jorge being a semi nerdy Jock who played football and learned about power armor mechanical repair, since he aspired to join the military just to wear one, and Victoria being a full on nerd that was trying to get into STEM, and was actually enrolled very early in university, but now lives kind of aimlessly since her entire future now kind of blew up in the most literal sense.)

>tagged skills
Survival
Repair
Small arms

>Date since bombs fell
6 months.
most of the worst of the rads should have dissapeared by now while still keeping the land mostly untouched.

>custom trait: body gamble
"You are build different! Possibly incorrect. Your immune system is very relaxed around genetic mutations, so if you suddenly grow a third eye, dont panic! Downside is you are also prone to cancer, so be sure to check yourself regularly and know a good doctor!"

(I do not see why it needs to be a male start since female led dynasties are also a thing. Dont worry, i didnt add the two adopted kids as an already existing pool of heirs, only to add flavour and experience to my starting pick)

>>6338391
Mainly for insurance due to danger male characters can easily sire plenty of heirs making game over far more unlikely. Which is vital for first mc. Now after first mc you should hopefully have enough spare heirs available so it stops being a huge problem and will no longer matter.

Also interesting to go straight for a mutant trait. I'll allow it. Though keeping in mind with a trait like that staying pure is gonna be a lost cause. Meaning besides the obvious inherent risk of mutations have even decent compatibility with old world goodies is gonna be a lost cause among other effects.

>>6338462
Forgot to mention pregnancy is also a big concern but due to being a SPECIAL character that is partially mitigated. Still not good for the baby though.

Also purity is easily lost and practically impossible to reaquire especially among offspring. Once gone it's gone for good also effects future gens. Same with mutants unless you are sterile like FEV mutants. but suffice it to say there are reasons why even centuries later you have such powerful factions obsessed with it. Its effects go beyond maximum compatibility with prewar tech. But I'm not gonna spoil what those are yet. Not to say that mutants or wastelanders are weak. They each come with their own style but pure is definitely the rarest.

Quick vote tally-
>Origin
2 bunker
2 subway
>Time
1 Hell
1 30
1 month
1 6 month
>Tagged
2 sneak
1 small gun
2 repair
1 unarmed
2 survival
1 throwing
>Traits
1 One Handed
1 Body Gamble(mutation precursor)

SPECIALS all vary, as do names. Hopefully a few more votes or character options trinkle in. Btw even for those that don't win they will instead become SPECIAL characters available in the same starting region. So keep that in mind. The same is true of anything lore worthy that fits in.

The voter tally doesn't apply unless there is no majority winner for character options but enough votes overlap for everything else that a composite character can be made.

>>6338287

Supporting.

It's perma death if we don't get offspring. So having average difficulty lets us be a bit more ambitious.

I like the idea of being able to throw shit hard is badass. We could have been a rat hunter from a young age growing up in the subways.

>>6338656
For difficulty a major part depends on location and rolls to determine the richness of what's there. The downside of 'safer' gameplay time period is the great loss of loot. As stuff gets looted and decays without proper maintenance. So if your willing to take the risk of early in the apocalypse, prioritize knocking someone up, and get lucky with starter location(or simply just leave to find a better spot). The difficulty can GREATLY decrease while still maximizing potential profit. Which is what happened with the first btw. GREAT starter location despite hard difficulty. The only major downside was the lack of population and tech junk. Even the radiation was lower there and basic supplies plentiful. Death was due to charging right into particularly dangerous high level zone and getting one shotted by a sneak attack crit. So playing smart is arguably the most important thing about not dying. Don't be afraid to run and escape quickly if the threat is dangerous enough. The only ones who have the right to be a bullet sponge are tanky high level characters in power armor and that will only last until the enemy uses Armour Piercing or just blows them up.

Another thing worth pointing out about starting earlier is that the mutants and escaped bioweapons haven't had time to really escape or spread out yet. In addition to being still plagued by negative mutations that have yet to die out. So even the wildlife and mutants, while rarer, are also going to be weaker with certain exceptions like GHOULS, which are fucking nightmare fuel enemies to fight against, thanks to their sheer numbers and overwhelming buffs from high radiation. That is why you should avoid high population density areas and extremely radioactive zones. Ghouls come from people and are attracted to radiation after all.

So there are hidden effects to time period selection. Yeah you COULD play it 'safe' by starting later but then all the good shit is gone/destroyed and the fucking wildlife/mutants has finally managed to adapt/get rid of bad mutations. Of course, at least basic survival is going to be MUCH easier in theory.

>>6338287
+1

>>6338687

Alright, I'll still support this >>6338287

But vote for 1 year after the bombs drop.

Rolled 100, 97, 74, 55, 65, 58, 10 = 459 (7d100)

>>6338287
>>6338695
1 Year Later...

You are Bob Petter and life...life has changed a lot. From going to school to this inescapable hell. Crammed in the subways with other survivors. Hiding from the fucking zombie hordes on the surface and radioactive snow. You haven't seen the sun in over a year. Just never-ending storms of ash, snow, and lightning. In order to survive in such closely confined spaces and after the initial chaos, people did terrible, unspeakable things. You were one of the luckier ones. You knew how to survive and throw a proper punch. Worst case scenario make shit blow up. So you kept away from others until things eventually calmed down. Hiding away deeper in the tunnels. You sure as fuck don't trust the Stations and the only decent people left were those crazy fuckers topside who tried to protect the refuges and clear the evacuation routes...not many of them left but considering the gunfire, explosions, and unholy screams that can still be often heard throughout the ruins. Apparently, they are still up there fighting. Been months since you last saw any of them pass through except for Riot Police turned wasteland justice ranger Henry who is the only one who bothers to check in on you regularly. He is usually busy hunting down the cannibal bands and raider gangs down here, though.

Honestly if you weren't such a 'troubled' kid growing up you don't think you would have survived. Learning how to make homemade 'fireworks', getting into lots of fights, scout trips, and martial arts lessons. You've seen what happens to those who cannot defend themselves...too many small clean skeletons and the screams. Those nightmares still wake you up whenever you try to sleep. So you hid in the tunnels. Away from them. You don't trust the adults enough to sleep in the stations and not have your throat slit and put in a stew pot. Oh no your way too smart to do that. The difference between them and cannibal bands as far as you're concerned, is that one is at least honest about where the fresh 'pork' is coming from.

Too bad, after the initial riots and the oncoming blizzard supplies have gotten extremely scarce. Cannibalism isn't exactly rare. Supplies often means taking an extremely dangerous trip topside sneaking past the hordes of ghouls and dealing with the radiation and cold to scrounge for supplies. That is if you're lucky.

S:10
P:9
E:9
C:3
I:10
A:10
L:5

Unarmed
Survival
Throwing* Explosives (throwing has been divided into explosive or melee weapons since you have unarmed you'll get explosives instead)
Trait: One Hander bonus to one handed weaponry(including unarmed) and penalty to two handed weapons
Barter 11
Energy Weapons 23
Explosives 38
Guns 25
Lockpick 23
Medicine 23
Melee 25
Repair 25
Science 25
Sneak 25
Speech 11
Survival 38
Unarmed 38

Rolls are for the following
Resources(large bonus to refined resources)
REDACTED
Bandit(large bonus)
Abominations(large penalty)
Ghouls(large bonus)
Wildlife(large penalty)
Population(bonus)

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>6338809
100 Resources
Holy shit a crit on resources-
97 REDACTED
...oh nvm that is gonna suck.
74+Bonus Bandits Very Large
55-penalty Abominations Low
65+bonus Ghouls large
58-penalty Wildlife Low
10+bonus population Low

...Damn most of the population are a bunch of cannibals, looters, raiders, and other trash. Yeah No shit you ran like hell.

>>6338815
aw shit here we go again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7PpuT3tuMU

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>6338815
Inventory:
1 Power Fist
1 Maintenance Suit(provides radiation resistance and is armored)
1 Gas Mask
1 Box of air filters
2 Frag Grenades
1 Plasma grenade
4 Molotov Cocktails
8 Tin Grenades
8 MFC grenades
1 Fungal Growth Kit
1 Moss Growth Kit
1 Box of MREs
1 Box of snacks
1 Box of purified water tablets
3 Fungal Radiation Cleanser
3 Herbal healing Pouches
2 Bottles of Battle Brew
1 Crate of purified water

Hell Difficulty Bonus Reward
Scout's survival Kit(Bonus to survival checks and additional survival loot)
Demolitionist Cookbook(bonus to explosive crafting and usage)
Brawler's Gloves(Bonus to unarmed checks and special moves)
Home Gym
School Terminal
VATS Module

Honestly if you ignore the fact that you are living from the subway tunnels down a few shafts. You have yourself a nice cubby hole setup for yourself. Sure, your family is dead but you managed to escape to the subway lines. Your 'home' has a bed, gym, a few gardening beds full of stuff your experimenting with. Mostly fungi and moss so far. A school terminal that you may have looted from a university(you already finished all your school curriculum). Looted a nearby gym too for exercise equipment and some knick knacks to keep you entertained. That one time you last met those Oathkeepers were even kind enough to leave you a batch of supplies along with whatever else you could scavenge. You hope they're alright. The only good people left in this shit hole are them. Hell you even have some company if you include the robots and automated systems that are trying and failing to keep the city from falling apart completely. They leave you alone so long as you offer some now worthless prewar cash to one of their terminals for a passkey and room you took once belonged to maintenance personnel with an oddly well armored and protected 'maintenance' suit with a suspicious amount of explosives for some reason. The power fist you got as a gift from the Oathkeepers who passed through a while ago, when you sparred with them as a means to protect yourself.

With the traps you set up. So far, you have managed to keep all the damned cannibals away, too. Life though, is still really tough. Your sick of MREs and lonely as hell. God, what you would give for a girl but good luck finding one out here who isn't a fucking maneater...if only you could get into one of those vaults or bunkers. Maybe even leave this place but go where? It's fucking freezing and radioactive as hell up there. Yet according to the computers you tinkered with down here they say there are train lines down here underground even. That might be your best option for escape but there are also a few...restricted areas you avoid. Too much automated security.

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>6338825
Just as you were flipping through an old worn out comic for the hundredth time you suddenly heard a BOOM down the tunnels followed by gunfire. Well nothing strang-wait why is it coming this way? There ain't shit where you stay at precisely to avoid attention. It's how you survived for so long, along with all the traps. The only thing interesting down this way besides your home is the supply, maintenance, and repair automated hub. Has fuck all for anything interesting and most importantly being so close means the life support and repair is the best here. Including clean air. Which is very rare nowadays, even down here. Hence why you chose this spot.

Accessing your terminal you gain access to the nearby cameras to take a peak. If shit is too hot you'll just bail after hiding your supplies like last time. What you see though makes you raise an eyebrow. One man and woman...no wait, that man is actually a woman. Holy fucking Amazon. She is huge. Her friend meanwhile is much smaller and more lithe. Only she has a gun and its a laser pistol she is firing away at a cannibal band who obviously smell fresh meat. The two of them look far too healthy and clean along with their strange outfits...aren't those pipboys? The big girl meanwhile punches out another cannibal before proceeding to pick him up and use him as a melee weapon to bash his buddies to death with.

Using the microphones you could hear some of what they were saying.

"I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD HAVE STUCK WITH THE GODDAMN TRAINLINES!" Roars the big one.

"If we kept going that way, we would have ended up underwater you really want to go there after what we just escaped?" The smaller one points out.

"Goddamn, it's either ghoul hordes or insane cannibals," complains the big girl. "As she proceeds to crush a skull like a melon with her bare hands.

"We need to find some place to hold off these fuckers," mutters the smaller one as she pulls out a strange looking dagger to stab a cannibal who finally bypassed her big friend to go after the smaller and weaker prey.

"Give me a minute and I'll get us out here," states the big one. "If we keep going we are gonna end up in a trap." She than lifts a needle injecting herself with something and pops some pills with a deep breath from an inhaler. Than she SCREAMED. "FUCKING KILL YOU SONS OF BITCHES-"

"NO," screams the smaller girl. "You know what that stuff is-DAMN IT," but it was too late. As the now enraged and frenzied woman threw herself into the group of cannibals. Who suddenly found themselves both regretting yet happy their prey finally came to them...except now they were the ones who became the prey. Given the biting and limbs being ripped off.

...huh no wonder Henry warned you to stay away from chems.

What do?
>Reach out over the comms to them
>Let them finish their business
>Go out to look for yourself
>Other?

>>6338831
>>Go out to look for yourself

Let's head out and try to help them. Our Cha is low so the best way to convince them we could be allies is helping them in combat.

I forgot to mention you also have a pipboy also from the missing maintenance worker.

The update will come when my migraine wears off.

>>6338824
Oh yeah. I can only imagine how much a madhouse the surface must be. No wonder the Oathkeepers haven't stopped fighting the entire time. Not like they are gonna run out of ammo any time soon. LOL.

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>6338843
I won't lie, the low CHA is gonna hurt. Especially in terms of seduction. It will also make using companions harder and you won't have access to the better CHA perks. CHA perks are mostly good for buffing, noncombat, and even recruitment.

Seeing what's going on and fearing they might stumble upon your carefully laid and elaborate trap setup that took you months of hard work...you really didn't want it getting fucked up. Besides staying hidden it's by far the single greatest contributor to your safety. Having it damaged is gonna be hell to fix given the scale of the fighting. So you decide to go over and see what's going on with your own eyes.

You also felt a strange...tugging going on in mind to head there. Although it's very weak and reminds you a bit too much of getting to close to the wrong restricted areas or the crazies. At least it didn't feel very wrong. So heading over you saw the battle was still ongoing. With the big gal going beserk and high on a combination of chems. The cannibals were having a very hard time as such the berserker bitch was right in their midst and literally tearing them limb from limb...yeah you definitely gonna take that chem usage warning seriously. Goddamn.

The other girl you discovered had ducked into a nearby closet with a terminal and...oh shit.

"HOSTILES DETECTED IN RESTRICTED ZONE. INTRUSION IN RESTRICTED AREA CONFIRMED. HOSTILE INTENT CONFIRMED. INTIATING LETHAL FORCE," speaks out a couple of Protectrons as they march out and open fire...at least the Mr. Handy isn't in its charging station. Probably doing repairs somewhere. You also saw the turrets activate and light them up.

...You are REALLY glad for that uniform your wearing. As you know from experience, it flags you as friendly. You just gotta stay away from the sections that require additional ID and DNA scans. So the turrets and Protectrons ignore you and focus on the cannibals. With the girl shouting.

"PULL OUT YOUR DAMNED TICKET ALREADY YOU BITCH," she shouts, reminding her companion who, despite her state, pulls out a ticket. Flagging her as a customer and will instead be faced with a warning and required to leave the area. Huh seems like they have done this before...that was the trick you depended on back before you found the uniform.

"GREETINGS PASSENGERS YOU HAVE ENTERED A RESTRICTED AREA. PLEASE VACATE THIS AREA IMMEDIATELY OR LETHAL FORCE WILL BE AUTHORIZED," warns the Protectrons after scanning both tickets.

The cannibals...you know, of all the scum down here, they HATE robots the most. Mainly due to the whole inedible nature of them. They REALLY hate that. You while they were distracted prepare to sneak up by crawling through a nearby shaft and dropping down behind them...with some grenades. No need to risk getting yourself shot or hit in the crossfire since they won't know you're friendly yet.

>Intelligence check passed
>Agility Check passed
>Explosives check passed
>Stealth check passed

Rolled 15, 71 = 86 (2d100)

>>6338989
>WARNING BREAKTHROUGH DETECTED WARNING
Suddenly, your pipboy alarm goes off just as you gently let the tin grenade roll right down to where the fighting was but where the blast won't hit the berserker.

Than you felt a piercing PAIN in your mind. As a psychic scream rips forth. Hammering away at your mind thank god you were in the ducts otherwise you would have been trouble. You could barely hear your grenade go off. Looking around you tried to find out the reason for the scream...only to see why.

GHOULS.

What are ghouls doing down here. They don't like the lessened radiation. So they prefer the surface mostly. Unless...they heard and smelled the blood. Oh crap. Sure enough the speed and power they have reminds you exactly why everyone is hiding down here. Even the cannibals finally started to panic and tried to runaway but it was too late. The ghouls were already right on top of them. Ripping, tearing, and biting as they howled.

The only good news is that with the lack of radiation, their regeneration won't be as strong and they'll be a bit weaker. The numbers indicate this isn't a proper horde. Just some pack that must have been passing through whose attention got lured. Looking at their dress, they appeared to have been former station dwellers. Liking getting too sick and turning into monsters. Sure enough, you see a few ghouls still have enough wits to pull a gun and shoot, which they did.

Just your fucking luck. The berserker was getting overrun by the ghouls. While the half crazy ghouls had successfully shot the other woman, forcing her to duck into cover. Her status unknown. The berserker meanwhile the first time you have ever seen that didn't require power armor. Managed to burst out of the pile of ghouls that had buried her alive. Enraged and despite her grievous injuries, she fucking FLEW straight at the feral ghoul gunners, who were caught by surprise that the meal that should have been very dead was not only alive but suddenly right in their midst and attacking them. Even the feral ghouls from the pile on top her were left confused at how their meal just escaped and was now attacking their backline...

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>6339003
The cannibals meanwhile, had their lines completely collapsed and overrun by the ghouls. The robots meanwhile had formed a firing line and were firing away into the teaming mass of ghouls and cannibals alike. Than you heard a very loud thudding. Almost like power armor...but no not metallic enough. Looking down the other passage you saw a very large menacing...THING suddenly burst in. It was humanoid and huge. Wearing a ruined jumpsuit that appeared to have been...unable to contain whatever it used to hold.

>Perception check passed
>Perception check passed

The creature didn't charge in directly. Instead after finally getting into sight it paused and looked around. Its eyes...sharp and disturbingly intelligent. Its visage twisted in a mockery of man. You heard rumors of things like these...mutants and abominations. Its eyes paused where the woman who ducked behind cover was and...it SMILED. A very menacing smile.

"I HEARD YOU CALL US," bellowed the abomination. "WE COME! WE KILL! WE FEAST!"

ALERT
Escaped test subject detected in the vicinity
ALERT

Well...shit, but it's intelligent maybe you could reason with it? Unlike those ghouls. Good thing you got plenty more explosives...you are gonna need it in this fight.

What do?
>Approach the intelligent abomination
>Toss grenades
>Head to the wounded girl
>Fist to fist
>Other?

Captcha says
>4vrgn
Apparently it also wants you to lose your virginity.

>>6339010
Are your rolls enemy success?

>Toss grenades

We got to surprise them while the mutant hasn't fully grasped the situation. First impressions are important. We chuck the plasma grenade at the intellectual ghoul hopefully for the kill.(I assume it's our strongest bomb.)

>>6339010
>>Toss grenades

>>6339018
>>6339019
Allies, enemies, and random events is what I normally roll for.

Your plasma grenade is your sole grenade. write up will have to wait. I gotta go to the hospital.

Also give me some 1d100s. I didn't ask last time because it counted as a sneak attack and those are auto crits.

>>6339028
Not sole grenade STRONGEST grenade. At least until you find something stronger or have high enough explosive skills to make deadlier versions.

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>6339028

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>6339028

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>6339028

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>6339037
>>6339019
>>6339018
The nice thing about explosives is unless your specifically having to try and avoid friendly fire, it's pretty damn hard to fuck up with them. Plus being absolutely amazing when you are outnumbered much less solo against a group of enemies. There is a reason why the Oathkeepers vouched for the stuff and made sure you had a decent stock of grenades when they pass through. Hard to get medical supplies form them but you don't blame them. They need that stuff a lot more than you after all given their nonstop fighting.

So to make a great first impression you brought out your best bomb. The plasma grenade. Tosing it towards the backline of ghouls with guns. Their gear is gonna get wrecked from but honestly since they are already at least half mad you very much doubt the condition of their gear anyhow.

Next you grab the two frags and throw them both towards the other part of the ghoul pack. Making sure you catch them all in the blast. Ghouls are damned tough and the bastards regenerate. It hurts using your best bombs but it's not worth risking with ghouls. With three blasts. One a carona of plasma tearing apart the newly turning ghouls...they were too fragile even with their armor. Neatly covering for the enraged berserker bitch. The other two frags meanwhile detonate in the midst of the full ferals even with their armor the frags hit them hard. Blowing limbs off those it didn't outright kill. Crippling them and greatly reducing their threat. Those without legs are completely harmless now, so long as you're not stupid enough to get too close.

The abomination meanwhile charged into the fray with a cheerful roar lifting up a sledgehammer and started swinging. Sending ghouls flying with each hit. Easily smashing their skulls open, breaking limbs, or punching holes through their bodies.

"GIRL, DO NOT LET THOSE MACHINES SHOOT ME!" Roars the abomination as it shrugs off a laser blast from a turret.

Not long after you notice the turrets get turned off and the Protectrons recalled to their charging stations. As the rest of you mop up the remaining ghouls. Looking around at the dead bodies you get reminded why explosives has drawbacks...namely the terrible damage it does to any loot remaining assuming it wasn't outright destroyed.

>roll 1d100 for LOOT penalty due to heavy use of explosives first one only

The abomination meanwhile was standing before the smaller girl who was desperately trying to keep the big girl alive....she was very VERY bad shape. Yet somehow still breathing which was deeply disturbing on its own. The only ones you can think of that can survive that kind of punishment and live are those mutants...first time you see someone norma-

>Medicine check failed
>Medicine check failed
>Science check failed
>Science check success
>Intelligence check success
>Perception check success

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>6339230

...Those...are augmentations. You only caught a glimpse of it, but you know enough from school that shit ain't normal. So not baseline human and not cybernetics...biomods. You suppose of some variety. That would partially explain the drastic difference,s and when combined with the chems...you shudder as you look around at the cannibals and ghouls who got torn apart limb from limb and missing suspicious chunks of bite sized flesh. Yeah fucking chems to forcefully boost the biomods...no wonder.

You remember Henry and even some Oathkeepers bringing it up before. Normally only seen with power armored troops getting overrun by a horde of ghouls. The sheer numbers burying them alive and ripping them apart after a while, but thanks to the power armor,r they can do enormous amounts of damage, but are generally fucked at that point, as they can no longer escape. Cyborgs and certain heavy augmented can do something similar, but not endure as long as the power armor troops before getting ripped apart. Yet when enhanced with heavy chem usage...looking at the nearby pile of used chems. Jesus Christ, what wasn't this woman on? Doesn't she know how insanely dangerous it is to mix up and take so many different chems at the same time? She should have dropped dead from overdose and chemical reactions alone...

One super stimpack, several doctor bags, a couple of splints, and a pile of used up bandages later. The big gal was somehow still breathing. Goddamn. Hands down the toughest bitch you have ever seen. Fuck. The abomination surprisingly, was patient enough to wait until she was finished, even if it did snack on some ghouls and human flesh.

"You called to us witch...I heard. I answered," it stutteringly spoke staring down at the little despite now being crouched and with a stuffed mouth. "Now I haz proof ahaha," it chuckles, spitting out chunks of flesh.

...Honestly you've seen cannibals eat more messily. Good table manners even

"Yet your not hostile...are you for some reason?" She inquires to the abomination.

"Heheheheh normally weak manlings inferior but you different no? No man. Now a witch. You called out. We heard. We answered. Others didn't believe me but now I haz you as proof."

