Shady Hollows Session I

[2013-09-05 16:51:09] <Somber> The call had gone out across the wasteland: come one!  Come all!  Come and make your fortunes salvaging for the NCR!  Travel expenses paid.  Food and drink supplied.  Long as you could carry a shovel and find things useful to the NCR then you could come to the Happy Scrapyard Salvagefest!  A few days work.  Then back home.  And it was all backed by the NCR so
[2013-09-05 16:53:13] <Somber> you know it's not a scam!  Come one!  Come all!  And come they did.  From New Applelooa to Ponyville to Gutterville to Friendship City... they came.  They came on sky wagons bedecked with bright red signs and friendly pegasi who were looking for nearly any able bodied pony.  Bring your gun, or something to protect yourself with because even though the skies
[2013-09-05 16:54:47] <Somber> were clearing up... well... it's still the wasteland.  And one by one they were ferried to the northern tip of the Everfree forest, where a massive canyon split the land.  Ghasty Gorge, it was called... though some called it 'ghoulish gorge' or 'grim gorge'.  The alliteration was more important than the name.  The sky wagons dropped off the occupants at the
[2013-09-05 16:56:53] <Somber> north side of a concrete bridge that spanned the crevasse.  "Just walk thataway till you find the camp.  Shouldn't be more than a mile.  Oh.  And whatever you do, don't fly or teleport.  Trust us."  The company ponies said with nervous grins.  To the south, the skies were dark and brooding and the forest a dark and tangled mass.  Here was an edge of the
[2013-09-05 16:57:42] <Somber> weather control zone... and the weather was not in a happy mood.  By coincidence, five ponies had been dropped off together...
[2013-09-05 16:59:30] * Star_Chaser frowned as she moved up towards the edge of the bridge. "Whatever." The midnight-purple pegasus with silver mane and tail began the walk across the bridge. If flying wasn't allowed, then flying wasn't allowed. It was irritating, but a paycheck was a paycheck.
[2013-09-05 17:00:38] * Aria looks around the area with a smile and takes a deep breath. "Alright, Aria. Time to shine," she says to herself under her breath.
[2013-09-05 17:01:28] * Mad_Modd trots along "I could swear I was a higher level yesterday...." the grey stallion with the firey yellow and red mane figits with his gear "And the wife just had to wash my good armour before I left too. Have to deal with the backup."
[2013-09-05 17:03:09] * Red_Line fallows the others with the stern look in his eyes
[2013-09-05 17:04:08] * Mad_Modd pokes Aria "Hey Swamp Thang. You look different..." pausing for a moment and blinking "Where the hell did that come from?"
[2013-09-05 17:04:32] * Tiller was a little hard to look at, his dark earth-toned pre-war clothing not quite blending with his indigo coat in a fashion that almost hurt the eyes. Nervously, he mumbles to himself. "O-okay, here goes... Hi guys, I'm Tiller. It's nice to meet you... all."
[2013-09-05 17:05:28] <Somber> "Stick together, folks!  And remember, don't fly!  I mean it.  Just... don't!"  The pegasi warned as they started out across the bridge.
[2013-09-05 17:05:45] * Star_Chaser pauses long enough to give a name. "Star Chaser." She was evidently not a pony of many words.
[2013-09-05 17:05:53] * Aria blinks at the strange stallion. "Swamp Thing? I think you have me mistaken for somepony else," she replies. Looking down at the Pipbuck, she smiles. "I'm from Stable Two. Everypony in the stable has one."
[2013-09-05 17:07:12] * Tiller sneaks a hungry peek at Aria's pipbuck, but turns away before she can notice.
[2013-09-05 17:08:18] * Mad_Modd shrugs "They don't call me 'Mad' Modd for nothing. My names Tim by the way..... WAIT NO! I'm Mad Modd."
[2013-09-05 17:09:18] * Aria laughs. "I'll keep that in mind."
[2013-09-05 17:10:41] * Red_Line shrugs "The name Red Line."
[2013-09-05 17:10:41] <Somber> 12The five ponies get across the middle of the bridge and approach the south side when there's a shout from the sky wagons, and then the roar of an explosion roars across the gap as the first sky wagon is blown apart.  The second one explodes a second later, the pegasi and ponies around it running around screaming.  Finally there's a third explosion.  This one
[2013-09-05 17:11:15] <Somber> 12the largest by far... and it's right beneath them as the whole bridge shakes and then starts to crack and crumble beneath them.
[2013-09-05 17:11:22] * Mad_Modd flails "I DIDN'T DO IT!"
[2013-09-05 17:11:30] * Tiller very nearly pitches flat on his face as the explosions ring out. As it is, he still looks like he's trying to blend into the dirt.
[2013-09-05 17:12:23] * Red_Line runs for the other side yelling "Run, damn it run."
[2013-09-05 17:12:46] * Tiller gets up with unsteady hooves. "Um, guys? I... I'm no structural engineer, but I think I'm gonna watch this bridge collapse from the other side!" He gallops for the end of the bridge.
