[13:28] <~Kumaton> It's a little bit after noon, and there's only a few stragglers outside of the Vault doors, milling about, turning their heads when they see the four of you walk past. You walk down the path to the town of Albert-Lea itself, earily quiet, without any other travelers in the roads or in the empty, ruined buildings.
[13:29] <~Kumaton> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrE5OCRgfSg
[13:29] <Lucy> "Where's our first stop?"
[13:30] <~Kumaton> You only have a few ideas of where to go. There's Edina, which is north, and then St. Cloud, which is Northwest. Other than that, though, you don't know what to expect or how to get there.
[13:32] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE : [pestering beeping]
[13:32] <Lucy> (Is the interstate north still intact for us to take?)
[13:33] <Doc_Bronson> "Well, I haven't heard anything good about St. Cloud. Head towards Edina, with as direct a route as possible?'
[13:33] <Lucy> (Also, have we filled Doc Bronson in on our activities in the last session?)
[13:33] <Bison> "What is in Edina?"
[13:33] <Ben_Braddock> ".... Ahem. Ashley's first recommended stop is St. Cloud. It's juuuust on the outskirts of part of the Trinity. The doc here has nothing to worry about, but for everyone else, we've got some rad protection here." He says, holding up his supplies.
[13:34] <Doc_Bronson> "Oh! My apologies, Ashley."
[13:34] <~Kumaton> From what you can see, and you can see a long while in the clear weather, it's mostly intact, though suffering from the same amount of ruin and decay that most pre-war highways are nowadays. It's somewhat covered in snow, but it's easy to make out where the road ends and where the ground begins.
[13:36] <Lucy> "I do have some work in St. Cloud"
[13:36] <Ben_Braddock> "It's fine. She's /probably/ fine with us taking a detour, but insists the sooner the better."
[13:36] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [sighing beeping]
[13:36] <Lucy> "I met up with Dr. Williams, a ghoul I knew back in Springfield. He wanted to know if I could find some weather data from a university in St. Cloud that his colleagues were working on"
[13:36] <Bison> "St. Cloud is as good as Edina for me."
[13:37] <Doc_Bronson> "Then St. Cloud it is!"
[13:37] <Lucy> "We can hit Edina on our way back to the Vault by taking the road"
[13:38] <Ben_Braddock> "Then it's settled! And here you thought we'd veer off-course immediately."
[13:39] <Lucy> (Also just so everyone knows, I'm going to try and keep up with marking locations on my Google Earth map)
[13:39] <~Kumaton> [Bison also got a map from Hardin]
[13:40] * Bison holds up the map to the rest of them.
[13:41] * Ben_Braddock will point out the St Cloud location on said map.
[13:41] <Ben_Braddock> "So! Anyone here have experience with radiation and what lies within it? Pretty sure the closest rad-related thing I've experienced is a giant green roach. Blech."
[13:42] <Ben_Braddock> (Even a legendary glowing radroach dies in one bullet.)
[13:42] <Lucy> "Dad and I usually skirted around irradiated zones, but I'm knowledgeable about ghoulification"
[13:42] <Doc_Bronson> "Yes! Though my specialty is FEV and associated radioactivity activated epigenetic growth."
[13:43] <Lucy> "Had to diagnose poor Williams with it back when I was working for the doctor"
[13:45] <Bison> "The Dead Earth is dangerous.  Food there makes you sick, and if you stay there too long, you'll die.  Best to avoid it."
[13:46] <Ben_Braddock> "Well good to know we've got a few people who know a fair bit."
[13:47] <Lucy> "Anyone here got a rad counter so we can figure out we're walking into a hot zone before we start feeling something itch?"
[13:47] <Ben_Braddock> (Inb4 no one has a pip boy.)
[13:49] <Doc_Bronson> "Unfortunately I do not. My last gave up the ghost a few hot spots back."
[13:50] <Bison> "What's a rad counter?"
[13:50] <Ben_Braddock> "... You wouldn't happen to have one of those built into you, would you, Ashley? What with the whole 'survey droid' thing."
[13:51] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [gimme a second beeping]
[13:51] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE : ...
[13:51] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [yes]
[13:52] <Lucy> "Well, I guess we're safe-ish!"
[13:52] <Ben_Braddock> "... Huh. Well good! Ashley's got us covered. So long as nothing dents her, we're gold."
[13:53] <Doc_Bronson> "Excellent! I was going to suggest we try to find some relatively unmutated fruit flies or rats, but this is much better."
[13:53] <Lucy> "How long do you think it'll take us to hoof it to St. Cloud?"
[13:54] <~Kumaton> [Are you asking ASH:LE?]
[13:57] <Ben_Braddock> (Entered dead zone)
[13:58] <Lucy> (Yeah, let's assume I am)
[13:58] <Ben_Braddock> (Back on wifi)
[13:58] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [annoyed beeping]
[14:02] <~Kumaton> [Ben, I sent you the answer]
[14:04] <Ben_Braddock> "... Owch. Removing the obscenities, she says 30 hours. And to get your own computer."