"If I don't want to come?" She asks nervously.

The abomination surprisingly shrugs it off. "Doesn't matter. You screamed once. You called once. You call again. Next time they will realize it not fluke. Next time more may show up. Next time I haz proof either way. So waiting...eh who cares."

What...a disturbingly reasonable abomination. You never heard rumors of them being...reasonable. Ever. Something is wrong though. You can feel it in your guts.

"You make boom boom good little man, " suddenly speaks the abomination looking at you. "Normally I hunt. I kill. But with so much food and you helped protect WITCH. This time I remember. No Kill. No Hunt. The Little Man."

"The name is Bob Petter not Little Man," you correct and than ask "Now what's yours...mutant?"

Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>6339233
"Kakaka not MUTANT. Stronger than MUTANT. I was blessed. STRONGER. SMARTER. I CAN HEAR THEM GOOD. I IZ SHAMAN," explains the Shaman.

"I mean your name..." you point out.

>Speech check failed

"Names like Bob? Eh...not called by name in long long time." Mutters the abomination rubbing its skull in confusion.

"He means...what were you called before you got turned into this," gently inquires the girl.

>Charisma check success
>Charisma check success
>Speech check success

"Hm...long time ago. When weak and fragile...not name though. Numbers. Test subjects dey called us. Most...than everyone died. I didn't...I heard voices. They thought that breakthrough so I lived. Called...Zero," mutters the mutant. "After previous failure...got transferred away but than...others helped Zero escape. Name changed to Shaman. No longer Zero. No longer a worthless nobody or test subject," halting explains the abomination at it scratches madly at its skull so hard it bleeds. "Hurts to remember. Before times...especially. Ice cream...sun. Senpai...famil...no more. Nevermore."

Ignoring the mutant that was now having a mental breakdown, weeping, and crying to itself as speech turned into impossible to decipher mumblings. The small girl turned towards you.

"Thanks for the rescue. I honestly thought everyone here was a bunch of insane cannibals," she admitted.

"Most of them are," you admit. "The only decent folks here are very rare. Mainly the Oathkeepers on the surface, a few roaming underground rangers, and a few things like the bunkers or vaults that are locked down. Most people though will as soon eat you as talk to you."

"Yet not you?" She inquired.

"I never trusted them as soon as we made it here. I knew better than trust grown ups so I ran...the others...well there is a reason why you don't see kids anymore. Too weak to defend themselves so they were the first ones who got eaten."

"Jesus...that bad?"

"People are too cowardly to challenge the radiation snowstorms on the surface and fight past all the ghoul hordes to scavenge. They would rather target and eat the weak down here," you elaborated. "I was one of the smart ones. I ran away and hid before things got too bad. Later though I began to hear the screams and begging night after night. Had to investigate...and yeah."

"Every place we go is always a fucking nightmare," she grumbles. "Anyway to safely leave this city?"

"City went into lockdown sometime after the bombs dropped. The Oathkeepers had overrides for it when they tried the evacuations early on...but where can you send people when its all fucked?"

"Lockdowns? Let me guess ghoul hordes?"

"yeah started that way...but seeing that thing," you state pointing at the abomination. "I think there is more going on now too. Their official excuse was to keep the ghoul hordes from spreading. Still good people though..really the only ones."

>>6339235
"Oathkeepers huh? They really do seem to be everywhere."

"Really? Not just this city?"

"Yeah everywhere we passed through had them present to some degree. I'm sure you know at first they provided emergency relief, riot control, and tried to help with evacuations before mutants like ghouls started showing up in mass."

"I remember that. They helped me out a bunch. Nowadays a rare sight given...well the obvious."

"Yeah they switched gears when they realized the dire threats emerging. The fucking military and police forces were supposed to deal with banditry...but look at how that worked out when the justice system and government fell apart. Best they can do nowadays is throw themselves at trying to contain shit like ghoul hordes and thin their numbers," she sighs.

"You don't know about the rangers?" You inquired curious.

"Not everyone is as...lawkeeping as the rangers. The military especially and not many ex cops wanted to join their ranks. The only military forces who kept their oaths joined up with the Oathkeepers same with every other official who wasn't corrupt, dirty, weren't cowards, and didn't keep their oaths."

"I haven't had run ins with the military and government their that bad?"

"Worse. I would say. Nobody could agree on a damn thing. Entire command and government structure collapsed and they decided to fuck off or outright take advantage of the situation. The only ones who gave still had a fuck to give all joined up with the Oathkeepers and tried to help with emergency services but look where that got them in end...no backup. No resupply. No orders. No place that is safe to evacuate to. Surrounded by a bunch of desperate people on the inside and hordes of hostile mutants outside. If you see any remnants...stay far far away from them. They aren't good people and only MIGHT not shoot and kill you like any other bandit."

"Yeah I haven't done much traveling for obvious reasons...how did you do it?"

"Underground railway network. Part of the emergency infrastructure plan for a New America should the worst come to happen. Also helps hide a backup logistics systems and their dirty laundry they don't want people finding out about...its relatively safe. So long as you avoid all the blacksites, restricted areas, and have the right passes to deal with automated security. If you get real unlucky you could stumble upon mutants or worse remnants."

"Where you headed than?"

"She...wants to go back home," the little gal pointed towards her friend. "Me I'm trying to get us to a bunker we have access to. Do you know anyway to get through? Our passage lead us straight to a deadend that was sealed. So now we have to fight another way around through these tunnels."

"When the bombs were falling the entire place went into a full lockdown and the automated security turned hostile. You need to avoid the main stations as those places..are hell on earth thanks to their inhabitants. The safest station is the Oathkeeper HQ."

Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>6339239
"Which is the station built in closest to the warehouses. The only other 'safe' stations is Corporate Station in the middle of Main Street. University Station closest to the colleges and lastly two others but you need the right credentials for those places. One of them is built closest to military logistics centre with a bunch of soldiers the other is the main hub for maintenance and repair full of robots now."

"Right avoid those two places especially than," she notes.

"Eh the robots honestly aren't so bad. I just haven't figured out how to get better credentials yet. Best I got is an old uniform maintenance suit I'm wearing that only works for cursory checks. Anything with depth and I'm fucked."

"Oh no we...we need to run NOW," suddenly screams the abomination looking down a line. Its face contorted with fear and its eyes full of terror. "RUN NOW. Its coming! IT must have heard like me but was slower. We need to go now. Escape now before its here."

"You fucking kidding me? All my shit is here and I'm supposed to run away-" you countered but than very quickly shut up as a heard a very disturbing echo of some unearthly shriek and very loud...something. Almost as loud as when the trams still ran. Coming from the very same direction the abomination was so suddenly terrorified of.

"What the fuck is that?" She ask in panic.

"A Wyrm. Big one too." Replies Shaman. "REAL big. Real mean. Extremely strong. We must run NOW."

What do?
>Hide in your saferoom hopefully it ignores you
>Follow the abomination
>Flee towards a nearby station hopefully make it their problem
>Head towards Oathkeeper HQ
>Other?

>>6339243
>Hide in your saferoom hopefully it ignores you

We need those supplies hopefully it will be satisfied with the corpses.

>>6339259
Don't forget a loot roll. Also more votes is always appreciated.

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>6339264
Sorry, forgot.

>>6339243
>Follow the abomination
They're a whacko but I'd rather take my chances. We can come back to our base later when it's hopefully fucked off. And don't forget to take the casualty with us.

I'm just going to keep pulling from the soundtrack given we're basically playing Metro here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=933cOSx5dtI
That does make me think, I do wonder if we could get hold of functioning MOW equipment given it should all still be in working order to speed around the rail tunnels with. If we dared, that is.

>>6339267
>Dat roll OOF especially with penalty

Looting the corpses you discovered that most of their shit has been wrecked beyond usability, much less repair. Fortunately, you could still scrap it for raw materials as junk. The ghouls themselves, while freshly turned, had their stuff already in bad shape, even before getting blown up. The ghouls with the best loot that could still shoot...well let's just you ain't finding much there besides slag. Completely totaled. The other ghouls stuff is at best scraps. What limited loot you could find came from the cannibals even if most their shit was also damaged from being blown up.

1 broken 10mm pistol
1 broken 9mm pistol
1 broken 45mm pistol
1 broken double barrel shotgun

1 broken cannibal raider armor

Water wise they only had a few bottles of dirty water that somehow not to leak. Food...well they don't have anything besides dried 'mystery' meat which is inedible. The broke fucks didn't even have any meds. Their bullets was also mostly consumed from the fighting. You can barely scrounge a few incomplete boxes of ammo.

1 half box of shotgun shells
1 partial box of 10mm
1 partial box of 9mm


>>6339259
>>6339273
Any tiebreakers?

>>6339304
I'll switch to.

>Follow the abomination

We got low CHA and have lots of traps around our base. But the ghoul is fed at least, and we have a common enemy.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>6339339
>>6339273
The abomination while crazy is also strong as hell and given how big that thing is, that is coming...your traps are good, but not THAT good. At best it can scare of some mutants and ghouls. Not whatever the hell that thing is. Clearly, you need to do some serious redesigning and upgrading after you come back. So you rush back to room to grab some supplies and come out. Seeing the abomination had surprisingly carefully picked up and was cradling the beserker bitch before leading the way.

At first you recognized the routes he took...but than he took a side path you been avoiding for months. Mainly because it...well it led to sections that 'went dark'. Like, completely dark. Even the automated systems did was block off a few sections and entry points before giving up on all the side passages. There were rumors of what dwelled there...glimpses of unspeakable things. No longer human or never even was human. The kinda stuff that gives even mutants nightmare fuel. This path led to a redacted site before it went...dark. You once explored it before the lights went out and the security drove you off...but now being back here again. You could already sense the wrongness. The smell of rotten blood. Long blood smears, piles of...refuse, and even gore stacked up littered the entire place. All increasing and heading deeper in which the abomination took you.

A few times you could hear things scrampering around. Shadows of beings. Which all ran off when the abomination would start bellowing at them. Apparently he is a bigger fish. After awhile and down a few passages after you run into a blockage of rubble and a former gate that was buried that previously led to the facility you last saw. You once again saw that Facility XS-13. Except somehow the blast doors were ripped open from something coming from the INSIDE. Ripping its way out. Blast doors mind you were specifically designed to handle a nuke to the face.

>Discovered location REDACTED Facility XS-13
>Discovered New Region The Pits

There you saw other abominations hanging around and quickly approaching upon recognizing Shaman. Oddly enough while they did leer at you with hungry gazes they didn't actually turn hostile. Instead speaking with Shaman.

"You ran Shaman. REAL fast. Found some fresh food eh? Strange, why run so fast for? We still have food!"

"You found it Shaman? You say you heard voice. Where is it?"

"Right here and these three are NOT food. No eating! I found source of voice in flesh! A witch!" Greets and replies the shaman before pushing the small woman forward. "If you want to stay safe witch, time to show them what you got. You close now. They should hear good!"

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>6339362
The girl trembling badly at being completely and utterly surrounded by escaped abominations without hope, gave in...and you felt a pulse briefly burst through your mind. It gave you a dull ache in the head...but the abominations. Their reactions were far more severe as they screamed, yelped, and grabbed at their heads before fleeing from her.

"WITCH SHAMAN FOUND WITCH!"

"AAAHH THE VOICES THE VOICES ARE GONE!"

"SHAMAN IS RIGHT SHAMAN IS RIGHT!"

They bellowed and fled deeper into the facility. Leaving you all stunned there except for Shaman who giggled crazily.

"EHEHEH they always say Shaman crazy. Shaman hear voices best but guess what! Voices is REAL. Now they see PROOF. Good thing voices this time is witch...last time...last time was really scary," muttered the abomination as trembled at the end. "Not all voices good...no...no...no. Some bad. Some REAL bad. Too many scary. Too many strong. Too much conflicting answers and lies."

a great the abomination is going crazy again as it leads you the rest of the way inside the facility. Honestly if you thought it was bad outside. Inside was somehow WORSE. Piles of detritus. Impaled people in labcoats who had been skinned and gutted alive hung up neatly on the ceiling. Along with lots of heads on spikes. Some still wearing military helmets and gasmasks.

"THESE ARE SACRED GUESTS WITH WITCH OF SHAMAN. NO TOUCH. NO HURT. ONLY FRIENDS YES?" Bellows out Shaman one last time as he leads you inside. "Lucky you, we got doctor. REAL good. Somehow came out different from the others...bit crazy yeah but genius. Only good Doctor besides Victor. I miss Victor. He was good friend," explains Boris as he leads you'd down an increasingly clean passage. Upon opening the door you instantly regret it. Inside was a hulking monstrosity with far too many limbs and heads climbing up on the ceiling and...was...dissecting no...doing surgery on another abomination. One of its many different heads of differing ages and sexes turned towards you.

"New Patient? Human? How rare. Humans too fragile. Don't last long enough to see me. Rare guests indeed, you brought Shaman, Speaks the head as it suddenly extends from a...neck? Tendril? "Hm...this one. New patient...rare. Experimental escapee. Still human too. Remarkable achievement that." It utters as some of its limbs and tendrils reach down and grab the big gal to place her on the table. When it brought out an array of surgical tools to start cutting, slicing, suturing, and more with remarkable speed in precision. While other devices it lifted to perform scans. All done at the same time in perfect unison.

"This one...this one...hm...side effects I see. Shame. Would have been useful...chem dependency? AHH that is how one bypasses it. Clever. Very Clever. Other standard human remarkable male specimen and the last ah, Psychic program? Unfortunate for you. Lucky to escape yes?" It speaks in different voices in union from differing heads as it scans all three of you

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>6339370
Carefully with its various scientific devices. Most of which you have no idea what they are or do.

>Perception check passed
>Intelligence check passed

You notice the girl flinch but suddenly it focus towards you with a head while another speaks quietly to the girl on the side. "Remarkable specimen you are. Low contamination even despite not being in bunker or vault."

"I live near a automated maintenance hub," you reply.

"Oh smart. Yes that would explain it. Yet...your scores. VERY high. Too high. If only I could still access city records, I could find out why but alas they cut off this facility after the escape. Still such a specimen...oh what wonders we can make from your flesh! Ever thought about...becoming something more?"

"Hell no. I don't want to lose my humanity and just want a family again."

'Family? We still family yes? Always looking for more members! As for humanity...overrated. Detrimental even in this new world. Do you really think humans are still gonna be on top of the food chain? Foolish. Hopeless even. We have things here that can make you more. Much more...so very easily."

"Like what? If its a mutagen I'm not interested."

"Bah mutagens terrible. Too unpredictable trying to stabilize strains is a nightmare. Oh no no no...we did better here MUCH better. Exotic Energies. Exotic Materials. Growth of new genetic material and advice from wonderful voices yes. With your body and mind both tough enough to handle it. Very rare. Pain in the ass to find more specimens like you...but your a guest while a viable subject you wren't brought in to be otherwise. What a shame."

"What exotic energies and materials?"

"Brand new discoveries thanks to anomalies just after the bombs dropped and certain...experiments went awry. Produced new and interesting materials to experiment with. Very dangerous. Highly unstable. This site was selected to experiment with them via the biological manipulation angle. Did NOT go according to plan obviously. Before that this facility was involved in mutation research. Lousy subject was so grateful for the change. Wanted nice stable predictable mutations can you believe that?"

Science check failed
Medicine check failed
Intelligence check passed

"Err...I wouldn't know but I could learn!"

"Hm...you seem smart enough yes. Could use an assistant. Try as I might these...brutes tend to be lacking in intelligence or go crazy like Shaman."

"Hey I was proven RIGHT!" Disagrees Shaman.

"Shaman do I really need to bring up the incident with the alter and whatever that thing was you found deeper in the pits?"

The two began to squabble and allowed you focus on what you overheard from the other conversation it had with the girl.

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>6339378
----------
"Psychic Program yes, I know about it girl. Top secret. Extremely high grade of research. You shouldn't be free."

"Well, fortunately VaultTec is a bunch of incompetent buffoons. Thanks to that we were able to escape after our transfer."

"Ooh so the other girl too? Interesting you came from the same project."

"Yeah I don't really know the details in our differing...objectives. They said she was...faulty after the all...major changes."

"Yes. The brain's development was badly compromised but brute force fix with mentats? Clever."

"Desperate actually...rejects...were...dealt with. Via chems I could barely keep her performance above the requirements but than...well things didn't go according to plan."

"Hm but not with out side effects yes? Remarkable how her body adjusted to external factors. As for you...you can hear them too? Loudly I bet."

"...Far too loudly. No matter how far I try to run from them."

"Hm...side effects perhaps of experiment or purposeful? A few lunatics were getting too curious for their own good. Like what happened to poor shaman."

"What...is he exactly?"

"Fringe experiment with some kind of weird backing. Originally a total failure until Shaman survived when they were shutting it down. Anyway they were curious about the findings and transferred him over for further experimentation. Turned out Shaman wasn't as crazy as everyone thought he was. After the bombs dropped it turned out he was ahead of the curve."

"So he's not crazy?"

"Oh he DEFINITELY is but he is the right kind of crazy. The most dangerous kind. As for you...I don't know much about the Psychic Program. That was hush hush even by my standards."

"Anyway to reverse it?"

"HAH unless you want to become a lobotomite? No."

Before the conversations could continue you heard explosions, gunshots, and screams coming from outside.

"Bah those fuckers never learn their goddamn lesson," complains the...Doctor? "Shaman wake up a big guy and deal with them would you?"

"I went last time," grumbles Shaman.

"Well go again. Before those idiots get inside like last time. It was a pain digging all those rats out."

"Fine. Fine." Complains Shaman grumbling as it leaves.

"I would suggest staying out of it if I were you, humans...are not supposed to be here. Especially on such 'friendly' terms," kindly warns the abomination with far too many limbs and heads.

What do?
>Tag along with Shaman
>See what it can teach you
>See what's going on for yourself
>Other?

>>6339384
>>See what it can teach you

>>6339384
>See what it can teach you
Not our circus, not our monkeys. Do what we're apparently here for now.

also
>Boris
That better not be that mofo again

>>6339384
>See what it can teach you

Many brains much knowledge.

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>6339389
>>6339393
>>6339443
...hating on Dear Uncle Boris. What did he ever do to you? Well besides his uh...destructive tendencies, mad science, and love of robowaifus.

------
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check passed

"So what can you teach me?"

"Much. SO VERY MUCH I can still access the data archives, and I have the brains of many geniuses with differing specialties. Always looking to..add to my collection. Your brain though while potent is a depressingly empty vessel of knowledge. Yes...no good no good at all. Stuffed brain is much better. Considering this facility's limitations however...hm let's start with biology. Maybe some exotic material sciences too later on. Now how much do you know of the human body?"

"Uh I completed all my schooling and stole a college terminal that I really need to use more."

"Hm basics fine. Let us begin. Best warn you about the hazards of exotic materials too. There is a LOT of that stuff around here and reality...works weirdly with the stuff around. Exotic matter was a brand new pioneering field. First created during certain experiments in extremely limited quantities. Later after the bombs dropped not only was there an unexpected surge in their formation but also entirely new varieties. Many more. All of which needed cataloging and studying. However their...effects on reality made it particularly troublesome to collect data from them much less gather them directly. Worst they are also extremely hazardous most of the times. From mutation, insanity, radiation, burning, fire, and who knows what really. Very different from our...artificial variety. Much more stable even if...side effect prone. So unless you have the proper equipment best be avoided...i see you have a pipboy. There was module adopted just after the bombs fell that improved its detective abilities to better detect these anomalous materials. As is they'll show up as sources of radiation if detected at all. Hopefully it works and you can find that module."

"Let me guess you don't have one?"

"Hah no. Not anymore. That stuff was...too fragile for this form. I still have a bulkier, cruder, and heavier versions but they aren't exactly portable."

"Figures."

"The think tanks have some locked up their bunkers or facilities. Maybe the military too if they got a resupply shipment from them. Otherwise good luck with that. It's manufacturing was extremely limited given post war conditions. Now onto biology. Mutants and abominations what is the difference?"

"...Their both mutated?"

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>6339449
"Not quite. One is mutated in an understandable form. This is why some lifeforms that you can still identify their origin are classified as Mutant. While those that cannot...the other is indecipherable. That is the Abomination. Look at my greatness for example. By all understanding, this form is impossible. Too many bodies fused into one mass? So many minds and brains connected together? Impossible. Especially in such a smooth...clean fashion. No surgery. No augmentation. Yet perfect fusion. Perfect control. Yet they still reject our greatness. The Fools."

"...Right and what are the side effects?"

"Potentially harmful change and instability. In time the problem will solve itself but for us early generations...it is a problem that must be rooted out. A true curse for us early generations. I can only imagine the greatness that the future generations will hold. Which is why much of my work is trying to fix, guide, or otherwise resolve the problem here. Not everyone gets lucky with positive changes after all and if they get hurt they need treatment too. Not like an autodoc will know how to heal them."

"This is a rather...advanced subject," you note.

"Well if I had more cadavers and other humans, I could start with the basics. Here though I got nothing but mutants and abominations. Too many frankly. Keeping track of them is a nightmare especially with ongoing changes."

"Wait why would we need other humans?"

"NOTHING is better for education than a live visisection my boy! Learning what works, how it works, feeling, touching, seeing, and finally a mistake on your part will end the lesson too early!"

"...And the um...patient?"

"Who cares! Always plenty more where they came from. Who knows you might get lucky and some survivors will be brought back. Than I can give you some proper lessons. For now however I believe your intelligent enough to grasp my knowledge about the mutations and even maybe the Abominable."

>Gained First rank in perk Many Brains Much Knowledge++++
Thanks to careful lessons and frankly far too many mutants and abominations that could walk off getting vivisected alive for knowledge and lessons...you learned a lot. Even as your own hands got far too dirty and the knowledge about abominations makes your head hurt, not in a natural way. Thanks to your intelligence you were able to FULLY grasp all the knowledge offered.

Gain crit chance +4% towards mutants and abominations
Science, medicine, and speech checks towards mutants and abominations +2 per rank.
Unspeakable Mentorship: There is something distinctly off about you now, but only those who are suitably changed enough can detect it
Too many brains too much knowledge: Gain an additional roll when rolling for learning

"Damn boy with the right augmentations or changes you kid would be a brilliant scientist!" Compliments the abomination at the end of your lesson for knowledge that will haunt you to the day you die.

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>6339456
"...How is it even possible for a ghoul to survive getting butchered alive?" You couldn't help but grumble a question at the still moving ghoul whose organs were no longer inside its body but was still perfectly capable of moving and trying to bite your head off.

"Radiation is wonderful isn't it! Besides that is what more SCIENCE is for! Quite an interesting mutation. Despite the obvious decay they maintain remarkable function and even heal. Look the organs are already being moved back into place and the wounds are regenerating."

"...Please tell me this is the last fucking ghoul I have to vivisect?"

"Bah I chose ghouls to start with because of how easily recyclable they are! You really have to try very hard actually, to kill one. That makes for perfect practice for vivisecting. Now as soon as a new test subject gets brought in I can give you some proper lessons on human anatomy! Hopefully its one of those military grunts and not another damned cyborg. Fucking cyborgs throwing away the greatness that is the flesh and biological for lousy metal. Bah. Primitive and backwards thinking."

"Well the finding just ended and I'm sure its safe for me to go back home now...so uh..."

"Heh you really think you can make it back out of the Pits that easily?"

"Pits?"