[2013-09-05 17:13:41] * Star_Chaser eartwitches in surprise. "Run!" She turns and rushes towards the far end, checking back behind them now and then to see whether or not there was any sign of what had caused the problem, or anyone else in danger of falling off.
[2013-09-05 17:14:34] * Mad_Modd books it "Running is a good plan! I like this plan!"
[2013-09-05 17:14:34] * Aria starts running! As the third explosion is set off, her Pipbuck starts ticking. "Guys! I think that last explosion set off the wagon's battery!"
[2013-09-05 17:14:51] <Somber> 12The concrete span begins to break apart and fall into the gorge a thousand feet below behind them.  Fortunately, Equestrian Overengineering allowed them to reach the south side of the gorge before it collasped, leaving a hundred foot wide gap in the bridge.
[2013-09-05 17:15:45] * Mad_Modd huffs "Huraa for Equestrian over engineering."
[2013-09-05 17:16:33] * Star_Chaser slides to a halt on the far side, peering down into the depths. "Well. We aren't getting back the way we came..." She snorts. "We'd better keep moving." Looking up towards where the explosions had been briefly.
[2013-09-05 17:19:06] * Mad_Modd ponders the explosions for a moment "Those were demo charges. Probably remote detonated and placed on the underside of the skywagons. Probably going for blowing the generator on all of them."
[2013-09-05 17:19:49] <Mad_Modd> "I said probably said probably to many times there..... probably"
[2013-09-05 17:19:52] * Tiller turns around and looks to the south for the source of the sound of running.
[2013-09-05 17:20:56] * Star_Chaser twitches an ear, spinning around and rushing as fast as she can towards the south, glancing back and forth for something amongst the terrain.
[2013-09-05 17:21:44] * Aria spins around to the south and tries to see if she can spot anyone coming on her EFS.
[2013-09-05 17:21:51] <Somber> 12From the south, along the road, comes the sound of frantic hooves.  "Oh Celestia... oh please... oh please!" A pony screams hysterically as a blue pegasus bursts into view.  She's bloody and cut up, and at the sight of the five, she slides to a halt.  "Oh no!  No!  Stay away!"
[2013-09-05 17:21:54] * Red_Line wounders what the others are looking for
[2013-09-05 17:22:54] * Mad_Modd raises an eyebrow "You alright?"
[2013-09-05 17:23:10] * Aria sees the mare and her jaw drops. Shaking away her momentary shock, she holds up her hooves. "Wait! We're not here to hurt you!"
[2013-09-05 17:26:02] * Red_Line looks at the wounds of this mare "Hold still your bleeding."
[2013-09-05 17:27:24] <Somber> 12She almost runs, but Aria speaks to her and she calms down just a little.  The whites of her eyes are showing quite a bit and her body is flecked with sweaty foam and scratches.  She still seems very skiddish though.
[2013-09-05 17:27:52] <Somber> 12"Please.  You... we got to go back!  We have to run.  I want to go home!" she begs.
[2013-09-05 17:28:08] * Aria slowly starts to approach the mare. "It's alright. My name is Aria. What's yours?"
[2013-09-05 17:28:09] * Tiller "Is-is anypony here a doctor? Anypony?" To the pegasus: "Shhh... Shhh.... it's all right."
[2013-09-05 17:29:11] * Red_Line "I've got a spell to fix her."
[2013-09-05 17:29:13] <Somber> 12"It is NOT alright!  It's... oh Celestia... there was so much blood.  So much shooting!  I want to go." she strains to look toward the bridge and then screams.  "No!  No no no!"
[2013-09-05 17:29:21] * Star_Chaser frowns, trotting past the pegasus then glancing around at the walls. "Someone's out to get those trying to work this claim. Someone with a lot of weapons."
[2013-09-05 17:29:39] * Mad_Modd cringes "I'm starting to not like this...."
[2013-09-05 17:30:06] <Somber> 12They were a mile off from base camp.  All around them were dark and tangled forest.
[2013-09-05 17:31:28] <Somber> 12"I don't know what happened.  I was hiding in the woods all night, hoping that nopony found me.  I thought I'd go and warn somepony!  Get away from here!  There was so much shooting and screaming!"  She quivers.
[2013-09-05 17:31:50] * Aria smiles nervously. "We can't go back right now. The NCR will send more ponies to fix the bridge so we should worry about surviving and you can't do that if we don't give you some medical treatment. Let's find someplace safe and get you mended up, okay?"
[2013-09-05 17:32:04] * Tiller gives looks around at the forest. Yep, those are /definitely/ heebie-jeebies. Okay. "Um... I really hate to say this lady, but you can't fly out of here and the bridge is gone, so... We're going to the base camp, you'll be safe with us. We promise."
[2013-09-05 17:32:30] * Tiller looks up and around. "Right guys? We're helping her."