[14:05] <Lucy> "Pfh. Sure, I'll just pluck one off a tree on the road"
[14:06] <Lucy> "All right, let's get ramblin"
[14:07] <~Kumaton> [Just for the record, I'm doing the FO1+2 style of traveling where it's just how many hours elapse + random encounters]
[14:07] <Ben_Braddock> (So if we have a fast computer we'll zoom across the wastes)
[14:07] <~Kumaton> [Yeah, pretty much.]
[14:10] <~Kumaton> You begin on the road, feeling the snow crunch under your feet and the sound of bootheels hitting concrete. The road is pock marked with trees, the occasional bush, and the sight of grass and flowers peeking up from underneath snow. The blizzards may have subsided, but the spring has only just started.
[14:10] <Lucy> (I'm walking with my Mini-14 in my hands and the safety on)
[14:11] <Bison> (Spear put away)
[14:11] <Bison> (Looking for medicinal herbs and easily carryable edibles
[14:12] <Ben_Braddock> (Revolvers holstered)
[14:12] <~Kumaton> After about two hours of traveling, you see a very small group of dots on the horizon, one big being and several smaller ones walking towards you. They're moving at a steady pace.
[14:13] <~Kumaton> They don't seem to be noticing you.
[14:14] * Bison pauses. "What should we do?"
[14:14] <Ben_Braddock> Can I make out more of it with a Perception check?
[14:14] <~Kumaton> Sure!
[14:14] <Ben_Braddock> !roll 3d6
[14:14] <Krysmbot> Ben_Braddock, 12 = 12
[14:15] <Ben_Braddock> ... Darn. My PER is an 11.
[14:15] <~Kumaton> [I keep forgetting to pull your guy's sheets up, sorry].
[14:15] <~Kumaton> [So thanks for covering for me :X]
[14:15] <~Kumaton> They look like people, and the big one looks like a beast, or an animal, or something four-legged, at least.
[14:16] <Bison> !roll 3d6
[14:16] <Krysmbot> Bison, 5 = 5
[14:16] <Ben_Braddock> (Methinks he has a better view)
[14:17] <~Kumaton> They're people, all right. The big one has a metallic sheen to it, and has two arms, so maybe a robot. They're about 200-250 yards away from you, and you feel like your voice could carry enough so they can hear most of what you're saying.
[14:18] <Lucy> (Hey, I got pulled into work. I'm going to see about pulling this chatroom up on mobile before I go)
[14:18] <Ben_Braddock> (My first thought: "oh fuck a sentrybot this early?")
[14:19] <~Kumaton> ["When the GM smiles, you're in for a bad time." (Paraphrased)]
[14:19] * Bison whispers. "Big man, maybe a metal thing of the ancestors."
[14:19] <~Kumaton> [Of course, that might not wholly apply here...]
[14:20] <Doc_Bronson> (Going to be optimistic and hope it's a friendly protectotron!)
[14:20] <Lucy> "Should I take up an overwatch position just in case?"
[14:21] * Ben_Braddock quietly responds. "I see... Well if the robot isn't attacking them, they must own it. And raiders probably don't have the brainpower to rewire an active robot."
[14:21] *** Lucy_Setters (~cgiirc@F2028A81.BF366410.723A7BD4.IP) joined
[14:22] <Lucy_Setters> It works!
[14:22] <~Kumaton> Nice!
[14:22] *** Lucy quit (Quit: CGI:IRC)
[14:23] <Doc_Bronson> "Risk trying to communicate, then?"
[14:23] <Ben_Braddock> "I'm going to at least try to be friendly, yeah."
[14:24] <Ben_Braddock> "Feel free to hide off somewhere if you don't like that, mind you."
[14:24] * Bison nods
[14:24] <Lucy_Setters> "All right. Let's see if your plan holds water"
[14:25] * Ben_Braddock will call out once everyone's taken up their choice of positions. "Hello there!" he says, waving at the prospective new friends.
[14:25] <Ben_Braddock> (Considering Penetrating Voice it's not even a question if they hear me)
[14:25] <~Kumaton> You see a bit of a scuffle with the people, then one of them pulls out a weirdly-shaped object from the robot.
[14:26] <~Kumaton> "YA'LL FRIENDLY?" a voice booms from the group. It sounds like it's coming from some sort of voice amplifier.
[14:26] *** Lucy_Setters quit (Quit: CGI:IRC (EOF))
[14:27] <Ben_Braddock> "We mean you no harm! Just want to chat, if that's alright!" Ben will place both hands up to indicate their empty status.
[14:27] <~Kumaton> "ALRIGHT." The group continues to move.
[14:28] <~Kumaton> The quickest way to meet them would probably be to move with them.
[14:28] <Ben_Braddock> If it's on our track, let's go for it! Or at least, I will.
[14:29] <Bison> I'm walking behind, but holding my spear
[14:30] *** Lucy (~cgiirc@F2028A81.BF366410.723A7BD4.IP) joined
[14:31] <Lucy> (Damn mobile)
[14:31] <Ben_Braddock> (They appear neutral)
[14:31] * Lucy looks for nearby cover
[14:32] * Doc_Bronson walks back with Bison, but gives a big friendly wave.