"Its what they started calling it when the test subjects escaped and took over down here. They thought digging DEEP to bury all their naughty secrets will keep them nicely hidden and neatly trapped all the way down here. Didn't work out for them now did it? HAHAHAH."

"So not safe to leave?"

"Go with some our kind if you want to make it out alive. Unless your hiding some power armor somewhere and the skills to use it properly with the right gear. This place is deadly."

"That's strange we weren't attacked or noticed much on the way down here."

"Because you had a psychic and Shaman with you. Your kind might still be blind the wonders of the mind but those changed are much more...sensitive to our instability to such things. Especially when their close. Unless of course your a brain is rotten as a ghoul. They don't care or notice."

"Going out without them is...bad?"

"Fatal."

"...Okay where is the psychic and Shaman then?"

"Shaman is presumably busy cleaning up the mess. No idea about the Psychic. Probably still with her friend. Otherwise just go out with a band and separate when your in a safer area."

What do?
>Stay for another...lesson
>Look for the girls
>See what Shaman is up to
>Leave with a band
>Other?

>>6339457
>See what Shaman is up to

>>6339457
>>See what Shaman is up to

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>6339459
>>6339482
You decide to see what Shaman is up to. Considering he's the one who guided you and what not. Plus he was also sent to resolve the trouble earlier. SO heading back towards the exit you soon see fresh bullet holes, scorch marks, and bloodstains. At the end you see a scrapped piece of power armor that appeared to have been ripped apart. A fresh pile of gore that was tossed to the side with few mutants and abominations feasting even on their own kind. As you note a number of mutated corpses as well. Shaman meanwhile was busy...muttering to himself or ranting to the others. Something about the voices from the depths.

Anyway you still get some funny looks but since you came with the 'witch' and Shaman they leave you alone. Allowing you to directly approaching the preaching Shaman.

"Yo...shaman is there a way...I can safely go back home?" You inquire.

"Feeding time and sleepy times are safest," answers Shaman. "Best with guide though. Humans...aren't liked down here. If you have other muties with you they are gonna think twice before starting anything."

"So I am not the first one down here?"

"Nope, Victor is welcome down here too. Along with that ghoulish ranger Alfred. Ghouls don't like coming down here, though. Too far away from their precious radiation on the surface. You need to go back?"

"Well I'm trying to find a safe way yeah. Unless I want to get stuck with that...thing with too many heads and brains for another lesson."

"HAH you must be REALLY smart. That fucker hates dumb dumbs. As far as it is concerned everyone is a dumb dumb."

"Anyway you can help...and who ended up attacking you guys?"

"Bah military bucketheads again. It's either them or those damned research monitoring teams. Always coming down to harass, kill, and study us. We smash them good but they always go down fighting. Takes a lot of bodies to bring them down. Good way to get rid of the weak though."

"So...where does all their stuff go than?" You couldn't help but inquire about the loot.

"Eh throw in stockpile if we cannot use it. Otherwise it shared around to equip everyone."

That perks you up. "So you guys do trade?"

"EH....I suppose," mutters Shaman thinking hard as scratches through his scalp again. "You humies be weak though. Not much for trading and our supplies...eh some of it might be edible for you too, come to think of it."

What do?
>Head back home
>See this stockpile
>See about resupplying
>Inquire about a looting run
>Other?

>>6339660
>>Head back home

We got to check on our base. We should try to capture a cannibal to learn from many heads.

>>6339660
>>Head back home

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>6339664
>>6339928
You decide to head back home. Luckily you have Shaman with you that seems to scare the everliving shit out of the other mutants and abominations nearby for some reason. He isn't even THAT scary or intimidating compared to many other freaks down here. Which also makes him the best guide and protection when entering or exiting The Pits. Which with Shaman to guide you and explain you see why. The Pits were dug out into massive chambers with the only way in or out being the underground rail system with plenty of bulk heads to lockdown as needed. It was also buried VERY deep from the city above. Neatly concealing its presence while providing no shortfall of...test subjects and other resources required for the facilities. Now however there have been breaches. Things are crawling out. They mostly stay near the Pits so far but who knows how long that will last?

Still scary as fuck to see nothing but deep darkness with a single rail line over a massive empty rift below it until you get to the other side. Whatever the fuck they were working on, they were extremely paranoid and afraid of it escaping. Too bad that already started happening. You aren't sure what to make of them but they sure aren't THAT friendly but smarter than you originally gave them credit for. Especially Many Heads who cannot apparently agree on what its actual name is, so everyone else just gave it the nickname Many Heads. Which you found out from Shaman was also because it was obsessed with gathering 'new' heads full of knowledge to add to its 'collection'. Apparently okay to be around until it starts to have an identity crisis but it REALLY doesn't like 'stupid' people. According to Shaman, despite its bulk and intelligence it ain't 'that strong'. Whatever that means but it is the 'smartest'. Albeit quite nuts given the aforementioned Many Heads of differing origins and identities that were brute forced into a semicohesive mass and albeit insane hivemind.

Shaman explained Many Heads was made when they rounded a bunch of scientists up to 'give them a taste of their own medicine'. They were thrown into a vat at the same time. Many Heads was what came out. Many Heads somehow knew how to add onto itself and even other abominations. Including how to 'improve' them. Shaman was honestly quite friendly when he wasn't having a mental breakdown or going crazy. You knew Many Heads was also extremely intelligent. Smartest...thing you ever knew existed. Definitely smarter than almost all geniuses you heard about prewar. Too bad it's also batshit insane. Apparently, it's not the 'only' interesting abomination in that facility. Shaman also mentioned a few other 'friendlier' types. Like the Caretaker and Fixitz.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>6340186
With Shaman the route was smooth but he decide seem to never take the same path to exit the Pits. According to Shaman this is because mutants and abominations aren't the only 'dangers' down here. He mentioned you also need to look out for the machines, the military, researchers, and worst of all, the anomalies. Shaman though is extremely sensitive to certain presences so you never got a glimpse of the anomolies. You did however catch glimpses of the Machines with Sentry Bots, Assaultrons, robobrains, and Gutsies on patrol or attempting to purge the area of mutated filth. Same is true of the military whom you often saw wearing power armor and what infantry wasn't wearing it had some kind of hazard suits equipped under their armor. The scientists were the least...'hostile'. They were more focused on studying and gathering samples. Yet for some reason Shaman was scared of them the most but he made sure you avoided directly running into them.

Honestly first time you saw so many active military forces besides the Oathkeepers. You know these aren't friendly though. All the military personnel who gave a single fuck joined up with the Oathkeepers instead. These guys...they aren't that. So you didn't have a problem with avoiding them and you don't have the credentials to keep from getting shot by the robots. Your stolen uniform only comes with basic bitch credentials that can barely stave off cursory checks. You dread to think how strong their credential checkers are down here. As for the scientists... whatever can make Shaman that terrified, you decided you didn't want to find out.

Surprisingly it was only when you left the Pits that you actually ran into trouble. Having to dodge a few packs of ghouls making their way to the surface and seemingly endless barrage of crazy cannibals. Even when you got back home finally it wasn't much better...and the place was wrecked. The bodies are gone but something HUGE came through here. Worst of all, the robotics also got wrecked. With only a few surviving turrets. Son of a bitch. That is REALLY going to fuck over the repairs and maintenance around here, which you depend on to keep the life support in good condition. Meaning it cannot even be easily fixed.

How are you going to fix the robotics? There are already issues with resupplying and long term maintenance cropping up with the automated systems. Much less the outright replacement of destroyed and lost robots. Fuck. That was why you always avoided activating the security systems. Cost cutting meant they often served dual purposes helping to handle basic maintenance, repairs, and even low level security work. If only your repair was higher you could fix them up maybe.

What do?
>Go to a 'friendly' station for spare parts
>Head back with Shaman since your home got wrecked...
>Take a risky trip to visit the main automated depots for support
>Do the best you can to fix it up with what you have
>Other?

>>6340204
>>Go to a 'friendly' station for spare parts

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>6340538
You think not many stations are 'friendly' fewer still would have the parts for robotics. Of them the safest and best supplied would be the University Station or the Business Square Station. University Station...those people are notably less friendly despite their expertise. So your best bet is the other and they happen to be located near the center of the city. So not too far from anyone. Making them your best bet now your only problem is how your gonna trade for all those parts your gonna need...well you got some junk you can trade. The broken weapons would be worth more repaired, but bullets are always in demand.

So you explain your plan to Shaman.

"Hm...not familiar with that place. We don't venture that far yet. Too busy dealing with the Pit."

"Which reminds me how do i safely revisit the Pit?" You ask.

"Did Many Heads forget to give you a token? EH figures. Than again I don't think you would want one of those shrunken heads," mutters Shaman as he pulls out a glowing pustule with a gigantic eye on it from his tendrils on his back. "Not the best thing ever. Many Heads has something far better but he almost never gives it out. You should ask him next time he likes you enough to probably give you one. This one is Da Pit Eye. It helps disguise you like a mutie and helps detect anomalies. This one is a sample from X13 grown by the Caretaker. Not good to keep around though without...protection."

>Gained 1 X13 'Pit Eye'
"Why is it radioactive?"

"Yup, also whispers into your mind's eye."

"...Got anything safer?"

"You a humie. Ain't no such thing as safe for your kind."

"The one from Many Heads would be better right?"

"Eh...maybe? I only ever saw him give one to Victor before but it's very effective. Its presence alone scares the shit out of muties."

"So Mutie repellent?"

"Yeah but its...got character and very annoying. Not to mention scary," shudders Shaman. "Nobody likes that thing but that is precisely why it's so effective."

"So I take it you aren't coming along?"

"Oh I come. Best I be the ones given I is sneaky like and more reasonable."

You look at the towering abomination with far too many eyes and tentacles. "right...how do you plan to disguise yourself?"

"A robe. Big robe and a uh...mask? I think got a spare somewhere."

"Right...well you can at least help scary stuff I suppose. Although going in might be tricky for you. People hate mutants never know when they'll try to kill you."

The journey this time was much quieter than your last trip. Sure there were a few cannibal bands roaming around but Shaman was somehow both sneaky and even more perceptive at times than you. So it wasn't hard to sneak past them until you reached the station. That was gonna be trouble. You could see from far away the array of guards in power armor T45, turrets, robots, and heavily armored mercs on standby shaking down anyone wanting to go in. Didn't matter if you were a starving orphan or not.

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>6340795
The only thing they cared about was money and after cash became largely worthless it's just bullion and bullets now. At least your uniform still has some uses here too which helps as they give you a passing glance and let you through before you get stopped at the door.

"Repairman huh? Surprised you guys aren't just leaving it to the machines," grumbles the guard captain looking you over. "Probably a good thing. Now for customary sake I'll let you through but you still gotta pay if you don't handle some repairs got it?"

You nod and hand over some bullets.

"Figures," grumbles the guard captain before letting you through.

Inside the station its bustling. Nobody is allowed to stay overnight without paying. Those eyebots WILL find the tramps and homeless without a residence card to sick the guards on them. Living here is by far the most expensive, but also the most available, because they only care whether you can pay or not. Making it a good home IF you have the skills or savings to afford it. Of course this also means the place is packed and the market is bustling. They even still have functional Vendortrons hooked up that take prewar money.

Looking around you already know your destination. You have been here before when you needed to trade and while you would prefer the Oathkeeper station they are uh...rather lacking outside of basic supplies and war materials. So like everyone else you often get stuck coming here. As you head into the market sure enough its still packed full of goods and people. The tricky part is gonna be figuring out how your gonna afford all the spare parts you need...

Soon you find yourself before the robotics junkyard area. You can see scrapped vehicles, appliances, machines, and more piled to the roof. Here you can get the parts but its gonna cost you...

Barter items available
>Pit Flora(rare and mutated)
>Scrap(Mid value)
>Broken Gear(low value)
>Bombs(will cost you explosives)

Trade for
>Everything you can
>Whatever should be enough
>Barely meets the requirements
>Cut corners
>Other?

>>6340796
>Scrap(Mid value)
>Whatever should be enough
Consider it equivalent to turning the scrap into usable parts

>>6340796
>>Scrap(Mid value)
>Whatever should be enough

>>6340796
>Scrap(Mid value)
>Broken Gear(low value)

>Whatever should be enough
I need to check what we're buying, just spare parts to fix life support or is something more available?

Archive made of the previous thread:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6321401
Of course I forgot to make a unique tag for the series, but it's the best send-off I could give to young man Cleetus.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>6340949
>>6340996
>>6341019
Parts to fix all the shit that got wrecked. The nearby maintenance hub doesn't contain spare robotic parts, as it was meant for maintaining the rail lines. You DO have spares for the other stuff but the MC doesn't have very good repair or science skills. So it is something the automatic repairs handle from the bots. Hence needing to get parts for them.

>Barter check failed
You trade your stock of scrap that you picked up in exchange for some robotic parts. Pretty sure you got ripped off in terms of price but it should be enough to get the bots online. Too bad you weren't able to afford the parts for the turrets too, but those are expensive. Nobody wants to easily trade away something so useful like that for cheap. With the robotic parts...wait shit how are you going to carry all this crap back? Not like you are on of the main lines but a side passage for safety.

"Yoo job is done huh," suddenly greets a towering figure wearing a spooky ass mask in a robe that...writhes far too much to be normal.

"Oh shit Shaman? How the fuck did you get in here...wait how did I fail to notice you?"

"I be REAL sneaky like," states Shaman with pride as he picks up a huge portion of the parts with ease. "Little mind trick here or there and NOBODY sees SHAMAN~!"

"A giant...stealthy...intelligent abomination. Goddamn Shaman, you are fucking terrorising."

"Any other errands?"

"Not really but huh...any idea how we are gonna get all this shit back?"

"Hm...nope," shrugs Shaman. "Too much weight. Loud. Clunky. Bulky. Hard to be sneaky even with the mighty SHAMAN!"

"Ah...figures this is why I never take trade trips that require such large portions if possible, but this time I got screwed with so many of the robots getting wrecked at the same time...damn it," you grumble. "This return trip is gonna be dicey as hell. Only good news is that at least we can both carry it all back at the same time."

So you were forced to leave. As much you would LIKE to restock on more shit...honestly you both are weighed down far too much. Sure as Shaman states a loud and clunky target. Now matter how hard you tried to be silent. Even Shaman couldn't pull his usual tricks and be sneaky despite the improbable. The problem its impossible to get far without drawing far too much attention...

"Shaman thinks you might not be able to survive too many fights yeah?"

"And you can?"

"Nope," admits Shaman with a shrug. "I mighe big, scary, sneaky, and smart but tanky no. Hence why I need to be sneaky and SMART."

"Well..." shit there is no way to go around down here. Up top there is the snow, ash, lightning, rads and howling but...you have space to move around.

"You think you can handle the surface Shaman?"

"Can you?"

"We are sitting ducks down here. Can you handle the ghoul hordes?"

"Hm...Not too many at once. Ghouls...be crazy. My tricks are no good on them. Too braindead like Machines."

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>6342064
"It's much noisier up there, and more importantly, we have space to maneuver and hide."

"What about other survivors?"

"Rarer yeah but nowhere near as twisted as the sickos down here. They got balls at least and aren't fully willing to go full crazy ass cannibals. Plus if we got lucky we can meet some Oathkeepers...well maybe with you that might not be such a good idea..."

"Oathkeepers? Do dey be like those military buckethead pricks?" Asks Shaman.

"No. They are actually good people. Didn't turn their back on everyone when they nuked the world and did their best to save people instead."

"Hm...interesting but we could also go deep yeah?"

"The depths? Even I don't dare go down there especially not after finding out about a place like the Pits."

"Depths be real bad yeah but don't forget I am SHAMAN The Depths speak and I understand," comments Shaman.

"Still sounds like a terrible idea. How does it compare to the Pits?" You question him.

"Differing objectives. The Pits had a biological focus," elaborates Shaman. "Depending on what section we pass through. Even I don't have it all mapped out yet but I regularly explore The Depths all the time."

"...Alone?"

"Yeah others be scared. Say it's too dangerous but they just a bunch of pansies."

"Shaman do you think that the same group of mutants who can tear apart a bunch of 'bucketheads' might have a point if they say it's too dangerous?"

"Bah not you too. Perfectly safe if you can understand what the voices say! Too many can hear but not understand. That is when the problems arise."

What do?
>Take the surface as a shortcut
>Head to the Depths
>See if you can find a convoy in the main passage
>Try to go around via the side passages...
>Other?

>>6342068
Now I'm worried about the implications of the roll.

>Try to go around via the side passages...
The Wyrm has already passed by, so surely nothing else that bad for now.

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>6342075
Been long enough and you got so damned lucky this time around.
-----
You decide to take the side passages despite the risks and time it will take. Honestly it was quiet TOO quiet. For some reason you found piles upon piles of bodies and only partially looted battlefields. Seeing all that wasted loot was killing you but you were already packed to the brim...maybe you should have had Shaman get some friends damn it. Best you could do is try to stash some away hidden and hope nobody finds it.
>Survival check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Perception check passed.

Gained Loot Stashes containing ?????

Later on the trip you finally started to hear the occasional sounds of gunfire and screams that will go silent long before you finally got there. Seeing even fresher battlefields made you finally realize that whoever it was going on a killing spree your destination must be pretty close...and closer...and closer. Day after day. Okay wtf this is a pretty quiet stretch which is why you bothered to settle down here. How the fuck are they STILL headed in the same direction?

Finally curiosity got the better of you and Shaman. So you both dropped off you the robot parts and decided to sneak closer to see what the hell was going on.

"Are we there yet," complains a woman in combat armor double tapping a ghoul pack.

"Almost there now," states a guy in riot control combat armor with a familiar voice. "Something BIG came through here recently...strange. These kind of traces I've only encountered in the deep before. Never this far away."

"Doesn't sound good for the kid your trying to check up on huh?" Chuckles the woman.

"Oh shut up we were passing by anyway, doesn't hurt to check on one of the few people down here who isn't an insane cannibal looter."

"Yeah...right one HELLEVUA detour," she continues to rub in.

"Bah I just hope the kid is alright. Stubborn little shit refused to move closer to the Oathkeeper bases."

"Still, there is an awful lot of cannibal activity. What the hell has them so riled up around here?" She mutters.

"Certainly been an oddly busy trip," Ranger Henry agrees. "At least they had enough ammo, supplies, and spare parts to keep us compensated."

"Think its do to a lack of supplies? It HAS been a year now." She asks him.

"Hm the ones down here are mostly cowards who would rather eat each other than sneak past the ghoul hordes and radiation snowstorms on the surface," he states. "They won't start getting brave until they eat most of themselves down here. Give it a few more years and they will eliminate themselves for the most part."

"Yet here you are killing as many of them as you can instead of dealing with the ghoul hordes on the surface," she points out.

"People still need to understand that Justice is still a thing, I don't mind being that boogeyman to remind them of it," retorts Henry.

"Coward."

"Bitch."

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>6342511
Welp that is Henry alright. Don't know who the woman is but probably an Oathkeeper. You only ever seen Henry interact with them without shooting them in the face. Normally you would go ahead and greet them but with Shaman...yeah that might be...definitely difficult. Shaman at least while definitely insane isn't outright hostile like the others you have seen of his kind besides Many Heads. Looking over you...wait where did Shaman go? Sneaky big bastard. He was right there beside you even.

Well that does make things easier...

>Perception check passed

"So wait, why did you insist I come along this time anyway?" She asks Henry.

"bait." Henry smoothly states.

"Bait?" She asks, even more confused.

"Lonely young man and a pretty woman. Duh."

"...Oh you fucker-!"

"HENRY is that you!" You shout out.

"Kiddo Bob? Were you out scavenging?" Shouts back Henry before muttering to his companion. "Put your gun down already."

"fuck you I ain't hooking up with some little twerp just because you--HFHM"

"Nah had to go on a trading trip after some...mutant wrecked the place," you grumble to him turning the corner and seeing Ranger Henry headlocking a woman.

"Uh...need a room?"

"Nope. Just showing the rookies how it's done. You know how it is," smoothly explains Henry. You would have believed him too if you hadn't heard the truth.

Looking at what Henry brought. He wasn't in fact joking about rookies. A small troop of Oathkeeper rookies is escorting a small Protectron Cargo caravan loaded down with whatever is inside the huge crates their carrying. Henry being the only experienced one there...besides the woman. Her armor and gear has seen HEAVY usage. Like the other oathkeepers you've seen.

"What are taking rookies down here? The dangers down here aren't insanely stupid like ghoul hordes." You ask him.

"That is exactly the point," explains Henry. "Ghouls are easy once you look past how hard they are to kill, but man is dangerous."

"Not just man things down here anymore I'm afraid," you warn him. "Mutants too."

"Mutants? Like what?"

"What did you think caused me to make a trade run? Fucking HUGE mutant came through and wrecked the place. Cost me all my scrap just to get barely enough parts to get them working again and the turrets...I still got to find parts for them," you explain.

"Damn that bad huh?" Comments Henry.

"Yeah caught it on camera too. Luckily I made sure to run away before it showed up, but when I got back shit was wrecked."

"Hm mutants seem to be getting more and more common-" Henry suddenly wheezes as the woman puts a well place elbow strike to his side and loses his grip.

"Mutants showing up down here to?" She confirms with you...and damn she is super pretty alright. Not as absurdly hot as that one girl you saw previously but if it weren't for her definitely #1 hottie. You can see why Henry thought he could lure you back with this honeytrap.

"Yup, and you are?"

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>6342521
"Captain Elisia, I got stuck wrangling the freshmeat with Henry here as our 'guide'." She states pointing her thumb at Henry who was still busy wheezing against the wall.

...Damn, that must have been one hell of a blow. You only seen Henry react like that one time when you accidentally hugged him a bit too far.

"Any idea what's going on with the locals kid?" Finally asks Henry rubbing his sore side.

"Not about the cannibals but the mutants...their coming up from the Pits."

"The Pits?" She asks.

"Kid how do you know about the Pits?" Sharply asks Henry.

"When I ran away there were ghouls and cannibals galore. Weren't able to take my usual route and ended up there by accident," you state leaving out important info.

"What the fuck is the Pits?" She demands.

"...Restricted zone. One of the things we try to keep an eye on. Your saying they broke out?"

"Big time. I saw several compromised facilities down there crawling with the things before I escaped back up here again then I found my place wrecked and had to go on a trip for spare parts."

"Ah shit just what we need, you think you can confirm Henry?" She asks him.

"hm...yeah we take shelter at his place than I'll take look. If facilities are already falling apart and getting overrun this quickly...I don't like where this is headed. Hopefully its not too bad."

....Oh dear, you have no idea Henry. NO IDEA. Heading back you notice the pack Shaman was carrying is missing...hopefully he doesn't lose it and returns it. Heading back it wasn't too long until you return home with their group. Sure enough a few booby traps got activated and the remains of those who died to it no doubt dragged away and eaten. Not to mention the bots remains would have gotten picked over if it weren't for the few still functioning turrets left after you dragged them.

"Shit kid you weren't joking were you," mutters Henry looking at the devastation.

"Yeah it was a bad day, ghoul pack AND cannibals that lured whatever the fuck that thing was," you agree.

"Password for the terminal?" Elisia asks you which you give and they proceed to watch the video of what passed through at least catching a glimpse before the cameras got smashed.

"Damn that is the biggest mutant I've seen yet," mutters Henry.