[2013-09-05 17:33:06] <Somber> 12"No!  You're not safe!  Nopony here is.  And if you're going north then I'll... I'll fly across.  I know they said not to but I won't stay here a minute longer!"  she said as she shook.
[2013-09-05 17:33:51] * Tiller 's eyes widen. "Noooonono you don't wanna do that! We just saw /skywagons/ try to fly, and those blew up! Don't fly! Please!"
[2013-09-05 17:33:58] * Star_Chaser moves up to the pony. "No. You'll stay with us. Where we have weapons, ponies and food. Running off alone, across unknown terrain, without supplies or support will get you killed." She prods the pony in the chest. "So you're going to stay here. Or you're going to starve. Or worse."
[2013-09-05 17:35:06] <Somber> 12"I won't," she said as she backed away.  "I don't know why they said we couldn't fly, but I can't stay here a minute longer!
[2013-09-05 17:35:14] * Aria nods to her companions. "Right. I'm from Stable 2, I grew up where the Stable Dweller grew up. She saved me when I was a kid so I'll make sure to save you."
[2013-09-05 17:36:13] * Red_Line concentrates his magic over the wounded mare
[2013-09-05 17:36:27] * Mad_Modd puts his foreleg around the mare and holds her "It's ok. We're here. Let us help you. I'm pretty sure something will shoot you down if you try to fly over."
[2013-09-05 17:38:05] <Red_Line> "Now hold still as this takes time."
[2013-09-05 17:38:43] <Somber> 12She pulls away.  "There's nothing out here.  I came down here for adventure and... and... I just want to go home."  She said as she pushed off and started hovering.  "See?  Nothing bad happening.  I'm going to fly back and tell the NCR what happened here."  As Red line used his magic, she flinched from him but then relaxed a little.  "Oh.  Thank you."
[2013-09-05 17:39:31] * Aria stares up at her. "I really don't think that's a good idea. Can you please come down and talk?"
[2013-09-05 17:40:08] <Red_Line> "Just calm down, and think for a pit."
[2013-09-05 17:40:18] <Red_Line> Bit*
[2013-09-05 17:40:33] * Mad_Modd pounces and tries to tackle the mare
[2013-09-05 17:41:03] <Somber> 12She landed again.  "Okay.  But I'm not staying here.  This place... I don't know what happened here but it was bad."
[2013-09-05 17:41:36] * Star_Chaser glowers up at the pegasus. "You should come with us to the camp, if things are as bad as you say then we'll all come back, together, and work our way out of here. But you're not running off alone. That's just a quick way to wind up dead. Or worse." She turns and begins moving down the path.
[2013-09-05 17:42:28] <Somber> 12"I ran from the camp.  That's where everyone was dying!" she said.
[2013-09-05 17:42:37] * Mad_Modd misses and flops on the ground "Ow"
[2013-09-05 17:43:06] * Tiller nods jerkily in agreement with Star_Chaser's assessment and starts down the path behind her. "And you'll definitely die if you try to fly! Stay with us!"
[2013-09-05 17:44:19] * Star_Chaser groans. "Then we have to go. If someone's trying to stop the dig here, there's got to be a reason. And I don't aim to let somebody else muscle us out of a claim."
[2013-09-05 17:44:21] <Somber> 12"No.  I'm not going that way.  You don't know that I'll die." she said with a frown at Tiller.  "Who knows why they said we couldn't?"
[2013-09-05 17:45:14] * Tiller shakes his head frantically again. "I saw skywagons try to fly and they /exploded!/"
[2013-09-05 17:45:42] <Red_Line> "You don't have to go with us, just don't fly out of here, look for some place to hide."
[2013-09-05 17:47:08] <Somber> 12"I don't know why they did, but my skywagon flew here and flew away and nothing bad happened to it.  I think they just didn't want people flying away with salvage." She chewed her lip in worry as she looked at Redline.  "I don't know.  I don't have any food or water... I left everything behind when I ran here."
[2013-09-05 17:47:14] * Red_Line look to see if the bleeding stoped
[2013-09-05 17:47:21] <Somber> 12It did.
[2013-09-05 17:47:39] <Mad_Modd> "Luck of the draw that. I'm guessing they were waiting for us"
[2013-09-05 17:48:32] * Star_Chaser snorts. "Or there's something dangerous in the woods, or around the bridge, they didn't want folks flying towards. If it weren't dangerous, they would have landed the sky chariots at the camp. Not miles away to travel by foot." She looks to the other pegasus. "Now, there are ponies in danger, who need help. I'd rather not have another one as well. So you come with us, then
[2013-09-05 17:48:32] * Star_Chaser we'll find who we can and everyone can come back together."
[2013-09-05 17:48:39] <Somber> 12"I don't know.  When I got here yesterday, the camp was in a near riot.  I don
[2013-09-05 17:49:05] <Somber> 12I don't know what over, but by nightfall the shooting began.  That was when I made for the woods."