[14:32] <Ben_Braddock> (We're heading to meet with them, but you can presumably follow under cover)
[14:33] <~Kumaton> The bits of cover you can find are trails of rusted-out cars on the road.
[14:35] *** Lucy quit (Quit: CGI:IRC (EOF))
[14:35] <Ben_Braddock> It would seem Lucy is being cautious and keeping behind cover while everyone else tries to catch up to what I at least assume is a caravan.
[14:36] *** Lucy (~cgiirc@F2028A81.BF366410.723A7BD4.IP) joined
[14:36] <Lucy> (Any time I lock my phone the chat breaks)
[14:37] <~Kumaton> As you continue to the group, you can hear the sound of the robot's motor running, and when you get close enough, you can see the robot is a standard-model Sentry Bot, covered in leather sacks and bags. There are three other members of the group, a man in a large blue coat, another man with a plaid shirt, and someone completely covered up in a sort of bulky enviroment suit.
[14:38] <~Kumaton> They return Bronson's wave, not suprised by him in the slightest. "Not often you see a Jotunn down here." the blue coated man comments.
[14:40] <Ben_Braddock> (Jotunn? A giant?)
[14:40] <Ben_Braddock> (Oh)
[14:40] <Lucy> "Jotuun?"
[14:41] <Doc_Bronson> "I'm from points south; only recently come to the area."
[14:41] <~Kumaton> "Big things. Like you. Just white." says the thing in the suit.
[14:41] <Bison> "And where do you come from?"
[14:42] <~Kumaton> The man in the plaid digs in the bag and pulls out a sort of head - a big white thing about the size of Bronson's head, if a little bit smaller, completely bald, covered in scars, with it's eyes and mouth stitched up and a big metal ring attatched to the stump. "Looks like this." he says.
[14:43] <Lucy> "You a...hunter, or something?"
[14:43] <Doc_Bronson> "Fascinating! Do you mind if I take a look at that?"
[14:43] <Doc_Bronson> "I'd like to take a small skin sample..."
[14:43] <Ben_Braddock> "Yeesh..." Been tries to alter the subject. "That's a pretty hefty bot you've got there. You part of a caravan or something?"
[14:44] <Ben_Braddock> (Inb4jealouseyebot)
[14:44] * Doc_Bronson imagines it would be rude to ask if there was any brain matter left inside there.
[14:44] <~Kumaton> The blue coat chuckles. "We sell souvenirs. Mostly old-world stuff, but we dabble in some...other things."
[14:44] <~Kumaton> He looks at Bronson. "What are you willing to give for it?"
[14:47] <Doc_Bronson> (Kuma, do I have my leftover starting cash in local currency/caps?)
[14:47] <Ben_Braddock> (If you had any on your sheet, you should like I did)
[14:47] <~Kumaton> [Yeah. $ is pretty much a catch-all for whatever money you have, I'm not gonna worry about local currency.]
[14:53] <Doc_Bronson> The clank of currency is obvious. "What do you want for it?"
[14:53] <~Kumaton> "Not to picky. Just want it off our hands. $250?"
[14:54] <Doc_Bronson> "I'm not one to haggle! ...But before I take it, is anyone out looking for revenge on this fellow's behalf?"
[14:55] * Ben_Braddock will just look over how this robot looks while Bronson wheels and deals. Maybe he can see whatever the heck is /powering/ this huge thing.
[14:56] <~Kumaton> "Nope. Let's just say we found this fella out by the side of the road. Don't think any of the Ojibwe or the folks up in Ponemah would be none to happy 'bout it, though."
[14:56] <Lucy> "Jotuun are popular around them?"
[14:57] <Doc_Bronson> "Good to know. How, err, old is it?"
[14:57] <~Kumaton> "Live near 'em. They get along famously. Ojibwe helped 'em survive, Jotunn kept the bad guys away. Nobody fucks with an 8-foot-tall mutie."
[14:57] * Doc_Bronson gets ready to hand over the dinero.
[14:57] <~Kumaton> "Eh, bout 2 years. Keep it in ice so it doesn't decay."
[14:59] * Bison Motions to Doc Bronson
[15:00] <Doc_Bronson> "Oh, I'll take good care of it."
[15:00] * Doc_Bronson glances back to Bison. "Yes?"
[15:00] <Bison> "Why do you want this thing", he asks quietly, so the strangers can't hear.  "You didn't kill it so it is useless to you as a trophy.  Some might use a head to make magic with, but I don't know that you have that skill.  You don't mean to eat it, do you?", he asks, with concern.
[15:02] <Doc_Bronson> "Oh, no indeed! I intend to study it, and find out what, err, sort of person it was."
[15:02] <~Kumaton> [Bronson begins gnawing on the head immediately after recieving it.]
[15:02] <Ben_Braddock> (Super mutants prefer livers and hearts thank you.)
[15:03] <Bison> "It was a Jotunn."