"How the fuck did it grow so big down here so quickly," questions Elisia.

"Well I'll investigate tonight while the rest of you rest," states Henry as he prepares to set out.

What do?
>Go with Henry
>Fix up the bots
>Interact with the recruits
>Flirt with Elisia
>Other?

>>6342526
>Fix up the bots
>Interact with the recruits
Any of them know repair?

>>6342526
>>Fix up the bots

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>6342530
>>6342536
"Any of you happen to know how to repair robots?" You ask the fresh Oathkeepers who collectively stared at the sole guy with a pipboy among them.

"Oh come on why is it always me..." he grumbles before stepping forward.

"Oh good repairing isn't exactly my specialty," you thank him shaking his hand.

"Nothing too complicated right?"

"Just Protectrons and some Mister Handies." You answer.

"Well lets see the damage here...oh damn. No shit you had to go get spare parts. These things were ripped to pieces," He comments looking over the damage.

With some help it took time for you to do repairs. Which meant ripping out a lot of broken scrap and replacing it with the new parts you acquired. If only you had some better facilities but they at least had the proper tools brought with them in case any of their cargo Protectrons broke down.
----
Meanwhile a lone ranger Henry approached the Pits, sneaking his way through stealthily. "Hm...a lot has changed in a short time since I been through here—containment breaches in multiple facilities. One has been overrun with some kind of...super undergrowth that is spreading rapidly," he reports speaking into a recorder. "Another looks like it got overrun by escaped experiments...several more facilities have gone dark—some broadcasting for backup or under full lockdown. Automated Security Systems are still functional but inadequate. Seen some patrols of military remnants but they are also being kept busy. I have also seen a number of anomalies which is...most unusual. This place is located deep enough that unless they got hit by a bunker buster nuke they should have been fine. Given the amount of resistance automated security is putting out we at least have a few years before what is currently here can breakthrough by my estimates. Longer, depending on how long the military remnants hold out with their forces. However the spread of some of this new...undergrowth deeply concerns me. It's spreading way too fast and growing way too big. In a place that is purposefully starved of access to nutrients and biomass. Gonna need some scientists down here...speak of the devil and they shall appear. I'll see about making contact. Hopefully this goes better than last time with trigger happy deserters."

-----
>Repair check passed(Parts consumed)
>Intelligence check passed

It took you all night and than most of the next day even with help. The only trouble is Henry was supposed to have been back by morning and he's been gone all day as well instead. Which is getting even Captain Elisia antsy.

"Uh Captain should we investigate?" Asks one of the recruits.

"With you bunch green as grass? No way. Bah if only I had some power armour I would take a look, as is. We can stick around another day and than book it to a base and send in a proper team. We are gonna need to do some recon on our own anyway," she orders.

What do?
>Follow Henry
>Find Shaman
>Go with them
>Convince them to search
>Other?

>>6342616
>Find shaman

>>6342616
>Find Shaman

>>6342616
>Find Shaman

Or preferably, haul loot from the stashes earlier. Ideally both. Did we reclaim Shaman's backpack?

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>6342617
>>6342699
>>6342724
You did find Shaman's backpack. It mysteriously showed up without nobody knowing how it got there cause SHAMAN. Its why the repairs went according to plan.
-----
You decide to find Shaman. Which...well hopefully he's nearby. That big ass fucker is REALLY goddamn sneaky when he wants to be. Shaman should hopefully have an idea of what happened to Henry or at the very least can help you carry all those loot stashes you were forced to leave behind. Hopefully nobody found them yet.

So you headed out a aways a bit...and shaman didn't show up, but you know where he stays and the route to reach the site. Plus with the new thing he gave you hopefully it will be an easier trip. Just avoid the roaving cannibals and head closer to the Pits hoping you don't find anything too nasty to handle. Sure enough the Cannibals do seem to be oddly active around here lately. Which isn't good at all considering where your home is.

Heading closer to the Pits you noticed increased mutant activity extending beyond it. Notably through the new kinds of mutated 'flora' that are emerging and spreading with disturbing speed. Before all you ever found was mushrooms and moss...not whatever this new stuff is. You can also see signs of fire being used to try and limit its expansion. With the strange 'eye' thing that Shaman gave you it did indeed work to help scare away the mutants. They really didn't like that creepy eye...but you had to keep it out for it work right. Even so the mutant activity is still being curbed...for now but it IS slowly spreading out. Given where your home is, this will become a problem sooner rather than later. Shit.

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>6343408
You were wary of entering deeper into the Pit and given how its spreading...you realize the domain of the Pit might be spreading too. Luckily the site X13 facility isn't too deep into the Pits and is actually quite close to one of the rail lines, directly for undoubtedly sinister reasons. Luckily you didn't need to go too far in after checking the expanding perimeter of the Pits to find Shaman...well not so much as find and hear. Shaman is very loud when he wants to be which is how you found him. Simply follow his bellowing. Which led you along a rail line and directly to a troop of brutish mutants 'escorting' a band of newly shackled and gagged cannibals. Leading them directly into the Pits and there you found Shaman. Who apparently was arguing with another band of mutants doing the same thing.

"MANY HEADS DEMANDS FRESH MEAT! YOU BRING HUNT TO MANY HEADS!"

"THIS HUMIES ARE FOR DIPPING!" Bellows back the leading mutant.

"NO DIPPING WITHOUT MANY HEADS SAYS SO! HUMIES FROM THIS HUNT IS FOR MANY HEADS SPECIAL REQUEST! YOU NO GIVE THAN MANY HEADS ANGRY YOU WANT MANY HEADS ANGRY?"

That finally cowed the other mutant leader who grumbled away very loudly to himself before agreeing. Only than did you emerge to an oddly jovial Shaman who gave you a far too slimy and widespread crushing hug.

"Aye good timing! Many Heads is just about to get a new shipment for your next lesson," Shaman informs you.

"...Vivisecting humans huh," you state looking at the desperate pleas from the cannibals...but you remember the smell. You remember the screams of children. All these months later, and the nightmares still wake you up. Honestly if it was anybody else you would have some qualms but these scum...well they deserve far worse than ending up mutant chow or Many Heads' newest experimental subjects. "Say Shaman who are those other guys? They don't look like the mutants from X13."

>Intelligence check passed
>Perception check passed
>Speech check failed
>Medicine check failed

"Oh those guys...they come from another facility. Needs lots of humies for some reason," explains Shaman shrugging. "Best stay away from them without any of us as company."

"Than why do they bother to agree with you than? Is Many Heads really that influential?"

"You have no idea the terror of Many Heads," defends a trembling Shaman. "Many Heads despite its distinct personality quirks and insanity is extremely helpful to countless mutants and abominations. Too easy to end with bad mutations, but Many Heads can help with that. Many Heads can even help you grow stronger. So nobody dares to end up on the bad side of Many Heads in the Pits. At least among our kind anyway."

"Say I got a lot of loot stashed...anyway they can help me retrieve it?"

"Hm...for a share of the loot. Even better if we have fresh meat or captives," states Shaman. "Won't be a problem. With no catches, they'll want a share instead."

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>6343418
"Eh I doubt the bodies will still be there but its gonna be a long trip full of loot as bait. It would be far more surprising if we don't end up with uh fresh meat yeah?" You point out.

"Hm...shouldn't be hard to persuade them yeah," mutters Shaman scratching his head. "Gonna need more guys though...lot of loot and fresh meat. Plus, we never went out that far out before."

"Say Shaman you noticed a ranger recently?" You finally inquire about Henry.

"Ranger? Sneaky humies? Hm that one humie with you earlier?"

"Yeah him. Know anything? He should have shown up but hasn't returned yet from the Pits."

"Hm...sneaky humies almost never get into trouble with us muties. Too sneaky and mutated with perception worth a damn are very rare. Most likely, he got into trouble with the other humies or machines," explains Shaman.

"Ah just great. Noticed anything?"

"Hm...heard of one of dem rangers sighted with a patrol of scientists but that is about it. Only saw that one recently. I don't know if it's the same one, though. I wasn't there to confirm."

"Any idea where they went?"

"Yeah. Only some facilities in the Pits are still operational enough to dispatch research teams outside. Most are locked down or getting overrun. Would be one of them. Have to ask around to confirm which," explains Shaman.

"Well Henry is a strong fella...hopefully he should be fine."

"Most dangerous things in the Pits ain't us muties yet but dem machines or bucketheads. Scariest are the scientists."

"Yet?"

"We grow stronger and the weak die. Eventually, us Muties will reign supreme," brags Shaman to the nodding of the other muties.

"Right..."

What do?
>Track down Henry with Shaman
>Head with them to see Many Heads for another lesson
>Have the mutants help you loot the stashes
>Go back home
>Other?

>>6343427
>Have the mutants help you loot the stashes
MC can help with bringing the flesh back to Many Heads too.

>>6343427
>Have the mutants help you loot the stashes
>>6343434
i also agree with this anon

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>6343434
>>6343573
Go evil karma route this time eh?
> - Karma
> + Reputation with Da Pits
----
You decide to join the mutant convoy as they drag their prisoners along deeper into the pits. You ignore the pleading and begging of the cannibals the entire time. Instead chatting with the new breed of mutant that frankly are a LOT more human looking albeit still grotesque and heavily mutated. At least they aren't glorified blobs of flesh like Many Heads. From them you learn that apparently they do indeed come from another facility that once helped develop 'supah soldiers' and 'next gen humanity' experiments. Apparently they go out and help collect fresh meat for processing. As a result, they have the most interactions with humies among the mutants in the Pits.

>Discovered site of Project 'Supah' Facility D13.
Facility D13. Responsible for Research in Super Soldiers and Next Generation Human RnD.

Too bad, given how they hunt humans, those interactions are not, by any means, positive. When Shaman revealed the fact that you are apprenticed Many Heads even got squeamish before their leader handed you a bloody card with a researcher ID on it. According to him, you can use it to gain access to Facility D13. Which will contain some very usual stuff for 'humies'. Turned out the facility in question was along the same railway that was close to XS-13. All you head to do was follow it and it would take you directly to them. So heading to XS-13 the journey with so many mutants made damn sure nobody got in the way. You even saw military remnant patrols run away. So it was a quiet trip back you knew it wasn't going to be a quiet journey to pick up all that loot much less bring it back.

At the facility you saw some other mutants come out and dragged the prisoners deeper into the facility. While Shaman talked with a few of them before going to you.

"Many Heads doesn't mind you running off to do other stuff but he wants me to remind you that the new stock he gathered for your lessons will only stay good for so long. So he wants you back soon for another lesson. Besides that I think I gathered enough muties for us to have a proper warband. Especially with reinforcements from another facility joining in. Heheh we never went so deep in humie turf with so many before. Should be some good fun! Maybe even we hitz a station," continues Shaman as you take a break with the rest of the mutants as they regrouped and brought out the needed gear and supplies. Eventually another band of mutants coming along the tracks also shows up.

The mutants you notice their armor isn't just some random plate but was processed to help proper fit their contours. Almost like...mutant sized combat armor but how? Not to mention they brought along plenty of chains and cages. In addition to heavy weapons the like of which only power armor can comfortably use.

"...Uh Shaman you SURE what their packing isn't a bit too much? Plus, where did they get the armor from?" You ask him.

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>6343579
"Those guys? They got an entire bloody armoury with equipment sized for the brutes like them. Lucky bastards," spits Shaman. "Compared to what they usually pack this is actually pretty light."

...That totally isn't suspicious as hell.

Meanwhile the mutants that came from XS-13 were not by any means standardized with plenty of abominations mixed in. Their gear and armor also varied, assuming they even had any. Plenty of them were naked with no weapons at all but that certainly wouldn't make them any less dangerous. As this batch you noticed were not as...flawed as many mutants you see normally lurking around.

"Anything special about those guys," you pointed to Shaman. "Ah them? Dey got special upgrades from Many Minds. Says it will be a good 'field test' for them. Even insisted we bring along some Eyebots for recording purposes." Sure enough you see a few oddly discreet eyebots floating around stealthily now that you looked carefully enough.

"Where are they usually? I don't recall see so many of them before."

"Normally, Many Minds' is either experimenting on them or sends them out for whatever reason," shrugs Shaman. "First time they get sent out so far though. best not be underestimate them though. Dey don't have bad mutations or be flawed. If anything they be likely hiding something nasty." Shaman warns.

After that you all marched out. The only human in a mutant warband...okay you probably should keep a low profile or at the very least adopt a disguise, but before you could leave. You see a familiar scarred amazon still in bandages who cheerfully skipping towards the warband while carrying her struggling friend with one arm over her shoulder who clearly did NOT want to be there. You noticed that while they both still had vault suits they had apparently acquired some gear scavenged from somewhere. While waving with her other arm.

"HEY DON'T LEAVE ME OUT OF THIS. I WANNA HAVE FUN TOO!"

"Fucking stupid bitch are you nuts? A bunch of goddamn mutants we should be running from, not JOINING them," curses and complains her smaller friend failing to escape her clutches.

"Oh come on running away from the only group we have encountered that doesn't want to rape, torture, enslave, kill, and eat us but also helped us out on top of that? Its you who is a ungrateful bitch," she admonishes.

"They fucking EAT and kill people! Not only their twisted experiments! FUCK," she tries to point out.

"Right, no different from the other humans except no rape and actually helpful. Plus, they are actually fun geeze," shrugs her friend in response.

"-FFFFUUU-" She tries to continue, only to get smothered into silence in such a way that makes you extremely jealous...damn dem titties are monstrous.

"Oh don't mind her, she's been moody ever since I woke up," she tries to explain away embarrassed. "Say does anyone have any chems and drinks? I could REALLY use a fix right now."

The mutants surprisingly handed her some kind of drink that soon gets her good

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>6343584
Coughing and completely red in face.

"Holy fuck that shit is strong," she says afterwards with a wide grin after taking a long drink. "Goddamn this is the strongest shi I ever had it burns, icy, and that aftertaste of raddy tazzy goodness. Fuck me." She comments clearly loving the drink while her smaller friend has stopped struggling and gone silent in an increasingly worrying manner without her apparent notice.

The mutants meanwhile stare at her eyes wide and jaws dropped in shock.

"She...ain't dead?" Mutters one.

"Or passed out? Humies can't stand the brew," comments another confused mutant.

"Gods be damned Many Heads really wasn't exagerating about her ludicrous physique," whistles Shaman. "That should have killed her...and she's chugging down the entire bottle now. She is tough as a mutie that one."

"Lethal to humans?" You check.

"Yup, big time. A heavily diluted dose is also great knocking them when they get too annoying," confirms Shaman.

Sure enough, the Amazon was just fine and finally remembered her nearly suffocated to death friend that she simply shrugs off as if its nothing and puts back on her shoulder to carry along as luggage. With that you were finally off. To your partial disappointment you didn't encounter any fights on the way to the first stash, but you knew that would change as you start loading up. The only reason trouble avoided you so far was the fear of mutants and their numbers. Plus these ones are most unfamiliar to people down here. The only mutant that people are sorta familiar with is ghouls. You did stumble upon a few packs where normally you would avoid them. Instead they promptly got ripped apart and eaten by the mutants.

Finally, you reach the first stash loaded full of goodies. Since not much time had passed and being out of the way almost all of it was still there. Loading up on the first stash you soon headed towards the next stash, but what the mutants brought up you couldn't shake. What IF you DID raid a station with these guys? It's not like they could stop you so long as you targeted a smaller station...

Eventually the witch did wake up and realizing her situation gave in and followed along with a grumble. With the first loot you were dressed yourself up in a disguise that will hopefully keep your identity secret. You aren't exactly interested in burning bridges yet even if most the people down here deserve it to be honest. The witch much smarter than her friend even helped you with Shaman. Giving the former cannibal armor a disturbing eerie flare to it with a mask, helmet, and everything. So long as nobody realizes your human you should be fine for now.

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>6343587
The following loot stashes was when you finally would have gotten some action if the mutants hadn't beaten to the punch. Unsurprisingly the cannibal bands didn't stand a chance in hell. Even the really crazy cultist bastards got wiped. The only thing you assume could cause trouble to them would be the Oathkeepers or some other powerful force. With their deaths or capture fresh meat to keep them interested and craving more. Plus more loot that was split up. Turned out the mutants don't have much interest in things that are meant for tiny human hands. Same is true of their disinterest in 'humie trash'. Sure it was stuff they threw out but they threw out a LOT as a turned out. Which made the idea of attacking a station all the more tempting...

Shaman meanwhile really showcased his sneaky abilities. Making sure the warband avoided any forces that COULD put up too much trouble, but such encounters were rare for now. Oathkeepers were too busy on the surface against ghoul hordes and the military remnants were keeping a low profile as usual. The Amazon meanwhile successfully won a hand wrestle with the mutants on several occasions but lost the rest. She also gets along a little 'too' well with them in general. Her far more reasonable witchy friend had misgivings with the mutants for obvious reasons but you know she isn't 'normal' and right now the abnormal eat a bullet for being different or avoid people entirely. To be fair though chances are they becoming ghouls are about to lose their minds and attack people or some shit like that. So its not like you can really blame them for it.

You even learned their names, Meredith(witch) and Morgana(amazon). Now if only you weren't surrounded by a bunch of muties you would consider how to flirt with them but alas. Well its not like you know them very well yet anyway...

What do?
>Finish looting the stashes
>Raid a station
>Head to the surface
>Other?

>>6343589
>>Finish looting the stashes

>>6343589
>Finish looting the stashes

Maybe hanging with the abominations is evil karma, but so far they're the baddest guys around that can be friendly. They're also helping clean up the place, in a manner of speaking. I'm hoping we can manage a balance between the stations and abominations, with a focus on clearing up everything in between like cannibals and ghouls.
Especially if more eye bots can be found to make a surveillance network around the troubling areas like deep-Pits or wherever the Wyrm went.

Not dead got migraines and family stuff came up.

>>6344832
Thanks QM, I hope you recover soon and continue the apocalyptic madness

>>6343599
>>6343610
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0wL6DXIvoc
Something fun to watch for fallout fans.

The baddest guys around who are friendly are the Oathkeepers but they are largely still busy on the surface, desperately trying to hold back and thin the hordes of ghouls numbering millions up there. Keep in mind a LOT of Oathkeepers particularly their militant wing are former military who more often than not took entire bases, armories, and military detachments with them to join the Oathkeepers. Hence why they are the only 'friendly' military remnants around. The Rangers are currently part of the Oathkeeper Law enforcement attempts but later split off when the justice system fell apart completely and began to enforce Wasteland Justice on their own terms as Judge, Jury, and Executioner ever since. There is a reason why even centuries later Rangers are feared by all. Other military remnants are major dicks tho for obvious reasons.

Abominations and mutants right now are weak as fuck. Not enough time has passed for them to root out bad mutations except for certain refined products from bioweapons divisions and research like Super Mutants and Deathclaws or those who won the lottery. In time, they will become a dire threat to the wasteland and humanity itself. Especially as they increasingly improve upon their mutations, kill off the weak, and breach containment. Of course even now you have lucky abominations and mutants around that somehow avoided mad mutations but for now they are still exceedingly rare but extremely dangerous. Even Many Heads isn't one of them. Not to say teaming up with them is a bad choice but definitely not a Good Karma one. Truthfully interacting with them so early on their development could have very interesting long terms implications on their development including their stance towards humanity.

If you want more eyebots you will need to check out the surface or the robotics depots underground. There was a bloody crit 100 for resources and you get Urban bonus to loot nearby which includes refined resources and finished products like robotics. Suffice it to say the city your in is FILTHY rich in resources. Like ungodly so. The downside is REDACTED which you know is gonna suck balls to deal with and means while filthy rich saying the place suspicious is a vast understatement to just how bad its gonna turn out to be. Plus the whole rad snowstorm up there...

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>6345174
The trips to the remaining stashes were much the same. Even though you did get nervous near the end being so close to one of the biggest and most importantly friendliest stations. Luckily you didn't run into anyone from them. Besides whatever unlucky cannibal bands and other trash that got caught. Were soon loaded up with loot and chained before heading back. Obviously the loot was whatever the Oathkeepers left behind. Which meant 'meat rations' which the mutants indeed confirmed was human flesh after sampling it. No surprise there. To dirty water, questionable chems, their inferior armor, and weaponry. However, the sheer volume is something else, and there are enough weapons around that you can easily dismantle some to repair others into good condition. Sadly the ammo is lacking, as obviously the oathkeepers need that too but they didn't take everything. Especially the low quality munitions they left behind entirely. They might be dirty but they still get the job done. Quite the windfall for you especially all the random junk they had that the Oathkeepers couldn't afford to carry away. Junk nowadays is the closest thing to resources and materials you can get anymore since the economy got nuked out of existence. Even a bunch of crappy bombs that you can 'fix' so they won't be so unreliable.

The mutants even taught you some tricks on how you can 'strip' weapons and 'refit' armor. At first you didn't take much note of until you realized that many of the mutants were much bigger and clumsier than humans. So they preferred weapons that were durable, bulky, heavy, and even their sausage fingers could use. Meaning that a lot of human weapons they needed to 'modify' in order to use properly and they did so in such a way that stripped them bare and then forcefully slapping together junk around them to fortify and easier to use. Their 'guns' as a result of this were heavy and could easily be used to beat/stab someone to death and still be maximum shooty with massive magazines wrapped around the guns. Making them crap for most people unless their in power armor...but you just so happen to be strong enough to use it their weaponry without issue. Which pleased the muties so much they even gave you a share of their 'kustom' gear. While their armor modifications and designed you notice worked great on them despite their wildly differing physiques and most importantly you noted could easily be used on power armor too...with lack of quality they simply made up for with bulk. Like shooting through a punch of phonebook really. Honestly if it wasn't for how big and strong they were it would have backfired on them instead. Oddly making it superior the shitty homemade armor you see a lot on scavs and cannibals.

Gained Mutie Speshul Boolet Hose(Machine Gun)
Mutie Speshul Handy Boolet Hose(SMG)
Mutie Speshul 'Sweeper'(Shotgun)
Mutie Speshul 'Butcher Fist'(Power Fist)
Mutie Speshul armor designs(requires very high strength or endurance exception Power Armor)

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>6345184
The 'butcher' fist especially made you curious as it was impossible to use power fists for mutants but you realized after examining it. It wasn't a power fist at all but some kind of mining equipment exavatorclaws that they jury rigged into a fist weapon. Particularly one clearly designed with crude cruelty for handling particularly large and dangerous foes/being a handy too afterwards for butchering. Which honestly made you a tad bit worried on how just big, tough, and menacing a foe it would have to be to even make a mutant abomination reconsider fighting it with their bare fists and especially design a tool to deal with it...

>Warning
Mutie gear is normally unusable to humans unless in power armor. However if you have high enough Strength and Endurance they can still be usable but will count as Big Guns in terms of perks.

The MC can use Mutie gear without penalty. With Superhuman SPECIAL you can even unlock speshul moves associated with the gear in question otherwise unique to mutants. Consider it compensation for me being late.

On the way it was the usual and you thought you would be home free. Alas you heard the familiar clanking of of metal and machinery ahead when a panicked Shaman came diving back. "MACHINES BE COMING BIG BOYS TOO!"