[2013-09-05 17:49:08] * Red_Line gives her his canteen "Here this should help."
[2013-09-05 17:50:40] * Aria purses her lips. "Maybe we can head towards the camp then you can hide before we get there while we go check things out?
[2013-09-05 17:50:51] <Red_Line> "By the way whats your name?"
[2013-09-05 17:51:29] * Tiller nods again, jerkily. "Okay, I'm pretty good at not being seen. How about I sneak a peek at the camp before we make our presence known?"
[2013-09-05 17:53:13] <Somber> 12"Skybright..." she replied, swallowing.
[2013-09-05 17:53:35] * Aria smiles at her. "Nice to meet you, Skybright."
[2013-09-05 17:54:00] * Mad_Modd looks about "Soooo...... what now?"
[2013-09-05 17:54:02] * Red_Line nods "Red Line"
[2013-09-05 17:54:30] <Mad_Modd> "Oh right Tim." holding a hoof out to Skybright
[2013-09-05 17:54:46] * Star_Chaser looks back down the road. "Now we walk." She proceeded to do as she said.
[2013-09-05 17:54:59] * Aria cocks an eyebrow. "I thought your name was Mad Modd?"
[2013-09-05 17:55:00] <Somber> 12"The road goes straight to the camp.  It's right outside a town.  Some earth pony village..."
[2013-09-05 17:55:18] * Tiller mumbles tunelessly, "Sigh so light, dark at night, quell the silence, silence fright, be not afraid, Sky-So-Bright..."
[2013-09-05 17:56:12] <Mad_Modd> "Oh right. I'm Mad Modd."
[2013-09-05 17:56:12] * Tiller grins suddenly, and then looks away, up the path. "Then let's go, but let me take a look first. I'm hard to spot."
[2013-09-05 17:58:40] * Aria gives a small nod. "Sounds good, but be careful. Hopefully my EFS can help us detect anyone before they have a chance to attack."
[2013-09-05 17:58:45] * Red_Line sighs "Sorry I did not bring any food with me."
[2013-09-05 17:58:48] * Tiller walks up ahead of the group on the path, trying to keep his eyes open and alert.
[2013-09-05 17:59:10] <Somber> 12The road through the trees wound up and down.  The thick, verdant growth was somewhat odd for the wasteland.  This was clearly a place that never suffered a direct hit from a bomb.  Briars and nettles coiled around the pines, and large boulders loomed between the connifers.  As they moved further along, wisps of fog began to cross the cracked road.  Some
[2013-09-05 18:01:00] <Somber> 12where, far off in the distance, there came the sound of an exchange of gunfire.  Then it fell silent a few minutes later.  Somepony, or something, screamed in the woods... also cut silent.  Every minute, Skybright became more and more nervous.  They came across two pony corpses, shot dead, and picked clean of anything of value.  Then Tiller spotted a sign
[2013-09-05 18:02:04] * Aria moves closer to Skybright, walking with her protectively and giving her a reassuring smile.
[2013-09-05 18:02:08] <Somber> 12beside the road.  "Welcome to" and across it stretched a banner 'Camp Salvage!' it read, it's cheer degraded by the bullet holes recently fired into the fabric.
[2013-09-05 18:02:45] <Somber> 12"The... the camp is just ahead on the right... an old pre-war school, I think..." she muttered.
[2013-09-05 18:03:00] * Star_Chaser eartwitches at the odd sounds in the distance. That was not a good sign. "We'd better hurry." Someone was definitely attacking the camp. She turned along the roads towards the direction the sign indicated.
[2013-09-05 18:03:05] * Tiller stops a moment to take it in. Then he shudders, and moves on, ready to start sneaking as soon as the camp came into view.
[2013-09-05 18:04:10] * Red_Line points his horn to the sky as a small cloud forms
[2013-09-05 18:04:55] * Mad_Modd gets his grenade rifle out and ready "And why do I have this cannon? I miss my shotty.... that I lost... I think....."
[2013-09-05 18:05:34] <Somber> 12The mist obscured vision for more than a hundred feet.  The buildings in the distance were indistinct, but on the right of the road were some larger structures.  Another banner proclaiming 'welcome' was wrapped around the school's sign.  Followed by a sign that read "Orientation" and an arrow pointing towards the school building.  Beside it was a hoofball
[2013-09-05 18:05:55] * Tiller hisses back at the others. "Do you /want/ to advertise to everyone in camp that we're here? Let me scout it out first!"
[2013-09-05 18:06:14] <Somber> 12stadium.  "The tents were on the hoofball field." she said as she pointed a hoof towards the bleachers.  "I didn't get much further than there and orientation."
[2013-09-05 18:06:52] * Star_Chaser frowns, eartwitching and keeping her attention on the surroundings as much as possible. "Then go and scout, Tiller." She hissed quietly through her teeth. "I'd rather not stay in one place too long like this."