[15:04] * Doc_Bronson pats his large metal case. "I have tools that will help me find out more about it, Bison."
[15:04] <Ben_Braddock> "So, you said you had old world widgets, yeah? You scavengers or so? I can't imagine how you got this robot otherwise."
[15:05] <Ben_Braddock> He says trying to sound impressed.
[15:05] <~Kumaton> "Found it in a factory. Don't know which one." the suited one says.
[15:06] <~Kumaton> "Powered with fusion cores." the blue coat pats the robot proudly. "We disabled most of it's systems to let it last for a long time. No speech, no weapons, pretty but nothing but movement and following."
[15:06] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE : [horrified beeping]
[15:07] <Ben_Braddock> "Ah..." Ben tries to hide his wince. "Well, you wouldn't have found a Pip-Boy or, failing that, a Geiger counter in one of those factories, would you? Or, equally useful, one of these." He shows one of his music holotapes.
[15:08] <~Kumaton> The blue coat scratches his chin. "You'll have to be lucky to find a Pip-Boy. They mark up the prices in 23 so high that you'll have to be richer than God to afford one."
[15:08] <~Kumaton> "As for Geiger counters...hm..." he carefully picks through a bag, then shakes his head. "Nothin', sorry."
[15:09] <Ben_Braddock> "On the plus side, if I do find one, odds are it'll still work. I mean, supposedly they were built to withstand a bomb falling on em."
[15:09] <~Kumaton> "And those Holotapes...I think BKM Recording used to be headquartered in Duluth..."
[15:09] <~Kumaton> "Alexandria." the suited one corrects him.
[15:09] <~Kumaton> "Yeah, Alexandria. Know where that is? It's past St. Cloud a ways."
[15:13] <Ben_Braddock> "I think I remember a few mentions of that area, yeah. Thanks. Oh, and if you're ever headed the way we're coming from, feel free to tune into 140.07 AM. I've got it on auto-play for now, but I'll add more tracks when I find em."
[15:14] <~Kumaton> "I don't have a radio, but if we get one, I'll keep that in mind. Anything's better than Paulie these days."
[15:15] <Ben_Braddock> (And I think we've gotten all we can out of this random encounter outside of a line I want to go over once we're out of earshot)
[15:15] <~Kumaton> [Yeah, pretty much.]
[15:19] <Ben_Braddock> Once actually moved on, Ben will sigh in relief. "What a waste. They find something that looks like it could clear a city block without a scratch and they turned it into a walking coat rack."
[15:19] <Doc_Bronson> "Well, there's something to be said for furniture that can fight off a small army."
[15:19] <Doc_Bronson> "But when we get a moment to stop, I want to run some tests on this head."
[15:20] <Ben_Braddock> "Except it can't. They've disabled its weapons, and probably all of its combat AI routines. It's about as sentient as a computer terminal at this point."
[15:20] <~Kumaton> So about two hours have elapsed since you left Albert-Lea. It's about 2 pm. How much longer do you want to keep traveling?
[15:21] <Ben_Braddock> We probably want to set up camp around 8-10 PM so we can wake up bright and early, yeah?
[15:22] *** Lucy_Setters (~cgiirc@synIRC-F479A281.se.biz.rr.com) joined
[15:22] <Lucy_Setters> (Back on a computer for a bit)
[15:22] *** Lucy quit (Quit: CGI:IRC (EOF))
[15:22] <Doc_Bronson> "Oh. OH. Well. That's, uh, that's an interesting choice."
[15:24] <Ben_Braddock> "Then again I'm probably the only person in the state who cares about robot feelings."
[15:24] <Lucy_Setters> "Nah, I don't think it's that harsh Ben"
[15:25] <Doc_Bronson> (Set up camp around sundown?)
[15:25] <Lucy_Setters> "I mean, a brain's a brain. Wouldn't shoot a dog just because it's not human"
[15:25] <Lucy_Setters> (Sounds good)
[15:26] <Bison> "Dogs make good eating."
[15:26] <Bison> "Metal men, not so much."
[15:27] <Lucy_Setters> "Yeah, but you kill things for a REASON. You wouldn't just euthanize a dog for being in your way, right? You'd shoot it if you needed food, or if it attacked you or got too sick to survive without a lot of pain. But you give them some kinda respect. You make them companions"
[15:27] <Lucy_Setters> "A lot of people though, they'd do the equivalent of lobotomizing and murdering robots just for being inconvenient"
[15:27] <Lucy_Setters> "I don't see how that makes a whole lot of sense, just 'cause their brains are made of metal"
[15:28] * Bison thinks. "They were made by the ancestors, yes? So it is wrong to damage them. If they were made by men, it would not be."
[15:30] <Lucy_Setters> "When a robot feels pain, how do we know it's different from one of us feeling pain?"
[15:31] <~Kumaton> [Let's say you're continuing on your way while you're conversing just to make traveling easier.]
[15:31] <Bison> (sure)
[15:31] <Ben_Braddock> "Most of em can think and, to some extent, feel. The fact that we can have a conversation with Ashley pretty much proves that part. Ain't that right?" He tries playing up the moment by giving the eyebot a hug.