This excited the mutants and abominations greatly at the prospect of a 'good fight'. You on the other hand were concerned. Especially when the robots finally came around the bend and you saw what you were facing which made your blood run cold. Sentry Bots newest model as hulking tanks in the front with an entire line of assaultrons. Behind them as close fire support you saw Mr. Gutsies and older model Sentry Bots that were smaller and further back Robobrains equipped with high power charging laser sniper rifles.

"Oh fuck," you couldn't help but mutter as the fight began with the Robobrain sniping mutants blowing their heads off with each shot, the sentry bots opening up with a barrage of artillery shells and missiles. With the Assaultrons charging in with their head lasers shearing right through the mutant ranks as they charged into melee. You barely had time to hit the deck when the explosions rang around you and ducking just in time to avoid a sweeping headlaser. Which a mutant beside you wasn't so lucky to avoid.

"CONTAINMENT BREACH DETECTED. ELIMINATE ALL ESCAPEES," calmly orders the robobrains to the rear.

The mutants and abominations however did not panic or even scream in panic. Instead they cheered and roared as they charged into battle. Finally happy to engage in a good fight. With most of the abominations climbing onto the walls and even ceiling as they charged at the machines. With the mutants clashing with the assualtrons below in melee. The assaultrons were fast with their blitz. Charging, dodging, parrying, and striking back. The mutants however didn't care and used their superior size to their advantage ignoring the rain of bullets falling down upon them.

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>6345192
With the melee mutants keeping the assaultrons engaged. The other mutants open fired upon the encroaching sentry bots. A literal storm of bullets emerged from both sides and fell upon each other. All the while explosions range out on both sides. As mutants threw grenades and used missile launchers. With the sentry bots returning fire with their own bombardment of shells and missiles. With the occasional plasma bolt or laser beam streaking across. You laid there in slackjawed amazement at the sentry bots soaking up so many bullets and explosions even power armor wouldn't be able to withstand it. Much to your horror how many bullets and explosions the mutants and abominations were absorbing would have killed any man many times over. Hell some of them would give even power armor or those sentry bots a run for their money with their absurd superhuman toughness.

Even worse many fallen mutants and abominations that you had thought dead or crippled began to pick themselves back up from the ground covered in blood and gore. Many of their wounds are healing right before your eyes. Some mutants and abominations even reattach blown off limbs that weren't even their own. Laughing the entire time. The only ones who didn't get back up were either missing their heads or were blown to bits.

You on the other hand got lucky. Weren't considered threatening due to how small and 'weak' you look compared to your mutant comrades. So far you avoided eating any bullets as the robots focused fire on those they considered greater threats.Which given that they were forced to spread their firepower unlike the mutants in order to also cover the walls and even ceiling gave the mutants the distinct advantage. As they were able to concentrate their own firepower. As the climbing abominations creeped up on them rapidly the Mister Gutsies finally moved forward and suddenly the world burst into flames. As their flamethrowers swept over the entire tunnel. Despite being further bag your lungs still choked with smoke and lack of oxygen. Their flames stretching across the assaultrons and lit the climbing abominations aflame much to their howls of agony.

Seeing the fight...you suddenly realized that this clearly wasn't the first time the two parties had clashed.

What do?
>Head to the rear to guard the prisoners
>Crawl closer to the robots...
>Regroup to the two other humans
>Start shooting too
>Other?

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>6345197
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVX3Hq9XA5M
----
Meanwhile at an Oathkeeper Station...

"report came in from the rookie Captain. Ranger Henry went into the pits after hearing some alarming news and failed to return. The Captain took the risk to take a quick look before returning with her company. Requesting immediate rescue and scouting of an restricted zone. Apparently there may have been multiple containment breaches for the facilities down there."

"Even Ranger Henry no word from him?"

"Negative sir, that is why the rescue request is so urgent and so too is the scouting. According Elisia its catastrophically bad."

"Any proof of life for Henry?"

"Life signs were still there when Elisia checked the perimeter."

"hm...send in the Deathsworn Squad."

"Sir?"

"You heard my orders."

---
"Hell Hounds, new orders you are to safely extract Ranger Henry as your primary objective. Secondary objective are to investigate the restricted area in which he disappeared. Tertiary is to bring about anything interesting you find so we can have an idea what we are dealing with."

"Finally a mission that isn't dealing with more goddamn ghoul hordes. Those fuckers are neverending," mutters a soldier hopping into a heavily modified suit of T60 painted deep black with a blazing hell hound sigil on it.

"Can't believe Henry of all people got himself into such deep trouble, really not his style at all," sighs another soldier hopping into a suit of T51.

In rapid time a squad of power armored troops marched out with soldiers in combat armor carefully hanging off their sides and back. With the gates being opened they suddenly broke out into a full on sprint.

"Hang on tight from here on out, we go full speed redline your system."

"Roger that," agrees the soldiers as they lifted in the restrictions on their power armor. Suddenly the previously sluggish power armor went from a slow unstoppable trot to an unbelievably rapid pace pushing their customized power armours to the limit as they sprinted with unbelievable superhuman speed down the tunnels. Not stopping to rest as the soldiers hung onto them for dear life as it would be impossible for them to keep up otherwise.

>>6345197
>Head to the rear to guard the prisoners
Not our fight with the robots, but we have a mutual hate of the cannibal bands swept up as prisoners.

>>6345184
Cool loot, though I imagine it's bulky as anything. Can MC carry anything else while lugging all these arms and armour?

>>6345231
He can so long as it's not too bulky. Plus, the excess stuff is just being packed onto the slaves. Nice thing about mutie gear its designed/modified to be able to beat someone to death while super mutant strength and still keep shooting. Downside is how bulky and heavy it is with such high SPECIAL requirements to use. As for armor he isn't using mutie armor. Not big enough and way too fucking bulky. Mutants make up the shit quality with bulk.

>>6345197
>>Head to the rear to guard the prisoners

Could we use the Butcher Fist?

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>6345351
You do have the stats for it yes. In terms of damage its a High Crit chance weapon but big and slow. Does hit hard. The mutants like to use it for 'big game'. Against humies it tends to be...overly messy to use. Yes, it does have a partial armor piercing effect.

>>6345231
>>6345351
Seeing the fights with the robots...you decide its not your fight. More importantly if you lose the captives than the mutants are gonna be mighty upset and will take your loot instead. So you headed back towards the rear which proved to b a good idea. As most of the mutants ran off to join the good fight. You did find a few who stayed who appear to be some kind of sniper team. As you saw a few small groups of mutants crowd around large cannon or sniper rifle like weapons and shoot towards to devastating effect. In fact the weapons had to be reloaded with each shot and were breach fired oh boy were they fucking loud too.

Looking at how a sentry bot was missing an arm, another a leg, and one a smoking crater you realized this must be one of the 'big gunz' the muties brought. Your pretty sure a direct hit could even take out power armor too. Looking away from the ongoing fight you notice the witch other two humans were here too, but before you could approach.

>Perception check passed

Despite the ruckus you heard it. Footsteps. LOTs of them. Not as fast and crazed as ghouls either. These were humans incoming. Giving you just enough time to shout an alarm before a horde of cannibals poured out of the tunnels and even side passages. Son of a bitch, they must have been onto you and no doubt attracted by the all the 'fresh meat' and loot. There are a LOT of them and they came packing. The only time you ever saw this many was around a cannibal station or when they were raiding another station.

...Well fuck. Caught right between robots and cannibals. Flanked and surrounded. This was gonna get ugly. At least some of the muties heard you. As some closer to the rear turned out and open fired upon the incoming cannibals. Including a few miniguns the problem was most of the muties were tied up by the robots and it will take time for them to reposition. While there were a LOT of cannibals and god help you should they manage to free and arm some prisoners instead of just eating them.

Rolled 55, 32 = 87 (2d100)

>>6345386
45-penalty from being flanked muties VS

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>6345387
>>6345386
The fighting against the robots suddenly turns for the worse with the incoming flankers. Mutants and abominations now distracted by the new threat had to redirect their guns and reposition. While the big gunz emplacements had to be abandoned in order to defend the rear. This gave an opening for the robots to push hard against the mutant menace successfully. With sentry bots closing in with their miniguns and missile launchers. The Gutsies showing plasma bolts and flamethrowers also rapidly closed in taking advantage of the openings. While the Assaultrons kept the melee mutants and abominations distracted. The only ones who didn't move were the robobrains who simply kept on sniping and taking out mutants.

The mutants for their part did their best to adjust their ranks. With abominations close to the robots dropping down on top of the machines to attack or firing away from angled positions. The ones further away meanwhile withdrew to reinforce the flank. However that weakness proved fatal. Despite their natural toughness getting blown into bitz, vaporized, or missing heads couldn't come back. Even those who didn't could only absorb so many damage before their regeneration failed to keep up or their regeneration began to run out from sheer exhaustion. Mutants and abominations were dropping. When they did they weren't always getting back up anymore.

"DAMN SNEAKY HUMIES THINKZ THEY CAN STEAL OUR LOOTZ," bellows a mutant boss. "Sweepers move to the rear. Big gun boyz support dem! Da rest of you deal with those damned tin cans."

"Dere be a LOTS of humies incomingz anyone got any burnaz?" Shouts a mutant formerly using a big gunz.

"Da cooking supplies for roasting," shouts another. As they dig around bringing out some crudely modified flamethrowers. "Oh yeah time for A BARBECUE!" Roars the burn happy mutant as it charges towards the humans flames roaring. Catching the cannibals by surprised in such a confined environment. The cannibals at least didn't handle their ambush being ruined as well as the machines did. They still charged and open fired. Ignoring their unlucky in chain compatroits. The smart ones of whom hid behind the loot they were being forced to carry.

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>6345395
The cannibals came pouring forth. Relying upon sheer numbers to overrun the few mutants who stood in their way. Yet as the mutants picked up gunz and even Burnaz to shoot pack. Assuming they didn't leap into the fray directly into the horde of cannibals swinging. The cannibals were not as nearly well armed as the robots were or had as tough armor. This the mutants used to their advantage along with their toughness and strength to temporarily hold. The smaller caliber weapons, few energy weapons, and makeshift explosives not being enough to completley deal with the mutants.

That was when things got...weird. Shaman showed up. His tentacles breathing like crazy as he whispered something to the witch and than with a gesture he pointed at a cannibal who suddenly raised his own pistol to his head...and shot himself. While another group of cannibals suddenly panicked screaming and shooting at nothing. While another group started to try and retreat but failed due to the cannibals behind pushing them forward.

"FEEL DA POWAH OF THE CHOSEN YOU WEAK HUMIES! FOR WE ARE SUPREME!" Screams Shaman. As you see a flicker and suddenly the homemade explosives still on the cannibals self ignited. While fallen weaponry rose up into the air and attacked nearby cannibals. Guns shooting until they ran empty. Melee weapons impaling cannibals or breaking before stopping. After that Shaman simply shifted and blurred out of existence. Avoiding the desperate return fire from angry cannibals.

The witch meanwhile also reacted staring hard at a cannibal who suddenly turned on his comrades catching them by surprise. While the Amazon charged into a direct brawl with mutants to try and slow their advance.

What do?
>Toss grenades
>Charge into melee too
>Borrow a burna for a roast
>Start shooting
>Other?

>>6345399
>Start shooting
>Mutie Speshul Boolet Hose(Machine Gun)
>Mutie Speshul Handy Boolet Hose(SMG)
>Mutie Speshul 'Sweeper'(Shotgun)
whatever's the best option for the distance we're at

>>6345399
>>Toss grenades

>>6345399
>>Toss grenades
Got to quickly clear some space.

>>6345481
>>6345610
Give me a 1d100 this is an easier roll so you get multiple rolls

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>6345630

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>6345630

Rolled 33, 65, 2 = 100 (3d100)

>>6345651
>>6345679
Lol damn both unlucky and lucky at the same time explosives have terrible crit chance.
-----
Seeing the encroaching horde of cannibals...damn your trip must have really riled them up. Well that and all the tempting loot and freshmeat...come to think of it there isn't too great of a difference between them and muties but at least muties have the excuse of losing their humanity.

Still with such thoughts you open your bag full of grenades and started throwing. A mixture of tin, MFC, and a Molotov cocktails for area denial. The molotovs especially landed just right to deny them the advantage of numbers unless they were willing to dive through the flames and burning flesh of their fallen. The tin and MFC grenades on the other hand were the real killers. Taking advantage of the being so tightly clustered and the tight confines of the tunnels did enormous amounts of damage to them.

So much so the mutants were impressed and also remembered that they too had grenades. Which with their insane strength they were more than capable of lobbing very far. The chunky salsa effect was lovely and the cannibals couldn't even escape the blast radius even if they wanted to. With the molotovs burning away denying access and helping keep space cleared. For the mutants to charge up. The first mutants to arrive held their sweeper modified shotguns either belt fed or carrying large ammo boxes full of shells. Their automatic fire was devastating against the far more fragile cannibals. Reinforced by a few mutants carrying miniguns firing away too. On the walls and ceiling you could see the abominations flickering across closing in on the cannibals preparing to drop down right on top of them.

>>6345704
The combination of shotgun blasts, minigun lead storm, and sudden barrage of grenades into their ranks proved too much for the cannibals. As they proceeded to get overwhelmed. Especially once the abominations started dropping right on top of them or pulling up people directly to rip apart and feed. Spraying those down below in an endless rain of blood and gore. Coming right on top of them were gleeful mutants with automatic shotgun sweeping through their ranks taking advantage of the lead storm to push right up on top of them. If somehow a cannibal survived long enough to get their heads caved in or impaled upon the guns.

Previously you didn't get to see much of their combat effectiveness simply because whatever cannibal group you stumbled upon would get overwhelmed instantly but now that there is enough to allow for a proper fight the experience was eye opening. The cannibals simply weren't able to deal enough damage fast enough to slow down, disable, or kill the mutants. Despite the mutants crappy bulky armor being enough to holdout unlike against the robots which regularly broke their armor. Not to mention their unnatural toughness.

As a result it was clear that the cannibals were going to lose this fight and very badly at that. However things were not by any means going well when it came to fighting the robots. Taking advantage of the mutants getting flanked and having to reposition. They successfully broke through the mutant ranks with sentry bots leading. They were rapidly closing in your position. While many abominations were successfully burned and blown off the ceilings and walls. Leaving hills of burning giblets where many of them once climbed. The rest meanwhile were also getting pushed back. Hard. With the Gutsies incinerating everything in a steady, terrorizing wall of flame. With any mutant unable to escape, it perishes. There was no way to avoid it except for retreating.

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>6345712
With the assaultrons meanwhile having successfully broken past the melee mutants many of whom now fallen and penetrated into the gunner mutant ranks. However these mutants were more than capable of fighting in melee the problem was while doing that they couldn't keep shooting at the encroaching wall of robotics. Creating openings that were precisely exploited by the robots. While the Robobrains now hard to see through the wall of flames and smoke but you knew they were still shooting with pinpoint accuracy. Sniping away at key targets like mutants carrying missile launchers and the like.

At this point the robots were definitely winning right now and pushing back the mutants. If only the damned cannibals hadn't shown up to interfere...

What do?
>Run away
>Throw grenades at the robots
>Finish off the cannibals
>Grab a fallen missile launcher to fire
>Other?

>>6345715
>Finish off the cannibals

I'm tempted to pick up a rocket launcher, but we get a larger threat priority from the robots. Clearing out the cannibals will help our probable retreat and make less targets.

>>6345715
>Finish off the cannibals
>>6345735
support, I'm hoping like mad they won't target a human that hasn't attacked them.

>>6345735
>>6345747
roll a 1d100

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>6345774

>>6345715
>>Finish off the cannibals

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>6345774

Rolled 17, 85, 43 = 145 (3d100)

>>6345735
>>6345747
>>6345917
>>6345784
Now lets see here...

Rolled 17, 83 = 100 (2d100)

>>6346082
hm...

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>6345735
>>6345747
>>6345917
You decide to finish off the cannibals first. Truthfully they were already at the end of their rope. So you figure it wouldn't take much more to make them scatter. At least that is what should happen. However even after exhausting what remained of your explosives and moving into melee against them/away from the killing machines. The cannibals unexpectedly were actually holding. Apparently realizing if they hold out for long enough, keeping the mutants trapped, the robots will finish the job and they'll get to loot everything here. So instead they dug in. Even as the mutants kept on getting pushed back further and further realizing their only way out alive was by breaking through the cannibal ranks.

However against all odds the fucking cannibals held the line. Even as the killing machines crept closer and closer with the bullet storm, laser sniping, and wall of flames. You realized you in very deep shit. Not even Shaman's mind tricks were able to find a way through. Even worst the robots were now getting far too close. While they were still ignoring you so far the mutant casualties were getting high. Not even their supernatural toughness and regeneration was no longer able to keep up. More and more of them kept on dropping and didn't get back up.

That was when a sneaky eyebot finally showed up with a crackling and familiar voice on its radio.

"Well so much for this field test. Automated defenses activated and attacked test subjects. Results are...disappointing. My best stock and this still happened. We need to do a lot of improving," analyzes Many Heads.

"Any idea how the fuck we can get out of here alive?" You asked the eyebot.

"Due to such a rich amount of loot and captives a troop of reinforcements was sent in order to collect the loot and prisoners while reinforcing the warband to continue its rampage. However that has drawn to an early close with most poor results."

"We have reinforcements?"

"Yes but they ran into a pickle themselves. Apparently the automated systems broadcasted an alert and some military remnants bothered to respond. They ran into a detachment near your location. Probably cannot hear it, given the ruckus."

"You got to be fucking kidding me," you moan. At this point, the situation really couldn't get any worse.

"Now now don't be like that ;) the incoming reinforcements aren't from my rejected experimental subjects stock. They are proper mutant strains explicitly for combat from another facility. The fight did NOT go well for the military remnants. Now, if you can hold out long enough for them to arrive it's a different story."

"Our lines are already broken and the cannibals finally rediscovered their balls, successfully keeping us pinned down unable to escape. If a fucking miracle happens doesn't happen real fucking soon we ain't getting out of this alive."

"That is why I am contacting you. In this eyebots I kept something hidden for...insurance should the worst happen."

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>6346094
"In the back of the eyebot is a hidden compartment in its port. Inside are injectors for an...experimental and extremely potent substance I kept just in case. Find some still living abominations their condition doesn't matter and inject it into them then run like hell."

"...You sure it's gonna work?"

"It will provide a fitting distraction, the robots will likely be able to kill the things eventually, so you need to be quick."

"Why do I have terrible feeling about this..."

"To be fair it is a HIGHLY dangerous and experimental substance. Far too aggressive but in a worst case scenario it certainly causes a sufficient amount of chaos and damage. Just run very fast and far away."

Looking around the robots are rapidly closing in on the trapped mutants. Even as the mutants realize the danger and desperately try to fight their way through the cannibals who are somehow stubbornly hanging on despite their berserk and desperate attack to breakthrough their ranks. No mutant is unscathed and their healing is failing to keep up. Finally overwhelmed. So far the robots haven't attacked you yet but you don't know how long that is gonna last. While the cannibals definitely are gonna eat you...

What do?
>Fuck it inject the abominations
>Try to hide and play dead
>Look for an escape
>Try to breakthrough with the mutants
>Other?

>>6346101
>>Fuck it inject the abominations

>>6346101
>Fuck it inject the abominations

For Science!

Will be busy this weekend and on Friday. So next post will likely be on Monday.

Also roll 1d100.

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>6346286

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>6346286

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>6346286
GET REKT CANNIBALS

Rolled 63, 54, 52, 44 = 213 (4d100)

>>6346384
>>6346162
>>6346253
For SCIENCE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukU4-x8-XXI&list=RDukU4-x8-XXI&start_radio=1
----
You decide to follow Many Heads instructions as you admit to yourself to being VERY curious on how bad does it have to be if even that mad genius(es) Many Heads kept it as a last resort? So grabbing the eyebot and popping open the compartment you see a vial with a need a script on in capital letters saying WARNING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS UNSTABLE EXPERIMENTAL INJECTOR. You ignore the warning grab it and find a nearby toppled abomination that was still quivering to inject in it. After that you immediately ran like hell.

You heard the rips of flesh, snapping of bone, and a unspeakable howl coming from behind you as you fled. You noticed immediately the robots red gazes suddenly started flickering immediately before they abruptly focused ALL their fire upon the injected abomination behind them. Followed by a shrieking alarm emitting from them.


WARNING
ANOMALOUS ABOMINATION DETECTED
WARNING
ALERT
EVACUATE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY
ALERT
CODE BLACK
CODE BLACK
CODE BLACK
MESSAGE WILL BE REPEATED IN...

The muties realizing what happened were also suddenly screaming and cursing Many Heads as they abruptly stopped fighting and also began to flee in mass.

"RUN AWAY NOW," screams the sole surviving mutie boss among them. "FUCKING MANY HEADS SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT FUCKING ABOMINATION WOULD HAVE PLANNED DIRTY STUNT LIKE THIS."

Not even being trapped in certain doom managed to make them react like these. They never stopped fighting either but this...whatever you just did was enough to completely shatter their ranks as they collectively fled. Forgetting to even bother fighting back so desperate were they. The cannibals meanwhile were the only ones who didn't realize the danger they were in. Instead still trying to finish off the mutants and try to loot/eat.

It was only when you turned around to look that you finally realized what you had unleashed...

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>6346780
You couldn't even recognize the abomination you initially injected. Instead it was replaced by a cancerous tumor and tide of flesh that was growing impossibly fast. Absorbing anything organic it can find in reach to absorb into its mass. Despite the now concentrated fire of the robots it didn't stop. Even when the Gutsies redirected their flamers stopping the wall of flames to focus fire on them. Sure the flesh exploded, vaporized, and burnt at first...but it kept on growing faster than it was destroyed. Not only did it grow faster but it also became increasingly resistant to the damage it was being inflicted. You even saw boils emerge and explode right before a missile could hit causing it explode early and not nearly inflict as much damage as it should have. You saw holes open and spew mists dispersing to the heat and energy weapons. You saw plates of armor grow to block the gunfire. It was mutating and adapting so damned fast. With utterly impossible speed.

Worse you saw it begin to reach out to whatever was in range. Mutant or human to grab and devour. If they were lucky a mouth would eat them if not...they would disappear underneath the growing carpet of flesh. The mutants knew the dangers. They desperately grabbed whatever was in range as a shield to protect them from getting splattered by blown off giblets from it and blood. As well as throwing whatever they could find to distract whatever grasping tendrils or limbs that reached out to devour them. The cannibals didn't realize this until it was far too late. Some of them glot splattered by the gore and blood than immediately starting screaming and desperately cutting or slicing at themselves but they failed. It grew onto their hands. It grew rapidly all over them consuming them into a blob of pulsating flesh that attempted to feed on whatever was around them until getting reclaimed by the whole. The mutants meanwhile would sacrifice whatever got hit and throw it at the mass before grabbing another dead or unstable to stop them meat shield as they ran.

In desperation the sentry bots began to fire their limited stockpile of high explosives, plasma, and incendiary missiles. Desperately bombarding the growing anomalous abomination. While the rest of the robots began to overheat in their desperation as they proceeded to redline their entire systems to output as much damage as possible as quickly as possible, but it just wasn't enough. The sentry bots began to overheat, and one that was too close was grabbed by the mass and didn't even have a chance to self-destruct before it was absorbed. Than the abomination reached the ranks of the cannibals...that was when hell REALLY broke loose. As the chained up ones were smart enough to also try and flee putting some distance from it but the rest didn't do so in time.