[2013-09-05 18:07:08] <Mad_Modd> "Then lets go to orientation. Sounds like a good place to start"
[2013-09-05 18:07:12] * Aria pulls out her 9-Iron, carrying it in her magic. She holds up her hoof to stop everyone and looks around to see if anything pops up on her EFS."
[2013-09-05 18:07:34] * Tiller frowns, but he lowers himself and begins prowling forwards.
[2013-09-05 18:08:16] * Aria points in the direction of the red and yellow blips and points them out to Tiller before he leaves. "There are ponies that way, that way, and that way. These directions have aggressive ponies."
[2013-09-05 18:10:13] <Mad_Modd> "Ummm.... non aggressive first? Mite be survivors."
[2013-09-05 18:11:45] * Star_Chaser trots around in small circles restlessly. She clearly wasn't happy with staying still like this. Especially not with enemies, and potential allies, around.
[2013-09-05 18:11:53] * Tiller moves towards orientation.
[2013-09-05 18:13:39] * Red_Line looks to Star_Chaser "Could you stay with Skybright? To keep her safe."
[2013-09-05 18:13:55] <Somber> 12The sign lead towards a gymnasium beside the school building.  The doors were open.  Inside was dark, save for a bright, flickering light.  A projector, actually, flashed a rectangle on a bare stretch of wall.  There were a few tables set up with signs like "How to tell scrap metal from ordinary junk" and "NCR liasion."  and "Get your supply chits."  A large
[2013-09-05 18:14:44] * Star_Chaser nods her head to Red_Line. "Shout if you find danger." She moves towards Skybright, keeping an eye on the surroundings.
[2013-09-05 18:14:45] <Somber> 12map showed what must have been the town... "Shady Hollow".
[2013-09-05 18:15:36] * Tiller sticks his head in the building and looks for... well, things that are alive.
[2013-09-05 18:15:58] * Tiller calls out. "I don't see anypony... but this place is really hinky."
[2013-09-05 18:16:35] * Red_Line moves up to Tiller
[2013-09-05 18:16:35] * Aria cringes as Tiller calls out. "He did not just do that while sneaking, did he?"
[2013-09-05 18:16:38] <Somber> 12Nothing alive.  There were bodies though... they looked like Skybright.  Just ordinary ponies coming to make a better life for themselves.
[2013-09-05 18:16:44] * Star_Chaser motions with a hoof. "Then we should check those non-hostile markers. Might be survivors. Others who fled the attack. We'll need to deal with the aggressive markers too. But saving those who are still alive comes first."
[2013-09-05 18:17:23] <Somber> 12"They'll probably avoid you... I mean... I would have if I could have." Skybright murmured.
[2013-09-05 18:17:29] * Tiller continues. "There's... *urk* a lotta dead bodies in here though..." He runs to a ditch and loses his lunch.
[2013-09-05 18:17:50] <Mad_Modd> "Non hostiles sound good."
[2013-09-05 18:17:54] * Red_Line looks in and sighs
[2013-09-05 18:18:05] <Somber> 12The bodies were stiff, but not quite swollen stage.
[2013-09-05 18:18:30] * Tiller dry heaves a couple times.
[2013-09-05 18:18:56] <Somber> 12The projector slide showed a message "Scrapyard Adventures welcomes you."
[2013-09-05 18:19:06] <Red_Line> "We can come back for them later."
[2013-09-05 18:19:18] * Mad_Modd looks in "Reminds me of this slaver encampment we cleaned out. Well.... after we helped clean it out."
[2013-09-05 18:19:18] * Star_Chaser gags a little at the state of the bodies. "We'd better hurry then. If they're scattering into the forest they won't last long." She looks to Aria. "Which way?"
[2013-09-05 18:19:19] * Red_Line closes the door
[2013-09-05 18:20:21] * Tiller wipes his mouth. "Uuurgh... Why... Who would do this? Why kill all these pon-" *URK*
[2013-09-05 18:20:45] * Tiller dry heaves again. "-Why kill all these ponies? What for?"
[2013-09-05 18:21:03] <Mad_Modd> "Right which way? Lives to save!"
[2013-09-05 18:21:33] * Red_Line looks at Tiller, moves over to him "Here." hoofs over his canteen
[2013-09-05 18:21:44] * Aria looks around. There's a few in the school, a few near the hoofball field, and a few scattered around.
[2013-09-05 18:22:11] * Tiller nods shakily. "T-thanks." He swigs, and returns the canteen. "Al-alright, which way to the survivor?"
[2013-09-05 18:23:11] * Aria points to the school. "There's some that way."
[2013-09-05 18:23:12] <Mad_Modd> "We should hurry. But keep together."
[2013-09-05 18:23:17] * Tiller looks around. "Umm... Okay." He starts moving towards school.
[2013-09-05 18:23:34] * Star_Chaser nods her head. "Alright. Let's go." She heads on towards the school to check for survivors.