[15:31] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [disgusted beeping]
[15:32] <Doc_Bronson> "That's a pretty heavy philosophical question, Lucy! I know....I've known a few people who insist that robots can't be truly self aware due to a lack of biological substrate, though I tend to doubt that."
[15:32] <Bison> "Just because they can think doesn't make them people.  The raiders who attacked my village can think, but they're not people."
[15:32] <Doc_Bronson> "Ah, so you believe that the actions of an individual can remove them from the category of "person", Bison?"
[15:32] <Ben_Braddock> "Ouch. That's harsh, Ashley. But fine. 3 feet of personal space from here on."
[15:34] <Bison> "I don't know.  I don't think so.  People are people, even if they do evil things.  But perhaps, if someone does something so bad that he is cast out, he may stop being a person."
[15:36] <Bison> "But one's actions doesn't control whether or not he or she is a person.  Just what type of person he or she is."
[15:37] <Ben_Braddock> (Major philosophy chat up in here)
[15:37] <~Kumaton> [I was about to comment, high quality philosphical discussions in pretendgames]
[15:38] <Bison> "But the raiders who attacked my tribe were never people.  They were the Enemy"
[15:39] <Doc_Bronson> "Oh? Care to expand on that, Bison?"
[15:41] <Bison> "People are descended from the ancestors who fled the place of the swift trees when the Enemy attacked.  The Runners Through Grass are some of the People, as are the Black Legs and the Sons of the Rabbit."
[15:42] <Bison> "There are other people, not of those three groups."
[15:43] <Bison> Of course
[15:44] <Bison> "Do you not know the stories of the before times?"
[15:44] <Lucy_Setters> "Probably not YOUR stories"
[15:45] <Bison> "In the before times, lived the ancestors, and they lived like gods.  They had great sorcerers among them, and smiths, and they could make what they chose and live like they chose, and no one ever went hungry."
[15:46] <Doc_Bronson> "So, do you think we're people, Bison?"
[15:46] <Bison> "They had the great black burning water, which gave them their power."
[15:47] <Bison> He looks at Doc.  "It's not my place to say." and then turns away, quiet. his jaw set.
[15:49] * Ben_Braddock just starts humming America the Beautiful to himself.
[15:50] <~Kumaton> [So, just so I don't forget this at the end of the session like the last few times, everyone's getting 6 points from that.]
[15:51] <Doc_Bronson> "Well, anthropology was never my strong suit."
[15:51] <Bison> [for each of the three sessions?]
[15:51] <Ben_Braddock> (Oh! I have something I want to get with that I think)
[15:51] <~Kumaton> [For this conversation you just had.]
[15:51] <Ben_Braddock> (I need to see how many points it is but)
[15:51] <~Kumaton> [And 3 for the last two sessions since I forgot :X]
[15:52] <Ben_Braddock> (Negotiation is a skill, yeah? I want to invest in that)
[15:52] <Lucy_Setters> (So 3 points per session?)
[15:52] <Bison> (Next on the radio....
[15:52] <Bison> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4_COOh4VXw
[15:52] <~Kumaton> [3 points, yeah.]
[15:53] <Ben_Braddock> (So 12 points total.)
[15:54] <Ben_Braddock> (Huh. Negotiation isn't a skill. But Merchant is!)
[15:56] <~Kumaton> The road continues for a long stretch. There's mile markers and rusted road signs, but none of them look like places you want to go - names like 'Geneva' and ones that you're not sure how to even pronounce. However, according to a road sign, the highway you're on cuts through a town called Owatonna in about 5 miles.
[15:56] <~Kumaton> The sun is barely to the horizon. You're not sure what time it is.
[15:58] <Bison> (there are other influence skills...Diplomacy, fast talk, intimidation, sex appeal, streetwise)
[15:59] <Ben_Braddock> (I have Diplomacy and Streetwise)
[15:59] <Ben_Braddock> (But nothing directly for buying and selling or otherwise haggling)
[16:00] <Bison> that'(Yea, that's merchant skill)
[16:01] <Ben_Braddock> (I just have to figure out the price in points for what I want.)
[16:01] <Doc_Bronson> "Do we want to try to make that town before nightfall?"
[16:02] <Bison> "How far away is it?"
[16:02] <Doc_Bronson> "The sign says five miles, but who knows what's in the way..."
[16:03] <Bison> "And who knows what's there once we get there."
[16:04] <Lucy_Setters> (I think I'
[16:04] <Lucy_Setters> (I'll assign my points after the session ends and write it down in the thread)
[16:06] <Bison> (same here)
[16:06] <~Kumaton> [That's what I'll prefer you guys to do, yeah.]
[16:07] <~Kumaton> [For the record, I'm feeling rather clouded right now, so I have one more thing prepared for you all depending on what you do for today, then I'm going to take some medicine and call the session, if that's alright.]