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>6346787
The tide of flesh hit their ranks...and they simply vanished into its cancerous, tumorous tide of flesh. Screaming in untold horror and agony as they disappeared into its mass. Even a few unlucky mutants and abominations that weren't able to flee fast enough in time suffered the same fate. Finally realizing the danger the cannibals began to throw everything they had and try to retreat too. But turning their backs on it was a fatal mistake for too many of them.

The anomalous abomination was singlehandedly turning the tide even if it couldn't differentiate between friend or foe. You were...fascinated. The sheer implications of such miraculous biotechnology. The sheer possibilities were endless. Even as you joined the mutants in taking advantage of the distracted robots who having a crazed flesh tide tearing through their ranks. Their neat formation was no more. Providing a neat escape route. As they were even busy ignoring the mutants as they desperately tried to kill the anomalous abomination. Too bad looking at its greatness hurt your mind and stung your eyes...

>Perception check passed
>Intelligence check passed

Ahead you heard loud stomping boots approaching. Big as power armor but not metallic enough. Not orderly enough for robots and too large for humans..you realized it was mutants. Sure enough they came around taking advantage of the distracted robobrains and flanking them to destroy them. Further disorganizing the robots but very abruptly halting when they noticed the anomalous abomination. You noticed they had no abominations among them and no mutants from X13 either. They wore oversized combat armor sized for them and weird helmets with goggles.

"...Goddamn Many Heads, Shaman you alive? Fucking bait this fucker to the surface," suddenly bellowed out the one who had a decorated helmet that must have signified his rank.

...

"Shaman? Aw shit hard way it is then," the commander mutant grumbled.

"FUCK YOU I'M BUSY OVER HERE JUST USE SOME GODDAMN MININUKES YOU PRICK," finally answers a frazzled Shaman who had been backed into a corner by the growing mass of flesh with two familiar but now trembling humans.

"Why isn't it attacking us?" Asks the witch.

"We be psychic DUH our psi field...effects them weirdly," explains a worried Shaman. "Don't know how long before it decides to eat us tho."

"Anyway out?"

"I can climb but the flesh tide is growing too fast. Normally, I cloak and sneak away but sneaky don't work when your right on top of it..." grumbles Shaman. "Unlucky, this one became too unstable too fast."

"SELF DESTRUCT PROCEDURES INITIATED, ANONAMLY MUST BE CONTAINED," Suddenly bellows the robots as they proceed as one ot throw themselves at the anomalous abomination. Self destructing as miniaturized nuclear bombs except for the sentry bots whose explosions were BIG as their systems began to malfunction from redlining themselves to the point of self destruction and running out/low of ammo.

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>6346800
Meanwhile the mutant reinforcements also open fired. Wielding a mixture of big guns and explosives. Lasers. plasma, lead, missiles, grenades, and even the whistling of mininukes. All fell upon the anomalous abomination in an endless barrage as they also ignored the suicidal robots and panicking cannibals. Focusing all their firepower upon it.

Facing so much firepower and damage...finally proved too much for the anomalous abomination as its wailings hurt the mind and its growth not only halted but retracted. However its desperate suicidal counterattack successfully overwhelmed both the suicidal robots and panicking cannibals. With the mutants too far for it to target and requiring having to fight through the robots first. Yet somehow despite the chaos...the trio remained unaffected as you noticed a strange anomaly appeared in its behavior...it created a shield from its own remaining and ever depleting biomass to protect them.

"WHAT IMPOSSIBLE," shrieks a eyebot as you heard the crowd of Many Heads voices couldn't contain themselves and utter aloud in shock. "NO CEASE FIRE YOU FOOLS I NEED YOU CAPTURE IT ALIVE!"

"Gahhaha WE DON'T LISTEN TO YOU MANY HEADS YOU AIN'T OUR COMMANDER," laughs the mutants as they kept shooting.

"FUCK AT LEAST LEAVE ME A SAMPLE THIS IS PRICELESS, DAMN YOU! QUCK MY LOVELY APPRENTICE SECURE ME A SAMPLE!" Quickly orders the eyebot from Many Heads. You meanwhile shook your head madly as you saw it force itself into a small hill of flesh that just absorbed another overheated sentry bot...

"NNOOOOOO FUCK FUCK FUCK I SWEAR YOUR SCIENTISTS AND OFFICERS WILL HEAR FROM ME ABOUT THIS DAMN YOU ALL I SWEAR IF THERE ISN'T A SAMPLE FOR ME TO COLLECT AFTER THIS..." The eyebot began to babble and moan a series of increasingly indecipherable and crazed threats and curses.

Eventually the hill of flesh was contained and surrounded by the mutants as they kept shooting. They at least had the courtesy to give the three a way out as they eventually fled away from the shield while the coast was finally clear. With both bewildered and confused Shaman and Witch watch as mutants with flamers and heavy incinerators approached and burned all that was left to ashes ignoring the desperate but maddened shrieks from the eyebot.

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>6346806
The eyebot abruptly halted and zipped over the trio as its scanner emerged and carefully recorded everything about them. You decided to follow as you were also curious about what happened.

"DETAILS SHAMAN NOW!" poorly whispered the eyebot.

"Ask witch it reacted to her most," shrugged off the Shaman.

"WELL?" The eyebot ask turning towards her.

"It...spoke. Plead. Begged...but nobody could hear it. It was crazy at first...but grew weaker and weaker. So I...I talked to it."

"You TALKED to it?" Inquired the eyebot before turning to Shaman.

"Shaman you good with voices why you not speak?"

"Witch is much better at this sorta stuff than me," defends Shaman. "Yeah I can hear good and be sneaky with some mind blasting but...I don't have those kind of talents. She does. She hears. She speaks. They listen."

"...Well that is...interesting, now girl I detected you pulled a sneaky move...but why isn't it...attacking you?"

She shrinks in alarm at realizing she was found out before...revealing what she had hidden inside her sleeve and there you saw a familiar tumorous mass that despite contacting her flesh wasn't attempting to devour her.

"Well I'll be damned," admits Many Heads through the Eyebot.

"...It listened to me when it was finally weak enough," she confesses.

"So you secured me a sample? My girl you just won yourself a BIG prize upon your return. I knew the psy field as some effect but to think it could have such effects...hm need to do a LOT more work on the psychic mutations I see."

>Roll 1d100 for loot first taker only

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>6346810

>>6346810
This was some kind of shit. Wow QM.
I knew this was some kind of body horror, but remaking the [REDACTED] train station gestalt was not what I was expecting.

>>6346835
Luckily, volume makes up for all the shit that got wrecked from chaos.

>>6346838
That is why you do not fuck with anomalies...shit gets unspeakably crazy dangerous really fast.

-----
The mutants you noticed scattered to chase down the would be escapee cannibals. Those too wounded simply decided to help sort through the loot. Even if most of it was scrap now at best. As for the captives...if they couldn't move they were eaten. Roasted with flamethrowers and the mutants feasted. As you dug through the loot you realized that most of the loot was going to be manflesh as not many cannibals were able to outrun the mutants and most of the survivors were swiftly rounded up and dragged back in chains.

Most of the loot was now scrap. But you were shocked to find that underneath the ashes were two shockingly intact sentry bots. Albeit with their reactors mysteriously gone and one was badly damaged. The robobrains were at least in better condition...enough to be salvaged for scrap as at least they hadn't the chance to meltdown and explode. The rest of the bots unless they got ripped apart too quickly by the abomination, were smoldering radioactive piles of slag. Most scrap but you might be able to salvage a few parts from them.

The mutant gear unsurprisingly survived a lot more intact. Albeit the mutants had to rip off and replace all the broken excessive armor plates, stabby bits, and spikes they liked on it to reveal remarkably intact weaponry or armor hidden underneath it all. Previously you thought it was far too excessive but the fact that they still fired despite everything...made you realize you had severely underestimated the ingenuity of mutant design. The cannibal gear was a lot worse off. You found crushed mounds of what was once crude armor and weaponry. The smaller bits survived better if they weren't hit by the explosives, flames, or energy weapons. Suffice it to say not much. Most of what was 'recoverable' was broken but could be repaired. Especially if you sacrificed broken weaponry for parts to repair others with.

The mutants obviously weren't interested but honestly fixing it all would be an utter time consuming bitch. At least the stuff the slaves were carrying(those that survived anyway). Were in much better condition despite how damaged a lot of it was. Plus you were seriously considering how you were gonna salvage the sentry bots when you noticed that some of the weapons the mutant reinforcements brought required fusion cores...

>Intelligence check passed

Fusion cores you could rig to power up the sentry bots again. Only issue is reprogramming...than you notice the hovering eyebot following the witch around. Many Heads should know programming right? With how many heads he has a few have to know how right? So you ask Many Heads.

>>6346846
"Reprogramming those sentry bots? Doable. Mutants owe you for helping with the fresh meat and believe in sharing. So they'll provide the fusion cores. Use your pipboy to help me connect to them. Wouldn't be my first time reprogramming some automated defensive robotics. Usually the ones they bring back are wrecked assuming they even bother. However one of them appears to be out of ammo and the other is running low. While their armor plating also needs work and one of them needs entirely new limbs among other parts," Many Heads explained with a practice eye using the scanner to analyze the damage.

You use your pipboy at a hidden port Many Heads somehow knew about to plug it in and Many Heads uses it to gain access through the Eyebot. Your pipboy screen gets overtaken by long lines of programming that makes your head spin. You have to turn down the offers of roasted human or mutant flesh they made to you. Honestly, the smell... you're getting disturbingly used to it. Maybe it was the cannibals from all this time or the mutants simply finished the job. The smell of roasted mutant is new though and somehow even more sickening.

The witch meanwhile also turned out the offers and after helping patch up her seriously wounded(again) berserker amazon friend adding an entirely new collection of scars. Went around patching up the other mutants too. Shaman meanwhile was busy arguing with the new mutant boss who showed up about how they were going to split the fresh meat. They were still miffed about getting ripped off by Many Heads last time and even MORE pissed with the whole anomalous abomination 'failsafe' that nobody knew how it happened...good thing everyone was distracted when you did that.

You did notice even the new mutants were now scared and in awe of the Witch due to what she did to the anomalous abomination. Used to be just the x13 who were so wary of her...but word is definitely gonna spread after this among the Pits big time. Hell you even heard them talking about you as a 'good humie' and admiring how 'mutant-like' the amazon was but saddened by her continued humanity. They even asked her about also becoming a mutant too. Your pretty sure being a 'good umie' isn't an actual compliment...

"Now after we drop off your loot I expect your return with the convoy. With all these test subjects we can cover LOTS of learning material. My I think I even have enough to introduce the mutation process on the human body! Fantastic. I thought I was gonna have to delay that lesson too! As for the Sentry Bots...consider them a gift from your teacher. You will need them to stay alive down here but you have won over the mutants so I don't expect the smarter ones to trouble you much from now on. Still got to watch out for the dumb and animalistic ones. Abominations too, they tend to be...unpredictable."

"So the Pits are still unsafe?"

"They are that way for the locals too but now the smart ones shouldn't bother you anymore."

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>6346852
"You wouldn't happen to have any spare parts for them at your place would you?"

"I wish as robots know how to follow orders properly...unlike those damned mutants. I'm afraid our installation only had enough for security and maintenance but most of it got wrecked during the breakout. Otherwise, I wouldn't be stuck trying to remind these lugheads to bring back replacements and parts somehow hold back on completely wrecking the damned things."

"No deal uh?"

"Our robotic maintenance hub isn't much better than yours. Just more security focused, I'm afraid. Don't even get me started on our parts situation or operational robotics. Otherwise, I wouldn't be limited to deploying eyebots."

>Trade discovered robotics shortage Facility X13

"So what does it mean that they like me now anyway?" You ask Many Heads only for Shaman to answer instead.

"Not much besides them not catching or killing you. However you can join in on raids and if some are nearby maybe even call in backup especially if a good fight awaits or fresh meat. Besides that you can also enter our bases without too much trouble. Humies though...they definitely won't be too happy with you," explains and warns the mighty Shaman.

"Backup?"

"Oh right your not witch. Calling in backup is tricky for you...mutants not too fond of fragile radios. Ah wait a second," Shamans calls over a mutant in combat armor and wearing a helmet.

"Share radio frequency you use?"

"Eh normal radios can't..oh pipboy yeah that should work," begins the mutant scratching its head before pausing after noticing your pipboy. He than tells you a frequency to a secret encrypted channel and the password to access it. "Password is temporary you gonna need to show up at our place so we can give you your own. Won't a problem the eggheads already likes you. Those guys are picky."

What do?
>Head to site X13
>Insist on staying home
>Go the new site for ID
>Ask the Witch about the...new pet? she has
>Other?

>>6346855
>Reputation with Pit Mutants: Friendly
>Reputation with REDACTED Automated Security: Suspicious
>Reputation with Cannibals: Slaver

>>6346855
>>Head to site X13

Let's learn from many heads.

>>6346856
>Reputation with Pit Mutants: Friendly
>Reputation with REDACTED Automated Security: Suspicious
>Reputation with Cannibals: Slaver

Better a Slaver than fresh meat, I'm OK with this.

>>6346855
>Head to site X13
Help with returning loot

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>6347073
>>6347026
Forgot to mention
> -Karma Lost

Loot is a small pile of low condition but usable small guns and cannibal armor with a collection of chems and a little bit of dirty water. You also have two piles of scrap metal(former armor and weaponry ripped to useless shreds mostly not even Jury Rigger perk can fix or use that shit). 1 Small pile of advanced robotic parts and high tech scrap. One Good Condition Sentry Bot MK 3 Siege(with damaged armor plating and low ammo). One bad condition crippled Sentry Bot MK 3(out of ammo, needing a new arm and leg on top of heavy repairs). Both have had their mini fission reactors missing but are currently running on backup power system via Fusion Cores.
----
You decide to head back with the muties after dropping off your shit on the way. The muties were cool with making a quick pit stop for you and left the sentry bots behind on account of their condition and not wanting to use up the backup fusion cores. Those are pricy. Heading back was very quiet. You didn't even run into any cannibals this time. Apparently word is spreading about how dangerous near the Pits are now if you had to guess. Best you found were a few feral ghoul packs roaming around trying to find their way to the surface no doubt. They unsurprisingly got instantly wiped by the muties.

Heading back into the Pits despite the fact that you weren't gone for very long...you noticed the growth and spread of the strange undergrowths appearing here. What it's surviving on you have no idea to be frank and its disturbing to say the least. Especially how...bizarre they are. Your pretty sure flowers aren't supposed to scream or bite and how 'Trees' full of eyes instead of leaves. Generally making it very clear and obvious just how 'wrong' this whole place is. Not enough to get your head hurting like that anomalous abomination was capable of but you couldn't help but feel a bit of buzzing in your head and grateful for your suit and gas mask. Although at this rate a biohazard rated one would definitely be nice to have...god knows what the fuck is in the air around here.

X13 is where you parted ways with the clear standardized and well equipped mutants. Along with the few survivors from Site X13. There they split up the loot. A larger part of the captives were taken away by the other mutants on account of saving your asses and compensation due to Many Heads experimental shenanigans. There was still a LOT of people left over and they were dragged inside kicking, screaming, weeping, and begging. Knowing instinctively on some level that if once they entered that hole...they ain't coming back out.

You ignore them on some part of you filled with a sense of schadenfreude and pleasure that their future torment will be suitable compensation for the atrocities they committed. Completely ignoring the knowledge of what Many Heads next lesson for you is.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>6347360
Eventually you go inside along with them after Witch's new 'pet' gets thrown into a strange container crackling with an energy field that was taken away. While Witch and Amazon as the muties call them decided to visit this 'Caretaker' for medical treatment. For some reason fearing Many Heads...'medical assistance' offers. Strange its not like his expertise is lacking. You meanwhile go see Many Heads. The fattest abomination you have ever seen yet. With far too many heads, limbs, and tendrils hanging on the ceiling as a hill of pulsating flesh. You note that this time part of many heads attention was diverted to an experiment and testing it was conducting on the sample the Witch brought back. Another set of heads and limbs were 'upgrading' some unlucky mutants and abominations. While the rest were preparing an all too familiar surgical theatre for live vivisections.

"Ah my lovely student has returned at long last! Lucky with plentiful number of test subjects we may even have a chance to learn about the additional field of biological augmentation with human bodies. Much more predictable and easier to learn. With this batch I should be able to cultivate some reinforcements and with the cast offs another lesson of Vivisection except this time with mutants and abominations particularly the failures but that is for next time." Elaborates Many Heads explaining what your lesson will entail. "For now we shall start with live human vivisection. Once you have acquired sufficient understanding I'll get to show you what this facility originally specialized in."

"What was that?"

"Biological Augmentations. Most would claim that would be genemods or biomods but no no no...we were FAR more advanced here. Bleeding edge in fact. Originally we were investigating the potential usage of and cultivating Symbiotic organisms. Not just the lousy mutagnes have you seen floating around here. Oh no...but of course the bombs fell and we were 'lucky' enough to be selected for the new experimental study of utilizing anomalous materials particularly those of biologically suspected nature. Oh boy did THAT ever backfire. Not even the bombs could take this place down...but that stuff certainly finished the job," muttered Many Heads.

"Now shall we begin?" Finally finishes Many Heads have injecting the paralytics to reduce movement and handing you the surgical tools. With cannibals already strapped down and ready for your 'lesson'.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>6347364
Vivisecting humans as it turned out is much harder than ghouls. At least with ghouls some radiation will make them heal right up so it was honestly quite hard to kill them even if you did butcher them alive so long as you kept the rads high enough. Many times mistakes that would be fine on ghouls would kill the humans on the table with Many Heads nonchalantly allowing a mutant 'assistant' pull them off the table and drag the corpse to the kitchens for their next meal. With Many Heads explaining what you did wrong and how to do better. Eventually it became a game. How much can you cut them up and keep them alive at the same time? Eventually Many Heads even allowed you to use life support machinery to really bring it to the next level. As you extracted and put back in organs until finally the human test subject being vivisected could no longer handle it and expired. Then the next person would be placed on the table with the blood still dripping and the organs piled right there to be joined by a fresh batch.

Eventually Many Heads was satisfied with your progress and gave you a 'new' challenge. This time you had to surgically remove explit parts of the body including entire organ systems and limbs. You weren't sure why but you did as instructed and then something was delivered in carefully sealed containers. You swear some of them were moving as if something was trapped inside...and you couldn't even hear weird noises coming from them.

>Perception check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check passed
>Intelligence check failed

"Uh...many heads what is that?" You couldn't help but ask your teacher.

"That my dear student is the next part of our lessons. Biological augmentation. Now we replace what was removed with something superior and than try to keep the test subject alive. Admittedly my stocks of normal augments are...low ever since THAT happened but this will provide a great learning experience for you. Like what happens when you attempt to graft mutated biomods on a human. A VERY educational it will be. Oh yesss. Very."

Even Many Heads was careful about opening them one at a time and made you insert them yourself. This time however he showed you personally how to do it and even some hands on lessons before watching and correcting you. Unsurprisingly, most of the test subjects weren't able to...handle their new biomods and even those that DID survive the procedure were...abnormal. Still technically alive but ill and...possibly 'mutating'. You began to realize where at least some of the mutants came from within X13.

>>6347365
Some of the biomods looked strange, some moved on their own as if they had a will of their own, and finally, the containers that were carefully sealed and even locked up with chains around them. This time Many Heads didn't allow you to continue instead insisting on you watching only. Preferably behind a solid reinforced barrier. As he shooed you away in a heavily fortified position overlooking the theatre to watch.

Site X13 Theme Song Related: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1--e7SYTJEI&list=RD1--e7SYTJEI&start_radio=1

When Many Head finally opened one of the containers you saw a blur of...something RUSHED out and tried to attack Many Heads. Only to be easily caught by them and despite its struggles and attempting to fight back with its maw full of circular fangs and tendrils. It even had many legs sharp that also tried...but its resistance was futile before Many Heads sheer bulk as it forcefully inserted it into his newest patien-test subject and quickly sewed, glued, and sliced it into place as if it were an implant. Instead of some...clearly foreign alien organism that you don't recognize whatsoever. This one looked like some kind of strongly wormy centipede with far too long legs, face tendrils, and claws/teeth. After he finished the grabbed the patient and threw them into a tube resting nearby that was quickly taken away by some mutant workers with great haste deeper into the facility...

"This my apprentice is stage 1. After I finish this first batch I'll show you the Stage 2." He quickly explained before pulling out something different this time it was a pulsating mass that looked like a tumorous brain with tendrils dangling under it. It attempted to escape and even unleashed a psi blast that you could feel despite the barriers but its resistance was also futile as he also forcefully implanted it into his next test subject before moving on once more. This time it looked like a large mass of wriggling worms with eyes and fangs. Some were different. Some were the same. Eventually he ran out and wrapped it up. This time guiding you deeper into the facility as he climbed along the ceiling.

"These are symbionts unique to this facility after...contamination of an anomaly or anomalies maybe. Never did figure out what exactly happened. Anyway now that they have been implanted into their hosts we shall begin Stage 2."

"Stage 2?"

"Yes. Now that they have been implanted we must...encourage and accelerate the growth and fusion. Especially before the symbiont consumes its host out of lack of nutrients to facilitate proper fusion or otherwise goes insane. I'm still working out the kinks of this specifically but it has truly immense potential." Many Heads insist as you brought to an entirely different and new wing of the facility. This place was stacked with rows on top of rows of pods and tubes pumping something into and out of the pods.

>>6347367
"This used to be MUCH easier back before our cloning equipment got ruined and we lost contact with a cloning facility. Standardization of clones used to make this stage of research SO much easier. Oh well accelerated and rush research it is given the ongoing war and all. Desperate times do call for desperate measures after all. Now watch carefully."

Monitors suddenly fell down from above with monitoring equipment. "Now we shall see how successful this batch will be. Some will fail and perish with the symbiont may or may not survive and be reusable. Some will succeed but be uncontrollable going into a mad frenzy. Some will succeed while stable are flawed. The rest will succeed and be usable."

"How high is the failure rate?"

"Highest of all our available augmentations outside of the anomalous variety but the results are drastic if successful. Minimal strain on the host in fact its entirely possible that their threshold for how much augmentations they can withstand will INCREASE and not decrease afterwards."

"Impossible even the lightest of genemods carries strain that reduces the total remaining capacity. No way it can be improved upo-wait Symbionts?" You suddenly getting halting your speech to a cackling Many Heads.

"That is the BRILLIANCE of symbionts yes. Due to being a symbiotic organism, there is no strain on the host; to the contrary, the host directly benefits from the bond."

"Whats the catch?"

"Contaminated by an anomaly and Rads they mutated. Seemingly becoming parasitic and even infectious. At times I even wonder if they somehow became...intelligent."

"WHAT?"

"You should see what happens when the 'failures' gather together. They even attract each other and seem to prefer humans over mutants as prey. I'm still doing experiments on them. Already got a request from a bioweapons facility for samples, as they want to run their own tests and experiments. Shamans says he 'hears' something from their symbiont hive after all."

"...Than the other abominations or mutants?"

"Not my only source and from different methods. After all, mutated biomods have such an endless supply of wonders to experience and toy around with. They however unlike the symbionts...put a load on the body. Often one much more than 'normal' biomods sadly. Its often why I end up with so many damned abominations. Every time I think I can find a stable threshold I always get proven wrong. I swear the load actively varies at random times. Its deeply frustrating."