[2013-09-05 18:23:42] <Somber> 12The door from the gymnasium to the school refused to open.  Something on the other side was blocking it.
[2013-09-05 18:25:06] * Tiller stands back from the door. "It's... blocked, or something. Uh, maybe we should check around back...?" He starts to circle around the building counterclockwise.
[2013-09-05 18:25:21] * Mad_Modd knocks on the door "Hello?"
[2013-09-05 18:25:54] <Red_Line> "They may barricaded them selfs in."
[2013-09-05 18:26:37] <Red_Line> "Thats a good sine."
[2013-09-05 18:26:56] * Star_Chaser moves off with Tiller, she wasn't going to let him go off alone. "Stay here. We'll try to open the door from the other side. You lot check the room, see if there's anything you can find about who attacked them, or why."
[2013-09-05 18:27:42] <Somber> 12Moving around the school, it's clear that the building was fortified a long time ago.  The side entrances were locked, with the locks melted by a blow torch so they'd never open again, and the main entrance was baracaded.  "NCR LIES" was spray painted across the doors.  They also came across a strange vending machine.  It looked like a soda dispenser, but
[2013-09-05 18:28:41] <Somber> 12fancier.  'Gunrunner's Finest' was labeled on the front and the buttons had ammo rather than soda selections.
[2013-09-05 18:28:49] * Red_Line checks out the vending machine
[2013-09-05 18:29:11] <Somber> 12From the broken tools around it, clearly somepony tried VERY hard to break it open with no luck.
[2013-09-05 18:29:37] * Aria blinks. "A vending machine... for ammo? What?"
[2013-09-05 18:30:01] * Star_Chaser raises an eyebrow at the machine. "Odd. I've seen the Ironshod Firearms machines. But never one for Gunrunner's." She frowns. "Guess it might be a good source of munitions if we can find some bits." She looks up at the main doors. "Yeah. News at eleven. Governments lie to their citizens for their own gains."
[2013-09-05 18:30:08] * Mad_Modd "Maybe this place isn't all bad."
[2013-09-05 18:32:37] <Mad_Modd> "Things use tokens? Not bits or caps..... wonder if there are any around. I'd use Big Boom here but that mite cause a problem."
[2013-09-05 18:33:13] <Red_Line> "And blow up whats in side."
[2013-09-05 18:33:47] <Mad_Modd> "And with it being a ammo vending machine..."
[2013-09-05 18:34:23] <Somber> 12The front doors had been fortified long ago.  Apparently someponies had once called this school home... or base... or scantuary.  Now they'd been further barricaded inside.  It was going to take some effort to force their way in.
[2013-09-05 18:34:59] * Tiller "Um... Let's... Let's try the gym."
[2013-09-05 18:35:04] * Mad_Modd knocks on the door again, much more loudly "HELLO!? We're here to help!"
[2013-09-05 18:35:25] <Somber> 12There was no answer.
[2013-09-05 18:36:24] * Tiller points at the gym. Again."
[2013-09-05 18:36:26] * Red_Line looks to Skybright " Do you know some of the ponies here?"
[2013-09-05 18:36:31] <Somber> 12"Hello!  We're here to help!" somepony calls out off in the fog.
[2013-09-05 18:36:50] <Somber> 12There was loud rocous laughter in the mist.
[2013-09-05 18:37:11] <Somber> 12Skybright shakes her head.
[2013-09-05 18:37:24] * Mad_Modd sighs "I swear if it's raiders..... or gremlins..."
[2013-09-05 18:37:38] * Tiller was pretty unnerved before, he thought. Now he was very sure that wasn't the feeling of being unnerved, because /this/ was definitely the feeling of being unnerved.
[2013-09-05 18:37:43] * Red_Line turns around and looks for where that voice came from
[2013-09-05 18:37:57] * Aria stops. "I don't think that was an echo..."
[2013-09-05 18:38:00] * Tiller makes for the gym just about as fast as he can go without actually running.
[2013-09-05 18:38:26] <Somber> 12The gym was just as empty.  The projector continued to be the only source of illumination.
[2013-09-05 18:39:33] <Somber> 12From the direction of the shout, across the street, was some sort of fast food building.  "Feeding Trough".
[2013-09-05 18:41:58] * Aria looks around. "Let's get inside. I don't like this fog..."
[2013-09-05 18:43:06] <Somber> 12"It was like this last night too.  I didn't think mountains could get foggy... I don't like any of this wild weather..." Skybright mutters.
[2013-09-05 18:44:04] * Star_Chaser eartwitches and frowns. "For now, we'll head to the gym, see what we can find. Then check that building across the street. If we're lucky, there might be food supplies there we can raid. We're on our own, for now. Time to start working to not starve."
[2013-09-05 18:44:39] <Mad_Modd> "I got some Cram...."
[2013-09-05 18:44:41] * Aria nods. "Sounds like a plan."