[16:08] <Ben_Braddock> (Sure thing. I think I parsed the rules enough to figure out how to get a 12 in Merchant anyway)
[16:09] *** Ben_Braddock changed nick to UnknownQuantity
[16:09] <~Kumaton> [The session's still going on. :X]
[16:10] <~Kumaton> [Like I said, I have a bit more prepared for you.]
[16:10] <UnknownQuantity> (Oh sorry)
[16:10] <~Kumaton> [It's alright.]
[16:10] *** UnknownQuantity changed nick to Ben_Braddock
[16:10] <Ben_Braddock> "Well, if it's right on the path..."
[16:11] <Doc_Bronson> "So, forward and hope it's not full of horrible beasts, raiders, or out of control sentry bots? Ok!"
[16:11] <Ben_Braddock> "Worst case scenario I've got my pistols ready."
[16:15] <Lucy_Setters> "And my rifle!"
[16:16] <Doc_Bronson> (So, we're heading on, then!"
[16:16] <Doc_Bronson> )
[16:17] <Bison> (looks it)
[16:17] <~Kumaton> You continue walking the rest of the five miles, taking about an hour and a half, and your legs are getting pretty tired.
[16:18] <~Kumaton> [Note that I'm following the scale of towns in the 3D games to save myself some sanity :x]
[16:19] <~Kumaton> The town is fairly small, as far as you can see. A few rows of houses, some storefronts, passing by a park with rusted fences and a decaying stone statue in the middle. The buildings are mostly decayed, ruined, with signs hanigng off of walls and streetlights fallen into the streed.
[16:20] <~Kumaton> As you walk, you see a small amount of light ahead, which quickly and obviously shows to be a small campfire. There's a small sihoullete sitting by it, though it doesn't seem to notice you.
[16:21] * Bison takes out the spear
[16:22] <~Kumaton> As you walk, one of you accidentally steps on something crunchy. The sihoullete rockets up, pulling something from it's back and faces you.
[16:23] <Bison> "Stay still, friend.", Bison calls out.  "We mean you no harm, but we are armed."
[16:24] <~Kumaton> "How do I know I can trust you?" it says, it's voice raspy and diseased, with the sound of wood creaking coming from whatever it's carrying.
[16:25] <Bison> "As well as we know we can trust you.  So lets both stand where we are and talk."
[16:25] <~Kumaton> "What are you, huh
[16:25] <~Kumaton> ?
[16:26] <~Kumaton> Why should I trust someone with a bag for a head?"
[16:26] <~Kumaton> "And whatever the fuck your pals are?"
[16:27] <Bison> "This is a headdress.  I'm from Ioway.  Where are you from?"
[16:27] <~Kumaton> "Why do you want to know?"
[16:27] <Ben_Braddock> "Look, I think we're all a little tired and antsy. How's about we both put down our weapons and go about this /without/ killing each other?" (Rolling Diplomacy.)
[16:28] <Ben_Braddock> !roll 3d6
[16:28] <Krysmbot> Ben_Braddock, 12 = 12
[16:28] <Ben_Braddock> (Diplomacy is 14!)
[16:28] * Ben_Braddock motions to Bison to lower his spear.
[16:28] <~Kumaton> The man sighs. "Fuck it, fine." he slings his weapon back over his back.
[16:29] * Lucy_Setters slings her rifle
[16:29] * Bison lowers spear...a little
[16:29] <~Kumaton> "I'm from some place in Illinois. What was Illinois. I don't think you care, but whatever."
[16:29] <Ben_Braddock> (Cha-ching.wav)
[16:30] <~Kumaton> He sighs, motioning for you to come back over. "Come on, we can sit by the fire and tell ghost stories. I bet you're cold."
[16:30] <~Kumaton> His voice shows that he's not too enthusiastic about this, but he's trying to show some signs of hospitality, at least.
[16:31] <Ben_Braddock> "You sound like you've had it rough for a while. Need to get something off your chest?" He smiles as best he can and approaches.
[16:32] <~Kumaton> As you get closer, you can tell that he's a Ghoul. The few human-looking parts left of him seem relatively young.
[16:32] <~Kumaton> "Nope."
[16:32] * Doc_Bronson does his usual keep-to-the-back-and-wave routine. "Evening!"
[16:33] * Bison eyes him.
[16:33] <Lucy_Setters> "You a local or just a traveler?"
[16:33] <~Kumaton> "Traveler."
[16:34] <Ben_Braddock> "Sure thing, buddy. Not gonna pry if you don't want help."
[16:35] <~Kumaton> He's wearing a ratty old military uniform, with a bandana tied around his neck and a old wooded rifle around his back.
[16:35] <Lucy_Setters> "That your personal uniform or something you picked up along the way?"
[16:36] <~Kumaton> "Might as well get the formalities out of the way. Senior Airman Freddy Bunker. 375th Air Mobility Wing. And unlike most of the fuckers with this shit on, I'm legit."
[16:36] <~Kumaton> He pulls out something from inside his coat, a pair of dog tags. "Proof."
[16:36] * Lucy_Setters looks at the dog tags
[16:37] <~Kumaton> They have his name on them, along with a slew of other personal information that seems to match the Ghoul in front of you.