"So the Abominations here..."

"They surpassed the limits of their threshold and ended up like that for most of them. The rest are...unfortunate experimental results. Not the only way to produce abominations but that is how we make them here."

"So all the mutants and abominations here...were formerly human?"

"Some. Humans are hard to find these days. Especially those still uncontaminated. I have to make do with my compromised and mutated cloning equipment and that...has severe side effects."

>>6347371
What I would give for a new set...and preferably with clean gene templates. Oh, who I would kill for some clean gene templates again..."

Watching the monitors, you could see people screaming in agony endlessly. A lucky few fell into a coma. Most weren't lucky. Some exploded, some were eaten alive form the inside out, and the rest just...dissolved. Others changed and lost their minds trying to bash out of the pods, but couldn't. Some changed and eventually calmed down. Some of the changes were good, and some were bad. Some of the changes you could clearly recognize as the symbionts themselves or part of them. For awhile it appeared fine. The pods worked to contain them as they were pumped with strange fluids. After the changes stabilized the pods depending on the results were taken elsewhere in different directions and thus destinations.

That was when something went wrong. In not just one container but two. One person mutations went out of control and swelled into completely encasing the pod and blinding the monitor. Another one...appeared normal. TOO normal. As in perfectly normal human.

"Oh what's this...two unusual variations? Oh my must be my lucky day. How unusual. One...such stability. I have only seen it in one other. Hopefully the other isn't just another abomination. I have way too many of those and boy are they useless 99% of the time. Well I guess I'm gonna have to call in security just in case," mutters Many Heads as he pushes a button and sounds an alarm. Coming in was an entire troop of mutants you hadn't seen before. Half them were using scavenged human weaponry and power armor pieces strapped over them. The other half on the other hand were covered in organic plates and pulsating flesh. Even their 'weapons' were organic some clearly a part of their very bodies. As they swiftly surrounded the problematic pod.

"What is the 3d stage?" You suddenly asked Many Heads.

"Evaluation period. 4 is the corrective procedures. 5th is testing."

"...any safety to use on humans?" You asked him.

"I managed to salvage a small stockpile of normal augments. Many of which were experimental the rest were a control group for research. Nowadays I don't bother with normal stuff anymore. Too weak and frankly much of the equipment has been compromised. Hard to do without clean source of gene templates and organic printing or growths. I wouldn't recommend it though. I have stock of REALLY good stuff and your body and mind should be tough enough to handle the strain."

"...I would rather not lose my humanity just yet," you inform him.

"Hm horny perhaps? Not all of them turn you sexless. Besides I don't even have a good strain that would be fitting for you. A random mutation would be an utter waste of such potential. Far too random. Give me time to...inquire on something suitable. Your body is so strong and brain intelligent. Most stable strains are made to explicitly specialize. Tough to find something with cross disciplines or a generalist."

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>6347385
"Wait there are...refined mutant strains?"

"Of course you saw some just recently. Those were part of a soldier program. After all why bother with normal soldiers when you can have some super mutants handle it hm? Much cheaper than power armor too."

"Right their equipment...why was it so good?"

"They were given an armory with fabrication capabilities in order to properly test equipment requirements along with the mutant strains that were being developed. Much more dangerous than our facility I'll admit after all we only specialized in Augmentations even after we were granted access to anomalous research materials to experiment with. Those guys were a very different story."

"...How long has stable mutant strains been a thing?"

"Years before the bombs fell. They were already gradually rolling out bioweapons to field and testing it out with them. The plans for new super soldier programs were meant to begin experimental field testing shortly. Of course not all the stabilized or refined strains were suitable. Many failures among them. A lot of which broke loose nowadays or will soon enough. Not to mention new wild strains appearing thanks to all the radiation, anomalies, and contamination."

"Hm...looks like its gonna break out, best we move out. Don't want to get in the way and looks like this one will be a big one," suddenly Warns Many Heads as it moves out of the monitoring station and back down a hallway pulling you along as the bulkheads roll down sealing the way behind you.

What do?
>Insist on seeing the action
>See what happened to the other two
>Get a symbiont implanted in you
>Choose from biomod catalog(choose mutant or stable and SPECIAL stat or other effect)
>Other?

>>6347395
>"looks like this one will be a big one"
When the guy with all the heads says that, you know it's a big deal.

>Choose from biomod catalog(choose mutant or stable and SPECIAL stat or other effect)
Curiosity, cats, etc etc - I want to know what they got.

>>6347426
Clean mods
Cat Mods: Cat Reflex, Cat's Paw stealth, Cat's Eyes,
Curiosity: Inquisitor Eyes(reduces difficulty of certain perception and search checks), Muse's Blessings(boost's odds of inspiration)

Mutation
Cat Mods: Catlike X RESTRICTED(note to self DO NOT mess with commercial fetish mods goddamn furry freaks), Cat Beast Infiltrator(another bestial stealth mod okay for basics but needs a LOT more work for advanced stealth I heard some interesting stuff about chameolon related research maybe a hybrid form would work better put that on a note), Cat Beast Combat(deadly and graceful not to self still gotta work out how fucking pyschotic and murder happy they keep coming out as), Cat's Grace(reflexes, agility, and perception in need model I'm proud of myself for this squeezing so much performance into a single mod now if only they weren't so fucking lazy and disobedient goddamn bestial side effects this is why short cuts are shit)

Curiosity: Bottled Genius(who says you can't shove brilliance into a single neat little package? I mean sure it doesn't help with your sanity but a price must be paid for any form of genius besides most of them are crazy anyhow who will ever notice), Eldritch Muse(guarantee inspirational state in exchange for temporary bout of insanity I'm so proud and its so good I even use this one myself...okay maybe shouldn't have tested this on myself but damn it if its not effective besides its not like I do no-) Many Eyes Many Gazes(note to self reconsider applying multiple perceptory functions into a single organ, very effective arguably too much so too many mental breaks but is it due to data overload or maybe noticing something they shouldn't have? Needs further investigation), I SEE YOU(REDACTED)

>>6347395
>Choose from biomod catalog(choose mutant or stable and SPECIAL stat or other effect) Stable
Any bull mods minitour feel. As we are in a concrete labyrinth. Or maybe an organ that purges out radiation.

File: know more.gif (867 KB, 640x360)

867 KB GIF

>>6347434
I SEE YOU(REDACTED)
picrel

I'm really tempted by the clean mods, but somehow I suspect Cat Reflex will have us jumping at shadows, Cat's Paw gives our feet actual paws and Cat's Eyes give a slit pupil and glow in the dark or something.
Are there side-effects of Inquisitor Eyes or Muse's Blessing?

>>6347497
Radiation or lymph node upgrade would be cool to collect and spit out toxins, especially if the growths keep going they way they are in X13

>>6347497
>>6347627
Bull Mods

Clean: Bull's Strength, Bull Headed, Grass stomach,

Radiation Purge: Rad X Gland, Rad Away Lymph Enhancer EXPI, Rad Cleanse Kidney

Mutation:
Bull mods: Minos Mind(why did I think it was a great idea to use bovine instincts over rats or mice for labyrinth testing), Minotaur X RESTRICTED(I hate furries), Red Rage(note to self do NOT keep anything red in the room and preferably clean up all the bloodstains or change its color very effective though), Bully Skull(great for headbutting and resisting injuries to the skull but inhibits brain growth last thing I need is mutants that are even dumber than usual)

Radiation Purge: Rad Rage(to think its possible to use radiation to supercharge the body...now if only I could find a way to do so without driving them crazy, I need to dissect and study more ghouls for inspiration), Rad Out(use radiation cleanser to enhance regeneration, knew the ghoul mutation would be good for something), Rad Bioreactor(what happens if you figure out how to turn radiation into a fuel source for the body? Drastically reduced appetite and calorie intake requirements but a strange craving for radiation, ghouls really are something else...now if only I could figure out how to improve this design and link it to other biomods design holds so much untapped potential). ATOM'S GIFT(REDACTED)

clean mods do not hold any side effects but will take up an implant slot=Endurance.

I SEE YOU
REDACTED SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED...lab assistant of Doctor Many Heads confirmed. Granting limited access to REDACTED RECORDS.

Anomalous Augmentation: Derived from anomaly Evil Eye, Gorgon's Gaze, and All Seeing Eye samples. First successful augmentation of perceptory augments via vision. Highly dangerous and unstable but usable. Ignore perception penalties including stealth fields, improved field of vision, and potential foresight. Side effects include insanity, hallucinations, the feeling of always being watched and REDACTED.
Ability to see what should remain unseen, hallucinations may in fact be real, being forced to see more than the brain can safely process or perceive, and the feeling of being watched that I'm pretty is VERY real based on Shaman's input among other psychics. However the ability to perceive things that normally only psychics can, on top of full vision that can ignore any interference? Was still deemed 'successful' by superiors. Pretty sure the sickos just want to better understand what they accidentally unleashed and improve anomaly research capability/retrieval. Not by any means ready for field testing but they insist...best results so far come from psychics, but its effects on them are noticeably dampened and they hold greater resistance. Those it will help most on the other hand can least withstand it. One needs a VERY strong mind to withstand what will be revealed to you and control is distinctly...lacking I strongly suspect external unknown origin interference.)

>>6347426
>>6347497
You can also go for basic mods. Like plus to SPECIAL built in armor, health regen ect. All kinds of stuff really and this shit is the REALLY good top of the line shit. Even the 'standard' versions were at the absolute PEAK of performance Prewar and post war had a chance to be upgraded(Many Heads is equivalent to an entire team of scientists with multidisciplines that are a hivemind with occasional bouts of insanity and inspiration).

The mutation and Anomalous variety are even MOAR extreme in performance albeit cost a lot more in capacity and may come with...side effects.

So far you want an augment now what do you want exactly?

Seems like some kind of radiation resistance one?

>>6347395
>>See what happened to the other two

>>6347804
Radiation resistance and radiation purge specifically. Rad Cleanse Kidney should do it. It should give our MC Bob more options such as travelling the surface more.

Charisma is lacking, so I'm also interested in something that can boost speech skills somehow, like [Silver Tongue], maybe it mechanically works like RNG for additional enhanced or subtracting effect during negotiations. Or a SPECIAL equivalent?

>>6347799
>>6347395
Voting for ATOM'S GIFT(REDACTED)

>>6347799
ATOM'S GIFT(REDACTED)

Mystery Gift. It might help with going up onto the surface. Where high grade loot could be.

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>6348155
>>6348241
ATOM'S GIFT(if you had high charisma I would you could have been the first Prophet of Atom lol)

After going over the totally not suspicious corrupted wording you select Atom's Blessing from the terminal. As a tendril holding a syringe dropped from above to inject you and you fall unconscious.

>ATOM'S BLESSING
derived from a wide multitude of Radiation related anomalous samples that were largely organic in nature. Full potential yet unknown as test subjects had a bad habit of losing their minds and becoming ghouls. It is noted however that in ghoulish physiology is massively enhances their mutations and those who lost their minds keep ranting about Atom as if it were some god clearly insane.
Many Heads Notes
I'll admit even I don't know how I made this implant. It was only thanks to my recordings that I was able to reverse engineer the process of its manufacture but it requires a truly vast amount of anamolous materials not just those of organic nature, and all with EXTREMELY high RADs. It happened when I went a little crazy after I got inspired from working on some ghouls as test subjects. Testing has indicated it holds an IMMENSE amount of energy and not only that it will also absorb any radiation around it. Injecting it into the organ and enhancing its effects. So far I haven't found a human test subject that could withstand it. While ghouls had the best odds of survival now, if only I could keep one sane enough for some proper answers. All responses I have acquired were completely illogical. Radiation has a blessing? Splitting of the atom into infinite worlds including those who got vaporized as the greatest 'blessing' possible? RADs are a gift from Atom? Atom is a god? Absolute lunatics. In mutants they become radioactive and have an innate bioreactor with how much energy it puts off. Interesting applications for some...larger and deadlier specimens. However the impact it has on ghouls is notably much more powerful. If you think a glowing roasted ghoul was superhuman you just see the results of a ghoul implanted with Atom's Blessing. It makes even the deadliest ghous look like a normal man vs a bonafide superhuman. Now if only I could get some stable results from implanting into a human...

You found yourself dreaming. Over and over nightmares. You saw the bombs fall. You got vaporized. All in different places, different people, and different distances from the bomb. Some it fell right on top of you and the last thing you saw a blinding flash of light. Other times...you suffered. You realized death by vaporization was a true merciful way to die. Dying slowly from radiation was awful. Even worse when you 'changed' into a feral beast attacking and killing until put down like an animal.

>>6348257
You could swear you heard something...laughing. Reaching through the veil of reality as the so much detonations, energy, death, destruction, suffering, and radiation made it possible for THEM to reach into your own home. Your reality. Your world. Your dimension.

Suddenly you saw those 'blessed by atom'. Despite being human, they were completely immune to radiation. You saw a preacher among them ranting about Atom and the heretics who refuse his gifts and deny his greatness. You realized you were one of them now. As a beautiful heart of glowing radiance descended from the skies and was implanted directly into your heart.

You saw countless universes form and die. You saw the atom split and the release of radiation from the atomic level. You saw how radiation killed, healed, and even 'improved' upon life itself. You saw what fueled mutation. You saw...ATOM. Granting his blessings to your world...and you saw glimpses of THEM also reaching into your world. You saw how their influences clashed and vied against each other.

>Intelligence Check passed
>Endurance Check passed
>Ghoulish Perk????

Then you awoke.

In a clean hospital room. Perfectly normal. Too normal in fact. You looked around, and noticed a massive gruesome wound on your chest where your ribs were cracked open...and something was implanted in there.

>You have leveled up twice!
>Gained 30 Skill Points.
>Gained 2 Perk or SPECIAL points.

You could feel...immense amount of power churning in your chest. So much so it put immense strain on the rest of your body. Even stranger was how it CRAVED The GLOW. The prospect of radiation...no longer made you feel fear. Instead you felt HUNGER for it.

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>6348265
What do?
>Go back to sleep
>Need...radiation
>See where you are
>Press the call button
>Other?

>>6348280
+12 Explosives
+18 Unarmed

Demolition Expert
Lady Killer

Lady Killer will help our Charm problem with the Ladies and Demo for more fireworks.

>Need...radiation

Right forgot to ask

I need a 1d100 to determine how much sanity damage you took from getting implanted with Atom's Blessing. Thanks to passing both checks you get 2 rolls.

Also you may want to do some stuff to restore sanity loss soon. Health loss can be recovered via healing items and rest but sanity loss is a lot more annoying. An easy means of treatment booze for example is addictive. You have taken a good amount of sanity damage especially with the shenanigans with the anomalous abomination.

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>6348324

Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>6348298
Support

We used a lot of nades maybe we can start pumping some points into science in the next levels.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>6348327
Lucky you didn't take much sanity damage.

>>6348298
>>6348333
Demolition Expert(MOAR damage)
Lady Killer(finally anons remember how GG happens)

Unarmed 56
Explosives 50

Mad Bomber would be best for making more explosives btw. You DO unlock additional recipes with higher skills and explosive related perks, with certain exceptions.

----
You...feel the call. The urge. You NEED radiation. The glorious RADS. To embrace the blessing of Atom! So you get up and follow your newfound instincts. Numbly walking down hallways and going through doors. Deeper and deeper into the facility. Ignoring the strange effigies, wards, and barricades. Ignoring the signs and warnings of radiation. Through the decontamination arches and bulkheads. You can feel it. Closer...and closer. A large potent source of radiation.

"What the hell is some human doing down in nothing but a fucking patient gown," mutters a ghoul wearing a utility uniform with a toolbox.

"How have the rads not killed him yet? Are you kidding me?" Mutters another ghoul.

"Oh shit he's heading straight for that infested reactor!"

Too late to stop you as you ignored the warning signs of a sealed door with fresh burn marks and smell of burnt flesh. You go through noticing a carpet of strange pulsating flesh that you walk across. Ignoring the flickering lights, strange scittering, odd whispering voices, but you ignore it all. Until finally you entered a room that with a pulsating mass of flesh in the center. Reactor and radiation shielding torn apart and thrown to the far ends of the chamber. Ignoring the slumbering ghouls hibernating throughout the room. Walking straight up to the infested reactor where a crack and throne was with a gigantic glowing mutated ghoul resting there. It woke up as you approached. Its crazed glare watching you as you felt a familiar hum coming from the monstrous ghoul...and noticing a pulsation echoing from its chest.

"...A human? Blessed by Atom?" It gratingly echoed in a hoarse voice.

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>6348378
As it stood up you realized there was a glowing pulsating tendril connected directly to the ghoul's back. Its flesh and skin was thick and hardened into practical plates of armor yet decayed...and within it thrummed with infinite power. Its veins glowed as did its mouth and eyes. Massive claws and a distended jaw turning its mouth into a large jagged toothy weapon. It came right up to you sniffing around.

"Many Heads...finally found a test subject who survived Atom's Gift? And yet you couldn't resist the allure of the RADS despite its dangers to you as a mere human. Very foolish to come down here. Even more foolish to head to this reactor in particular. Corrupted as it is," it muttered.

"Corrupted?" You ask feeling the sheer volume of radiation emitting from it.

"Yes...corrupted. It doesn't illuminate with just normal RADS oh no no no...other kinds of radiation too. Special kinds. Highly dangerous and even impacts us ghouls. Even other mutants too. Other reactor much safer...only those ghouls too far gone come here...to be...assimilated."

Looking around you notice the ghouls...not all of them were passed out and being covered by the growths. The rest who positioned as if they were...praying. Worshiping the infested reactor with its...blighted eminence radiating from it.

"You felt the call of radiation yet you didn't ask yourself what KIND of radiation did you?" chuckles the hulking monstrosity.

"You are the same no?"

"Me? I'm crazy according to Many Heads. Thinks I lost my mind like the rest. No. I just...understood Atom's Glory. You too right? You also saw THEM didn't you?"

"..."

"I thought so...they think we're crazy, you know. Despite the plague of madness, despite the mutations, despite the anomalies. They dare not consider what they have invited here. What they have...attracted. Nobody wants to accept the reality. No...no. Deep in denial they ALL are and those who do? They call them crazy."

"Than what are you and...what is that?" You ask it.

"Me...I'm the first one who got Atom's Gift. It made me...special. Originally I was just another human being experimented on, just like you, but then I turned. I mutated. I became something...more. Blessed by Atom. I do not sense that from you. Curious how you are still alive. I wonder how long the Gift kills you for being unworthy."

"It should shield me no?"

"Heh. You think it absorbs radiation and churns with all that power? Where does the power go? Why into your body, of course...and whatever you have INSIDE your body," it laughs as you suddenly see both its arms burst into a swarm of tendrils tipped with gnashing maws at the tips. You even see large Eyes appear around its shoulder opening with a maddened gaze. "SEE this is what it can grant you POWER to behold ATOM Glory's power to UNLEASH and FUEL not just yourself but whatever you keep in body too. Makes you stronger and IT stronger...assuming your body can withstand it of course."

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>6348386
"With your fragile inferior human body I estimate you won't last long. Too WEAK. Too FRAGILE. A true waste of Atom's Gift! A utter disgrace you are," it mocks as it arms reverts back to normal.

"...The Symbionts right?" you ask it to confirm.

"Yes, they become remarkably friendly and tame with such...enticements. Of course I don't mind other mutagenic implants as well. Turning my body...into the ultimate personal Temple of Atom! If you want to live...you will NEED something for that energy and power to go. Your body won't be able to withstand it on your own." It warns you as it sits back down and pats a tumor on the infested reactor for you to sit on. Sitting on it...you really could FEEL the immense amount of power infused into it. Its glorious glow sinking into your flesh and being sucked into the Atom's Gift.

"Will the power from Atom's Gift...change me?" You ask the monstrous mutated ghoul behemoth.

"Yes but ultimately its limited by how much your body can withstand it. The better your body is at withstanding it the more it will change. That's why it works best on us ghouls. We are the closest to RADS and all personally blessed by Atom...even the Rejects who cannot withstand his glorious eminence and lose their minds from their inability comprehend."

"Anyway I keep my humanity?"

"IF you are immune. Atom's Gift...well it both does and doesn't. At least with the thing concocted by Many Heads anyway. Some are Blessed by Atom and immune to radiation. The Gift that Many Heads was enlightened by Atom on how to recreate doesn't quite work like that. The Glow must go somewhere and it mustn't be wasted. Even if you were immune the Atom's Gift would eat you alive from within. It craves infusion. It craves to 'share' its blessings. It speaks to us as a voice of Atom should we be so blessed to hear him speak. Tell me what did Atom speak with you when you were first blessed by him?"

You began to explain what you 'saw' when Atom Gift was implanted into you.

"Hm...interesting. A chance to see into the mind of us ghouls. As well as a warning. I experienced something different. I got the warning as well but I also...lights. Those who would embrace the Glow. Those who would dare defile the Glow. I saw my poor lost comrades unable to Hear Atom unable to realize how blessed they truly are! A shepard I realized I was. A guardian of the Flock. A crusader against those who DARE to defy Atom's Will. What about you though? What will you choose?"

What do?
>Embrace Atom's Will
>Surrender Atom's Gift
>Glory to Atom!
>Share Atom's Blessing
>Follow the Glow
>Escape
>Other?

>>6348389
>Glory to Atom!
I am wondering on which option allows a crusade against THEM, understanding what they are etc

>>6348389
>>Glory to Atom!

>>6348452
>>6348561
Follow the Glow would have led you directly to THEM. Sharing the blessings would have gotten you a special bonus relating to even feral ghouls. Surrender Atom's Gift would have reduced the side effects. Embrace Atom's Will would give you a RAD Crusader blessing. Escape means NOPE. As for Glory to Atom...

"GLORY TO ATOM!" You suddenly bellow.

"YES GLORY TO ATOM INDEED," shouts the gigantic mutated ghoul as well.

Suddenly you feel as if a veil is...lifted from your mind and vision. You could see the Glow. You could see the radiation pulsating through every ghoul like their lifeblood. You realized...what radiation truly is to a ghoul. It keeps them alive when decay and death should have claimed them. It heals them. It makes them stronger.

>Gained Heart of Atom Unique Perk

Inside yourself looking down you realized what Atom's Gift truly was...a heart. A bioreactor capable of absorbing and sharing the GLOW. Your flesh, however...is too weak. It is not that of a ghoul. It is incapable of enduring the Gift of Atom. While it might spare of you dying from radiation, you will instead be rend asandar as your body is incapable of withstanding its power. You will explode in a glorious nuclear explosion. However looking at the gigantic mutated ghoul you realized what he claimed was true.

You could see how his own Heart of Atom pulsed and shared the GLOW with his implants. Even the symbionts too were carefully nurtured and fed by it. You were amazed at how they became something...more. The GLOW is mutating and making them stronger. This meant that if you had the right implants that could withstand the burden, it could save your inferior flesh.

Looking around you noticed there were different colors of GLOW and GLOW. The Heart of Atom however treats it all equally but you estimate they must have differing effects and you can't help but wonder what kind of radiation is it exactly? You realized that the corrupted reactor...wasn't churning out normal radiation. It was...changed. Deep inside you could see a now familiar light but the growths changed the properties of the GLOW, which changes its colors.

"Is...this what ghouls see," you could help but ask him.