[2013-09-05 18:44:52] <Somber> 12While the gym was dark save for the sole projector, it was also out of the fog.  Most of the stands had been wrecked, but at least nopony had started a fire.
[2013-09-05 18:45:30] <Somber> 12Besides the door to the school, there was also a locker room in the back.
[2013-09-05 18:46:02] * Mad_Modd goes to investigate the locker room "Hey Aria come with me."
[2013-09-05 18:46:15] * Red_Line moves to the locker room
[2013-09-05 18:46:44] * Aria looks around before saying. "I think we should all stick together. Safety in numbers, you know?"
[2013-09-05 18:46:45] * Tiller brightens up. "Actually, mountains get foggy and wet because of adiabatic cooling. As air is pushed up the mountains it expands and cools, and the water vapor condenses out of it into clouds, fog, and rain. Which is why this place is so... foggy..."
[2013-09-05 18:46:48] * Tiller shivers.
[2013-09-05 18:49:40] * Aria turns on the Light spell on her Pipbuck as they enter the locker room. "I can hardly see anything in here."
[2013-09-05 18:50:04] <Mad_Modd> "Knew I should of bought a flashlight."
[2013-09-05 18:50:46] * Star_Chaser frowns and glances around the room. "Someone went out of their way to wreck whatever lighting the ponies here already had set up..." She moved to set the projector back upright.
[2013-09-05 18:51:51] <Somber> 12Indeed.  It also didn't help that the lockers looked like they'd been used to hold two centuries of junk.  There were baseballs, deflated hoofballs and basketballs.  Old, dry rotted bats and rotten catchers mits and all kinds of other garbage.  The empty lockers gaped wide open, holding gym clothes 200 years overdue for a wash and shower stalls that hadn't
[2013-09-05 18:52:05] * Red_Line shrugs see's if the projector can be moved
[2013-09-05 18:52:08] <Somber> 12been used for more than 200 years.  In the back was a tossed coach's office.
[2013-09-05 18:53:17] <Somber> 12The projector can be set upright.  under the table, half covered by a sheet, is the old player it's connected too.
[2013-09-05 18:53:46] * Aria recoils at the smell from the rotting, nasty clothes before moving into the Coach's office.
[2013-09-05 18:54:09] * Mad_Modd looks about... or tries "Something's off bout this building. Think that projector could give us some better light?"
[2013-09-05 18:54:22] * Tiller sets the projector upright and turns it on.
[2013-09-05 18:54:46] * Star_Chaser pulls the sheet back a bit. "Guess it might be useful if we can find something to project with it..." She looks at the controls to see if there was a way to cycle through the slides. Maybe see what else the 'orientation' was meant to have.
[2013-09-05 18:55:13] <Somber> 12She finds her first old body... a pile of hide and bones of a unicorn.  The noose still hangs from the ceiling pipe.  There are news paper clippings of the Hollowers going to state right before the bombs fell.
[2013-09-05 18:55:25] <Mad_Modd> "Or use it as a big ass flashlight?"
[2013-09-05 18:56:48] * Tiller shrugs. "Just don't blind anypony with it, okay?"
[2013-09-05 18:57:19] * Aria looks at the body, the noose, and the newspaper. "I'm sorry," she tells the corpse before searching the room for anything useful, trying to avoid the hanging body.
[2013-09-05 18:57:23] * Mad_Modd "Ok." takes the projector and tries to light up the locker room with it
[2013-09-05 18:57:32] <Somber> 12When star presses the button on the player, there is a fizzle and loud prewar music begins to play.  A MoM tuba rich melody meant to inspire and uplift.  Then an image of an Earth Pony stallion appeared, grinning from ear to ear like everypony's favorite slightly dishonest uncle.  "Welcome, Everypony, and welcome to Shady Hollows, Equestria's primere location
[2013-09-05 18:57:44] <Somber> 12for salvage and opportunity for profits!"
[2013-09-05 18:58:12] * Star_Chaser flattens her ears at the sudden loud music, looking for any signs of a volume control. She didn't need to wake the neighbors. Or... You know, whatever monsters passed for neighbors.
[2013-09-05 18:59:12] * Aria jumps at the sudden sound from the projector, almost stumbling into the coach's hanging corpse, before looking back into the locker room and at the video."
[2013-09-05 18:59:18] * Mad_Modd flails and desperately tries to shut the sound off "Fuck fuck fuck!"
[2013-09-05 18:59:23] * Red_Line see's that more capable ponies got there hooves on the projector, moves to the door we came in
[2013-09-05 18:59:57] * Tiller waves at Mad_Modd. "No, no, leave it running. I wanna watch."
[2013-09-05 19:00:07] <Somber> 12There was a broken off tab next to 'volume'.  "My name is Scrapyard, and I am the greatest recycler and repurposer in all the wasteland, and I'd like to thank you for coming here to Shady Hollows.  So go ahead and take a seat and we'll get you squared away, alright!"  Apparently the fragile player is stuck on autorun.