[16:37] <Lucy_Setters> (Does it have a hometown on it?)
[16:37] * Bison looks at the ghoul, then throws himself on the ground
[16:37] <~Kumaton> Fairview Heights, IL.
[16:38] <~Kumaton> "Hey, baghead, you okay?"
[16:38] <Bison> "Yes, ancestor."
[16:39] <Lucy_Setters> "Oh boy..."
[16:39] <Bison> "I duck and cover in your honor."
[16:40] <~Kumaton> "Don't say that. That didn't do shit, believe me."
[16:40] <~Kumaton> "Look, come on, get up. Doing that's bringing back bad memories."
[16:42] <Ben_Braddock> "Oh, wow! Actually, this is one hell of a long shot, but did you ever meet anyone from the ground forces? I swear I have his tags..." He digs around in his pockets before producing some. "Grandson of Big Jim Braddock, 12th armored division. He got to serve in Anchorage."
[16:42] * Doc_Bronson peers around the camp as the others are talking.
[16:42] <~Kumaton> "I flew in Anchorage, but I don't remember someone like that. Hope he survived, though. Anchorage was a meat grinder."
[16:43] <~Kumaton> Bronson: there's not much to speak of other than a sleeping bag, a duffel bag, and one or two spare magazines for his rifle.
[16:44] * Bison sits back up
[16:44] <Doc_Bronson> "Are you the only fellow around, Mr. Bunker?"
[16:45] <~Kumaton> "Yeah. I've been a loner ever since the bombs dropped out of circumstances."
[16:45] <~Kumaton> [BRB for a minute or two]
[16:46] <Ben_Braddock> "He came back home in a wheelchair with a Purple Heart and distinguished service medal. Leapt on and survived an artillery shell and the subsequent fall off a cliff thanks to that new armor they gave out, but his legs shattered on impact."
[16:49] <Doc_Bronson> "Well, I'm afraid I have two fairly rude questions. The first is...would you mind if we stayed here tonight? There's some safety in numbers, and it's probably a bad idea for us to keep pushing on at this hour."
[16:50] <~Kumaton> "Well, he's - he was one of the lucky ones, I guess."
[16:51] <~Kumaton> Jimmy turns to Bronson, sighing, though it looks like he's remembering something good. "I...I don't mind. Gonna have to find your own beds, though. Believe me, sleeping on rubble is hell for your back."
[16:52] <~Kumaton> "Guess I should know your names, though. I guess you're a Braddock, ain't you?" he says, pointing to Ben.
[16:53] <Lucy_Setters> "I'm Lucy!"
[16:53] <~Kumaton> "Good for you."
[16:54] <Ben_Braddock> "Benjamin Braddock. I run MPR, if you've ever heard it. The station that /isn't/ run by Paulie."
[16:54] <~Kumaton> "I ain't from here, and I haven't owned a radio since 2077. So no. But nice to meet you."
[16:56] <Doc_Bronson> "Bronson. Good to meet you!"
[16:56] <~Kumaton> "Feeling's mutual. So where you from, big guy?"
[16:57] <~Kumaton> While he says this, he starts to sit by the fire, on top of his duffel bag."
[16:58] <Lucy_Setters> "Excuse me, you don't happen to have met a Garrett Williams, have you? He's a ghoul from down south, I think. Knew some guys up in St. Cloud"
[16:58] <Doc_Bronson> "Points south. A vault, in fact." Bronson puts down his case and cracks it open carefully, pulling out a tiny class tube with a screw on top and a q-tip. ""Now for that second rude question; could I have a saliva sample? I need more data for FEV spread across the western heartland region, and DNA that is, uh, historically sourced is useful."
[16:59] <~Kumaton> "Nope." he says to Lucy. "Only knew one William, and he had his brain blown out by a Chinese shell."
[17:00] <~Kumaton> Bronson: He sighs. "So you don't know anyone from The Arch, huh? Oh well. And, uh...I guess. First time for everything. But don't overdo your welcome."
[17:03] <Doc_Bronson> "I'm afraid not; I'm fairly new to these parts." Bronson hands the q-tip to Bunker delicately, clearly taking care to keep his massive hands from dropping it. "I appreciate it. If you could just run this q-tip along the inside of your cheek, that'll be all I need."
[17:03] <~Kumaton> He does so, then hands it back, rolling his eyes.
[17:05] <~Kumaton> "So where are you heading? Or are just looking for places without any Brotherhood freaks like me?"
[17:07] <Lucy_Setters> "Right now we're going up toward the St. Cloud area, but we've got some other stops nearby"
[17:08] <Ben_Braddock> "Gotta do some surveying over there." He lowers his tone. "And, from one patriot to another, it's on behalf of the government." He seems all too happy to be saying that.
[17:08] * Doc_Bronson plops the q-tip into the tube and screws it tight. "We have some various errands about as well."
[17:09] <~Kumaton> "Really? Been a while since I've been with a government person..." he scratches his beard. "You say it's coming back? Got any 'Birds or bombers with 'em?"