"Hm yes and no. Most humans are incapable but for us ghouls...even as our eyes rot the GLOW provides vision. It warms and cares for us. Feeds and empowers us. For us the GLOW is ever present. Ever welcoming. Without the GLOW...we feel naked and vulnerable. Even my crazed kin instinctively understand this, which is why they Follow the Glow. Always."

"What would be the best implants to take advantage of this gift?" You ask him realizing you needed to something soon. Your body might be considered peak human but...well you aren't superhuman much less a mutant.

>>6348698
"Hm I'm not the right person to be asking ISN'T THAT RIGHT MANY HEADS? I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING THIS ENTIRE TIME!" Suddenly shrieks the giant mutated ghoul into the seemingly empty air...only for a eyebot to float down from a air exchanger port on the ceiling.

"YEAH yeah...to think that maybe you aren't so crazy. I'll need more than just you two to confirm that of course...and getting the right materials to make an Atom's Gift is...very expensive and costly to acquire," speaks the intercom from the eyebot with a screen portraying a crackling image of Many Heads.

"Hurry up and give the boy something before he explodes," interrupts the mutated ghoul.

"Fine Fine...originally I had labeled the implant as a bioreactor .The power it puts off is immense. Incredibly effective at powering up and even enhancing other implants so I had intended to use it to power up the most power hungry modifications that would normally be limited in what a subject could use. However the side effects it had beyond something that obvious was far beyond that.

"Yes you did that to Atom's Wrath before it turned into an abomination."

"Yes a real shame but definitely the strongest abomination I have made yet and more importantly it remained lucid enough to be usable. The other...is you of course isn't that right Atom's Chosen?"

"First of Atom's Chosen," the ghoul corrected.

"Right...anyway, with him, I also tried to test the limits of what could be done. However unlike that fatass that was Atom's Wrath, its capacity was...lower, so I tried to mix in symbionts to see if that would help it worked beyond my wildest expectations."

"See I told you using the Hive as the source on the reactor floor would work better," states Atom's Chosen.

"That it did." Admitted Many Heads. " Thanks to that not only was I able to surpass the limits of what his implant capacity should have been but even the symbionts themselves changed and achieved a state of Fusion with the ghoul. Remarkable truly. However that is also the problem You see I have plenty of data on mutants but none on humans because none of the test subjects I had were as such high quality as you. They expired far too quickly."

"They were Unworthy of Atom," confirms the Chosen.

"...whatever anyway a reactor that yields that much energy would normally be seen on full conversion cyborgs and not just any normal borg. Instead, it would have been exclusively for the heaviest, biggest, meanest, most formidable Borgs out there. Basically top of the line stuffed full of all kinds of extremely dangerous and demanding toys. This would have been my preferred option but this facility isn't equipped with cybernetics. In the entire Pits there is only a SINGLE facility that experimented with cybernetic mutant compatibility. Even that place wouldn't have the right implants. Alternative options are mutated implants but...you are a normal human. Your tolerance for something like that is gonna be low."

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>6348709
while you can now endure the stronger ones easily I'm afraid you simply don't have high enough capacity to endure the ATOM'S GIFT in the long run. It will buy you time...finally the last option is the Symbionts. Experimental as all hell that they might be but they were the true magnum opus of this facility before we got forced to work on anomalous materials. In particular we have...well used to have 3 variants but too well the last uncontanimated Symbionts got transferred away. Of the two remaining hives that we source from the one that has the highest...compatibility with RADs is the one behind you. The other one we different but honestly I'm not sure which would be best for you. After all your no ghoul so I wouldn't expect as amazing a reaction as Atom's Chosen got."

FIRST ATOM'S CHOSEN," loudly grumbled the ghoul.

"Wait that THING is a hive?" You ask looking at it.

"Yes. When the accident happened, the Hives split. One of them went towards the radiation. That is this one here. I'v been studying the differences. This Hive exhibits increased aggression, size, and far more proactive. If it weren't for many experiments I would have thought it reverted into parasitism but that wasn't true it just places a much greater burden on the body and thus...accidents are far more likely. However that will unlikely be a problem for you despite being a human. Normally, I use this one strictly for mutants. While the other I experiment with on humans."

"Any..alternatives?" You couldn't help but ask.

"Yes another RESTRICTED zone may have the cybernetics you need...or head to the surface and haul ass to whereever cybernetics will be offered but keep in mind you NEED the ones that demand the most energy and are the easiest to Redline. Those will work best with Atom's Gift."

What do?
>Symbionts(suggestions)
>Mutated Mutations(suggestions)
>Rush to the surface
>Find another restricted zone
>Other?

Feel free to offer suggestions or Many Heads or the Chosen will also make some recommendations.

>>6348711
>>Find another restricted zone

>>6348711
>>Symbionts(suggestions)
>>Mutated Mutations(suggestions)
Something that could let out our radiation to channel it into things like power cells and robots. Or a tentacle/tentacles to enhance our limbs and use for tossing explosives.

>>6348711
>>6348794
Imagine a built-in battery charger that can top-up fusion cores/batteries and keep the sentry bots we have going. Then change the armaments of the sentry bots to lasers or something else energy based.

Or a fission/fusion stomach that decomposes any material into a foodstuff. We could be shitting bullets if not for risk of tearing a new asshole.

Maybe a cybernetic microwaver to cook anything we need, weaponised or as a chef. Or brain augment like a Virtual Assistant computer.. lots of possibilities.

>>6348895
We already have a pit boy. I don't know if we have VATS on it, but I think most do. We can just make a fire or get a hotplate to cook food. I like the microwave as a weapon, but we might have to up our energy weapons and most of stronger enemies are probably rad resistant robots/mutants/feral ghouls/paladins.

I like the idea of tentacles outside our body less intrusive surgery grafting them into our limb bones. As we just had major surgery our heart was replaced. Tentacles could help us where bulkier mutant armor helping fill in the gaps. They also may be good at hiding themselves when we are talking with smooth skins.

Maybe a retractable blade that can be heated with radiation coming out of our forearm.

>>6348895
Sentry bots similar to power armor have a built in reactor butif said reactor is disabled can resort to fusion cores for emergency power. Old models used to be able to also use fusion cells, energy cells, and microfusion cells but this was quickly phased out for standardized mini reactors and backup fusion cores. Sentry bots happen to big enough to also support both but similar to power armor their reactors are much more vulnerable to targeting hence the emergency backup power supply option. Now if your fusion cores ALSO get taken out at that point your kinda fucked.

Battery chargers are an option but keep in mind most simply use reactors or fission batteries because OP tech. Their stuff will last for centuries easy unless disabled/destroyed. Its far more common to have to repair something than it is to recharge it. Yes this means fusion cores don't suck balls. They're basically weaponized fission batteries meant to unleash a LOT of power at a steady rate. Hence, their use in generators, power armor, robots, and heavy weapons.

Stomachs like that do exist but mainly among borgs as a means of recharging and refueling their automatic repair systems. Many Heads does have a mutant version on account of the distinct rarity of foodstuffs and need of special materials to help maintain/grow certain mutations and implants. Obviously though eating dirt sucks and hence why cannibalism is back on the menu boys.

There are a variety of microwave related technologies. Cybernetics cannot be found here but biological and mutant versions can be. From brainwashing, to Armor piercing, and other weirder effects.

If you want a 'virtual assistant computer' Brain Bug Symbionts are for you. Even Many Heads hasn't figured out a different version yet that doesn't involve multiple heads/brains. He considers that a superior option on sheer principle though so good luck convincing him of a 'downgrade' version.

>>6349034
The pipboy you have belonged to a suspicious maintenance worker. It isn't a standard Vault tech pipboy or military pipboy. You could get some pretty nifty upgrades for it or figure out its mysterious past...

Humans are also very dangerous. Not enough time has elapsed for those who need special maintenance to die off. So a lot of high end cyborgs and bioborgs are still running around. Not to mention bad ass survivors, raiders, and soldiers. Mutants are actually in their weakest phase right now along with wildlife. They need time to purge the bad mutations. Except Ghouls those things are fucking terrifying right now on account of all the RADs.

Tentacles and blades are both easy/plentiful. Many Heads has a thing for collecting Heads...and tentacles.

>>6349095
>>6348711
I'm supporting the tentacles. One for each arm two for each leg and two to reinforce our torso. The parasite bug brain sounds useful though brain surgery sounds like a headache.

So voting for tentacles.
>Mutated Mutations(suggestions)

>>6349107
>>6348794
>Mutagen implant Tentacles

Symbionts are pretty easy to implant you just get soaked in a tube to prevent them from fucking with your head too much on account of hunger and slowed assimilation. As it takes resources and energy to fully assimilate which is NOT a pretty picture when your stomach limits digestion capacity and therefore assimilation rates. It's why Many Heads insists on dipping anyone who gets a symbiont otherwise their hunger and slow assimilation causes many problems. Like becoming insane psychotic cannibal. The tube with nutrient slurry works wonders though.

Considering we are talking a bunch of often crazed cannibal mutants is saying a lot on how bad it can get without the tube. Hence why Many Heads GTFO when that tube broke.

----

"Why the FUCK do you have so many goddamn tentacle implants Many Heads?" You couldn't help call out at seeing the sheer size of the catalog.

"Easy to replace and regenerate. Unlike limbs no need of bone, sinew, muscle, cartilage, nerves, and ligaments. So much work and besides with tentacles they are SO easy to customize!" Brags Many Heads showing off his personal extensive tentacle collection as samples. "I got tools. Weapons. Even...pleasure." He utters in a disturbingly sultry voice winking with his female heads at you.

"...how about tentacles that can uh reinforce the body?"

"Hm...interesting. I thought you would maybe go for a tool or perceptive tentacle. Body reinforcement I have those kinds but odd pick for a normal human. Let's see here...what do I have that will actually fit on a baseline but high quality human..."

"Say you wouldn't happen to have a implant that could channel radiation right? Like using it to power stuff?"

"That I do after I gathered some Glowing ghoul samples but uh...I don't think you can handle that kind of strain on the account of how much radiation it puts out. Plus it makes the Feral ghouls go crazy and sometimes revive...ah those were some FUN experiments. Resurrection. Ah here we go the body enforcement tentacles." Finally finishes Many Heads pulling out some very...thick and heavy looking tentacles out for you.

"Normally I use these on the big guys. Everyone mistakes that taken out their limbs will put them down...fools. Or those who are already covered in tentacles...tentacles tend not to be that great at the whole supporting the body otherwise. So these smaller models should fit...probably."

"Probably?"

"Having extra limbs does funny things to the brain, partly why so many borgs go coocoo in the head."

"They will make me stronger and tougher right?"

"Eh you might want to figure out how to use them before trying anything too harsh. Lest you break some limits. After breaking your limbs a few times you'll learn either way."

"Will these consume enough power though?"

"Uh," mutters Many Heads. "How many strong tentacles I have...but they have to fit on a human. That greatly complicates things."

"So you don't have one?"

>>6349157
"Body Enforcement...tentacle. High powered. Fits on a human," grumbles Many Heads digging through his collection of tentacles.

"Well I DO have some...but I'm afraid there is an issue."

"What issue?"

"Your new gift can keep up but not the rest of your body. Severe imbalance in physique levels. Not a problem if your a mutant but as a human...well expect to break some bones. Maybe lose some limbs. Probably."

"...Anything safer?"

"Nope. Not at that level of strength anyway."

"Any anomalous ones?"

"NEVER. Those are my TREASURES...plus I sorta ran out."

You don't believe him.

"Right...what happened?"

"I may or may not have a crazy dream about a tentacle monster....that I may or may not have uh...set loose. Probably be fine...I think. Unless it can asexually reproduce."

"Isn't this place for implants? How the fuck did you create a tentacle monster?"

"I wish I knew. It was a sick dream but I didn't realize it wasn't a dream until I woke up and found my entire...priceless collection GONE. STOLEN by that fucking tentacle monster!"

"So wait there is an actual tentacle monster rampaging out there?"

"Yeah I tried to get the mutants to kill or take it back but it turned out my tentacle collection was just too amazing and impossible to resist," shrugs the shaking meat mountain that is Many Heads. "That was how I learned next time to keep my collection much further away from the anomaly collection. Also whatever you do NOT bear any holes towards it...it may have included some of my uh sex toys as well."

"...Many Heads you can still think of sex?" You couldn't help but quip in utter disbelief.

"Where do you think all the damned genitals went? No way for me to use them anyhow. It was the worst. Besides not ALL my mutants are sterile or asexual, for that matter. I still gotta fix some of the intersex stuff...shit can get pretty damn freaky otherwise. Its a work in progress if it weren't for those damnd furries and perverts." That actually made Many Head shudder in horror which made you really wonder just how bad must it have been...

"I can still use them though right?"

"Carefully limited power until your body is tough handle to handle its power. Personally if you want tentacles and not worry about breaking your body I would suggest some Symbionts instead. Safer implant won't draw enough power away. I still have my collection of tentacle symbionts even! At least those things know how to reproduce on their own properly," quietly grumbles Many Heads far too loudly to itself thinking it was being quiet.

"I uh...don't trust those symbiont options." You mutter.

"PSHT your missing out big time. If only I could make some that worked with abominations I would add them directly to my personal collection. Alas so far I can only push them to handle Mutants."

>Acquired Mutated Core Tentacles X Supa

Designed explicitly for heavy duty and high powered mutants but downsized to(barely) fit a normal human physique.

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>6349161
Its power can/will shatter bones and tear flesh including your own. Its toughness and regeneration is however superhuman. Downside is injury will GREATLY worsen your hunger as the healing has to come from somewhere...hence caution is advised should they become 'too injured'. Lest starvation makes you do unspeakable and crazy things.This is arguably the biggest contributor for the mutants becoming cannibals.

These particular tentacles Many Heads mainly uses to reinforce his 'heavy duty mutants' and 'special tentacle surprises'.

"...Many Heads what is THAT?"

"What you said ALL your LEGs besides they aren't strictly limited to just uh...basic stuff."

"...Can they fucking change according to me will?" You utter in shock as the tentacle twists and warps according to your thoughts.

"To a degree but be careful modifying will make you hungrier and be cautious with the sensitivity."

"What sensitiv-HOLY FUCK that hurt...goddamn," you shriek in pain after thinking about it.

"Told you. These aren't normal tentacles. I use them exclusively for my heavy hitters and as key core components to my uh...tentacle related surprises. The strain is no joke as is its power but try not to break any bones yeah? Also don't let them get too wounded. Your digestive ability is limited extensive damage is gonna be a real big time problem for you to recover from. As for changing their specs be careful and slower is better."

"I can change them?"

"Of course but like I said be careful on how you do so and your pacing. Most mutants like to use them as shields or weapons. While my surprises have better taste in utility."

What do?
>MORE MODS(input implant suggestion
>Head to the surface
>Go back home
>Visit character(who?)
>Other?

>>6349162
>>6349095
>Stomachs like that do exist but mainly among borgs as a means of recharging and refueling their automatic repair systems. Many Heads does have a mutant version on account of the distinct rarity of foodstuffs and need of special materials to help maintain/grow certain mutations and implants.
get Many-Heads' stomach implant.
If hunger is a problem then we should address it now.

>>6349162
>Go back home

>>6349196
Quirk of the local mutants. Instead of additional toughness they get to enjoy a healing factor, but the healing ain't free.

>>6349196
>>6349348
Any tiebreaker votes?

>>6349162
>>Go back home

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>6349508
>>6349348
Time to return home. This time, the trip back wasn't so quiet. You see oathkeeper patrols were previously they never bothered before. On the plus side you also don't see any cannibal bands wandering around. You just don't know if its thanks to the Oathkeepers or mutants. Eventually you return home and feel...ravenous. The tentacle are big and take lots of fuel. You did get a chance to test them out though and boy do they hit hard. Too bad it throws your body off balance and you have to be careful about using them to reinforce your body.

At home you see the two new additions of the sentry bots still holding position. Albeit one looks like shit and can't do shit. While the other is running low on ammo and has damaged armor but otherwise in good condition if you ignore the fact that both are missing their reactors and stuck on backup power supply. A lot has happened and you see the piles of junk you've acquired from your previous trip. A lot of got wrecked but scrap metal has demand on account of there being no more working mines or smelters anymore. Much less shipping.

Going through the pile of damaged and broken weaponry and armor is gonna be a pain in the ass...although come to think of it you DO have more 'limbs' as it were. Probably go a lot faster now. If you can use the sentry bots to haul it all to station for trade its unlikely anyone is gonna wanna fuck with two beefy sentry bots Model 3s. Except you need parts and ammo for them...that will mean poking around the robotics and recently you might have drawn bad attention...but with some mutie armor it might not be a problem. The stuff X13 uses is even designed around tendrils.

What do?
>Head to a nearby robotics hub
>Go through the loot to fix or scrap as needed
>See what's going on with the sudden Oathkeeper patrols
>Hit up the university terminal for lessons/the gym
>Other?

>>6349556
>>Hit up the university terminal for lessons/the gym
Let's train with our new limbs.

>>6349556
>>Hit up the university terminal for lessons/the gym

>>6349556
>>Hit up the university terminal for lessons/the gym
train them on repair too

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>6349560
>>6349565
>>6349579
You decide to work out and hit the school books. Honestly taking a break from Many Heads crazy ass fuck lessons sounds like a welcome break at this point. Plus working out you could test your new tentacles and see what their limits were.

You start with the PC turning it and start to play around with it as usual.

...Booting up sequence complete. Detecting University Network of *error*. Connecting to network...connection made. Lesson plans available for access. At first you peruse the medical and science lessons but realize quickly that Many Heads stuff is far FAR better and much more advanced than the Unis have. Which is saying something considering this city had some of the best private and corporate sponsored Universities in not such the USA but the entire world too. Many Heads really wasn't joking about being bleeding edge.

So instead of reviewing what he already could teach and in far inferior quality you instead decide to look up something that Many Heads doesn't bring up much. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. After all Many Heads is biologically focused. Might as well brush on something you can't expect to easily learn form unless Many Heads acquire a new sources of Heads with different expertise to add to its morbid 'collection'.

You just so happen not have some broken robotics and scrap to play around with during your lesson too.

Gained 1 skill point in

>Repair

After giving your brain a workout it was a time to give your body a workout too. Particularly to test out your new tentacles. With some proper gym equipment you were mindblown at discovering just how strong and agile the tentacles were. Straight up superhuman in power. Not just by a bit too bad the rest of your body frankly couldn't keep up. So it wasn't long before you were forced to quit with a very aching body as direct consequence. Apparently you can only afford to use it in short bursts...and probably should stock up on stimpacks too to be on the safe side.

After that you went to bed. When you awoke your appetite had increased by a not so small amount. Looking at your dwindling supplies you realize its no longer to last as long as you would like. Food down here is nonexistent unless you're a cannibal. Everything that can be accessed has been picked clean and what hasn't has the kind of security that ensures even the most suicidally desperate have to give up on it.

What do?
>Keep studying
>Look for supplies
>Fix the loot
>head to a robotics center
>Investigate Oathkeeper patrols
>Other?

>>6349643
>>Look for supplies

>>6349643
Was the hydroponics set also wrecked by the Wyrm passing through?
Can we
>head to a robotics center
>sell scrap
>by hydroponics kits + food supplies

>>6349672
High end implants including organic ones often require special supplements to maintain them properly. For the tentacle implant you got it is both very heavy duty and very high end. Meant for the best muties Many Heads can come up with. The downside is besides the calorie and energy requirements being provided by Atom's Gift it also requires large amounts of proteins basic nutrients, and advanced supplemental material. You just got it so you don't feel the cravings yet but the increase in nutrient requirements is notable.

The wyrm mostly tore though the main passage as it couldn't fit in the smaller small side passages. Yes it was fucking huge comparable to a train. The hydropnics set up you have is small and can't handle the kind of demands those sorts of implants require.

>>6349706
Good point, in which case properly
>look for supplies

>>6349643
>Look for supplies

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>6349649
>>6349715
>>6349720
Your supplies with your increased appetites is no longer enough to cut it and the Oathkeepers are a bit busy at the moment so its not looking like you can bum some resupply from them anytime soon. While heading to the places with supplies down here is an actual deathtrap otherwise there wouldn't be so many damned cannibals after all. Leaving only one place to as usual...the surface. At least if you get lucky you can avoid the ghoul hordes up there and usually the Oathkeepers are busy keeping them distracted and trying to thin the herd, but if they ever have a chance to leverage their numbers your fucked. Even power armor cannot survive that. Worst the ghouls are on crack from all the rads up there and extremely hard to kill. At least the storms should help provide you with some cover. Too bad you aren't better at sneaking...

So you head down the side tunnels away. Heading towards some doors and manholes you know about that exit to the surface. Former utility worker entrances and the like. You COULD take the sewer but...well you would rather avoid the stench, rads, and flooding. Stopping at the different spots for exiting you don't open the door and listen very carefully through the storm. For the growls and confused murmurs of the ghouls to check if any are nearby. You also check to see if there is any recent gunfire too. From whatever poor bastards accidentally gave themselves away and are about to end up ghoul dinner. This time you got sorta lucky. Didn't have to wait forever until you hear it.

The bombardments of artillery and the screaming of vertibirds opening fire. Instantly drawing their attention as they howl and chase in that direction. Not long after you hear LOTS of gunfire and screams still coherent from so far away and despite the storm over head. No doubt the Oathkeepers as usual. They never stopped fighting after the bombs dropped. First it was the riots and looting, then...well the RADS and snow came with it, the ghoul hordes. Only after waiting a bit to make sure they were all drawn away did you open the door. Grey and white snow pouring down endlessly. It hasn't stopped once in over half a year, after it started a few weeks after the bombs dropped. The real difference is how much is coming down at the moment. With your mask on, Rad X taken, and your utility suit you headed out.

Luckily this city was a HUGE trade hub. A 'city of the future' they called it. An example of a 'post scarcity society'. They liked to brag a lot about it. How so many business interests joined together with the government and military's blessing to build a special city serving as a major trade, logistics, and manufacturing hub from the underwater cities in the depths. Wealthy beyond belief sure and that attracted LOTS of desperate people trying to flee the shortages and find work...but there were always dark whispers about what was really going on. Ones unfortunately you discovered proved to be all too true.

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>6349972
At least thanks to the cold, the food hasn't spoiled much yet. Even if it's irradiated... finding clean food and water is the real issue. You creep carefully through the streets. Wary of any big businesses and small businesses. Shuttered as they are. You know all too well the automated security system is still active if there isn't a conspicuous hole from the ghouls inside tearing their way out. Housing is safer. Sure its often boarded up but the security is quite lax in comparison except for the real high brow places.

You have scavenged up here before you ain't as cowardly as the cannibals but you don't exactly have a talent for being sneaky. Scavenging sure. Being sneaky not so much so going up was always a risky affair. You learned like the rest of the survivors to time your trips according to Oathkeeper operations. When the ghouls are nice and distracted. Led away by them temporarily. That is when everyone comes out to scavenge. Of course you have to watch out for stragglers, other survivors, automated security, and the like but its far safer than normal times.

Now where to search for supplies...

Go where?
>Apartment complex
>Grocery store with a broken gate
>Trash diving
>Shuttered Factory
>desolate School
Other?

>>6349976
>Desolate School
It should be stocked with a lot of long-life food articles to feed a lot of kids and shouldn't have been a priority target for looters.

Side note, what city are we even under here?