[2013-09-05 19:00:54] * Mad_Modd sighs and points it the wall or a screen looking place
[2013-09-05 19:01:47] * Star_Chaser groans, moving to take a seat, but also taking regular glances towards the doors into the gym.
[2013-09-05 19:02:49] * Red_Line looks out the door to make sure that nothing is coming
[2013-09-05 19:03:19] <Somber> 12The next picture showed a small town, clearly from before the bombs fell.  On one side was the school they were in.  There was a fast food joint.  A couple of shops along mane street.  In the distance were a few more large buildings.  In the back ground was a large six story building on the mountain side above the town.  "Shady Hollow was a fine little town
[2013-09-05 19:05:03] <Somber> 12prior to the bombs dropping, but thanks to its proximity on the edge of the ever free forest, was spared direct annihilation by the bombs.  Being so remote, its escaped the majority of looting so commonplace around the rest of the wasteland.  When it was discovered two years ago, an effort was made to organize a systematic reclaimation of its riches rather
[2013-09-05 19:05:23] <Somber> 12than allowing it to become a home for elements opposed to the NCR."
[2013-09-05 19:08:47] <Somber> 12The next slide showed a unicorn with their horn glowing and a pegasus in flight, but crossed out.  "Now, first things first.  I know it may sound odd, but due to some problems we've had with the local wild life, Pegasi folks are encouraged to fly as little as possible and to keep low to the ground.  And for unicorns who know how to teleport, there's been some
[2013-09-05 19:09:12] <Aria> "Smart move," Aria says before scanning her EFS again.
[2013-09-05 19:09:15] <Somber> 12accidents involving teleportation and so for your own safety please abstain from using it."
[2013-09-05 19:11:11] * Tiller cocks an eyebrow. "Very peculiar."
[2013-09-05 19:11:28] * Aria frowns. "I still wish I could master teleportation. That's such a useful spell."
[2013-09-05 19:11:31] <Mad_Modd> "Wierd RADs?"
[2013-09-05 19:11:38] <Somber> 12The slide show talked about getting a tent in the stadium, warned about natural threats such as giant scorpions, radhogs, and timberwolves that may have moved into the ruins, so stay armed at all times.  Then it went over salvage and pay.  To prevent problems with bottlecaps, all ponies would be paid in chits.  It showed a round coin.  "You've likely seen
[2013-09-05 19:12:41] * Star_Chaser beat her wings in annoyance. "Grounded. Not surprising. With all that fog out there, it'd be hard to find anything on the ground without clearing it."
[2013-09-05 19:12:57] <Somber> 12some of the vending machines around holding food, medicine, ammo and guns?  My own invention.  Each one takes a special chit.  You can check them out through the quartermaster.  When you leave, your salvage value will be tallied and you'll be paid on departure."
[2013-09-05 19:13:30] * Tiller exclaims, "What the fuck you mean /CHITS!?/ I don't need garbage, I need fucking CAPS!"
[2013-09-05 19:14:52] * Tiller "Well, this is roundly fucked." He shifts his eyes around. "I don't think the quartermaster is even /alive/ anymore. What the hell am I gonna take back to that damn loan shark?!"
[2013-09-05 19:15:31] * Aria rubs her chin. "It's a way to manage money and have it flow through him. He probably allows trading the chits for caps or NCR bits when we leave, or at least that was probably the plan."
[2013-09-05 19:16:15] <Somber> 12"If you run into any trouble or problems, please contact the NCR or security to deal with it.  Work in pairs..." and so on.  Finally the image flickered "So, head on over to the school to get any equipment you might be missing and welcome again to Shady Hollow!  Your adventure beginzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE...."  The player begins to screech louder and louder
[2013-09-05 19:16:28] <Somber> 12as Scrapyard grins from ear to ear on the screen.
[2013-09-05 19:16:29] * Tiller scowls. "I /don't/ wanna owe my soul to the company store. We'd better find something... or... or..." He shrinks. "Shit."
[2013-09-05 19:17:53] * Star_Chaser flattens her ears. "Turn it off! Turn it off now!" She began to search for a plug or something to stop it.
[2013-09-05 19:17:59] * Mad_Modd resets the projector and uses it as a flashlight
[2013-09-05 19:18:00] <Red_Line> "So we move on the fast food shop next?"
[2013-09-05 19:18:28] <Somber> 12The projector bulb pops like a bullet and the player gives one last fizzle and goes silent.
[2013-09-05 19:18:54] * Star_Chaser snorts and looks towards Tiller. "You could just spend the chits on ammo or weapons then haul those back and sell them for caps. The NCR always seems to be in the market for more weapons."
[2013-09-05 19:20:12] * Mad_Modd sighs and sees if anything useful is in it
[2013-09-05 19:20:44] * Aria cringes at the shrieking and rubs her right ear with her hoof. "Ouch..."