[17:09] <Doc_Bronson> (Do we know where the raiders have Bison's people, exactly? I can;'t remember off the top of my head)
[17:09] <~Kumaton> [He hasn't said, or at least, I don't think he has. I do know, though.]
[17:10] <Bison> I haven't said
[17:12] <Ben_Braddock> "I heard some rotors way off, but I couldn't see it myself. It'd be hard to think of two men in olive power armor and someone in a spotless black business suit and an old world flag pin as anything /but/ government though. They gave me this here robot, said they wanted me to check some old locations out, find out what they can rebuild."
[17:13] <Ben_Braddock> "I figure they might be trying to get the power plant back online, restore electricity to the state."
[17:13] <~Kumaton> "That is a fancy robot you got there. Doesn't look like anything the military made...huh."
[17:14] <~Kumaton> He leans forward on his bag, looking into the fire. "So is that all there is in St. Cloud? Sounds really appealing."
[17:15] <Lucy_Setters> (I gotta go clean up our second office. When I quit, just assume that Lucy is nodding and smiling and I'll read the transcript after it's uploaded)
[17:15] <~Kumaton> (Alright. I'll wrap this up soon, anyway.)
[17:16] <Ben_Braddock> "We're also supposed to see if there's anyone still left around there. Or at least, anyone who hasn't gone mad or feral from the radiation."
[17:18] <Doc_Bronson> "I'm also looking at morphology of local mutant variations. ...And speaking of that, I had better this head inspected before it starts to turn."
[17:18] <Ben_Braddock> "What I do know is I'm all kinds of happy. Two generations later, I get to help rebuild America, on orders from the President himself."
[17:18] <~Kumaton> "So Ghouls. I think I remember St. Cloud being a big city. I'd wager there's more than a few sane Ghouls."
[17:19] <~Kumaton> His face wrinkles at Bronson's comment, without any context.
[17:19] <Lucy_Setters> "I'm also looking for the university there. Gotta get some weather data"
[17:19] <~Kumaton> He nods at everything. "You got a direct line to the President? Damn. I didn't know there was a President."
[17:20] * Bison stays silent, not entirely sure what a president is.
[17:21] <~Kumaton> "You know, I'm a sucker for the old Red, White, and Blue. Any way I can help?"
[17:21] <Ben_Braddock> "Yup! Ashley, could you play back the recording from when we first met? It should still be in your databanks."
[17:22] <~Kumaton> ASH:LE [okay beeping, sound of electronic whirring]
[17:24] * Doc_Bronson quietly rolls out a small tarp, carefully places the 'jotun's' head upon it, and begins measuring cranial and facial features with a pair of calipers.
[17:25] <~Kumaton> [I'm too scatterbrained to type out a full speech from John Henry Eden himself so imagine it's a prerecorded message about welcoming Benjamin into the USAPR system."
[17:25] <~Kumaton> ]
[17:26] <Ben_Braddock> (You can make it later :3)
[17:27] <~Kumaton> Jimmy nods understandingly. "That's...something. Certainly something. Never heard of the Enclave before, but...do you know where they are? Maybe they could use someone like me. Hell, maybe I can help you out."
[17:28] <Lucy_Setters> (On my way. See ya next week)
[17:28] *** Lucy_Setters quit (Quit: CGI:IRC)
[17:30] <Ben_Braddock> "As far as I know they work out of Madison. They only open their doors to patriots who know the right password. I'll write it down for you. As for how you can help, since we're headed to the outskirts of the trinity, we could use any radiation supplies we can find. Or, hell, maybe having a fellow Ghoul around will help ease tensions when we step inside."
[17:32] <~Kumaton> "Dunno where in the hell Madison is, or what the Trinity is, but I'm guessing, if you need me, I'm guessing it's heavily radioded.
[17:32] <~Kumaton> *radiated."
[17:33] <Ben_Braddock> "The Trinity's a set of holes where the bombs fell. Thankfully St Cloud's on the very edge of it, but it's still green enough to warrant Rad-X. We've got enough to last us at least the trip inside and an hour of exploring."
[17:35] <Doc_Bronson> "I also benefit from acquired innate radiation immunity, but the more hands we have, the better!"
[17:35] <~Kumaton> "
[17:35] <~Kumaton> [I'm really tired, can you tell? :D]
[17:36] <~Kumaton> "Well, if you need a Ghoul on your side, I'm guess I'm the only one you'll find for a long while. Count me in. Anything to help the good ol' U.S.A."
[17:36] <Ben_Braddock> (It's fine. I'll close us out on a high note)
[17:37] <~Kumaton> [Jimmy Bunker has joined your team. I think. Not sure if you guys are okay with that.]
[17:37] <Ben_Braddock> "Speaking of which, have one of the greats while we get our dinners cooked."
[17:37] <Ben_Braddock> Benjamin inserts a holotape. Today's song is...
[17:37] <Bison> It's just one of the most awesome things ever
[17:37] <Ben_Braddock> Billy Murray's "Grand Old Flag"
[17:37] <~Kumaton> He whistles along.