Fallout PbP: Giants in the Playground (In Character)

[Antilles]

Franklin looks from path to path, clearly unsure about where to go. He then pulls out a cap from a pocket, scratches one side and then flips it like coin. As it flies through the air, the others can hear him mutter "scratch, left, no scratch, right."It lands with the scratched side up, so he nods, pockets the cap and declares "I'm votin' we go left."

[Bill Whitmore]

Marcus studies the paths for several moments, looking for any sign indicating which way the kids may have gone or what dangers may have been lurking for the kids...or them.

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Searching for tracks.

Survival/Tracking: 1d20+8 → [10,8] = (18)

I'll spend an action die on it (with a +1 from my origin ability): 1d4.open(4) + 1 → [3,1] = (4)

Survival/Tracking lists Search as a synergy and I have 6 Ranks in Synergy, so I may be able to claim an additional +1 from that.

That brings my total to 23.

Unless the kids passed through here within the last 24 hours and crossed over Soft ground, I am not going to see any of their tracks.  However, it could be enough to see if something big, like say a Super Mutant, passed through here recently.

[Gentry]

"Maybe we should split up," Hondo suggests.

[MilitiaJim]

Alice turned and glared at Hondo.  "Lean down here so I can smack the back of your head.  The last time we did that we almost got eaten by radroaches!"

[Gentry]

"I'm just sayin'," Hondo says, shrugging sheepishly.

[MilitiaJim]

Alice shifted and shoulder bumped her large friend's torso. "What's the next idea?  Mutated tuxedo birds, or ... 'other'?"

[Gentry]

"Well, anyway, unless we can find something, we ought to follow the path that's marked, I guess," opines Hondo.

[Girlfriday]

Elsie watches Tex as he snuffles around in circles. "You really think they went to the zoo?" She scratches her head in obvious puzzlement.

[Bill Whitmore]

After studying the ground for a moment, Marcus crouches down to get a closer look.  Taking a few steps off the path, he stops and says over his shoulder while pointing to various points on the ground, ""You guys see this?  Boot prints, clean edges, probably metallic or armored.  Looks like 2 or 3 of them passed through here.  And something else, something with feat twice as big as a man, 3 toes, big claws, maybe a lizard of some sort has crossed this area twice recently.  No sign of the kids, though if they passed through here 2 days ago, their tracks could be long gone.  I say we follow the boot prints as far as we can.  If there were people here they may have seen the children and if they took them, we'll need to get them back."

[Gentry]

"Well, let's go then, mang," says Hondo, tearing himself away from staring at the freakish bird-things on the sign.

[MilitiaJim]

"Well then Ah gey-yis me and Joany here gonna hafta sort 'em out." Alice drawled in her worst imitation "Western" accent before reaching up to adjust her hat, muttering again about damn Brooklyners as she again notes its absence.

[glimmerrat]

You follow the tracks, Marcus leading the way shortly followed by a frantically sniffing Tex. Soon the trail disintegrates even further, and you find yourself slowed as you have to pick your way through the brush. Luckily, the thick undergrowth means that Marcus easily spots trail signs showing that there has been movement through this area in the past few days, and quite a lot of it too.

You pass the ruins of an old house, apparently burned to ground a very long time ago. Nearby is an overgrown ornate pond. In the middle a statue of some long-forgotten hunter still stands, coated in a layer of rust and moss. The moss makes him look like some ancient god of nature, standing sentinel over this place. The overall effect is quite creepy.

Up ahead, Tex finally picks up a strong scent and makes a beeline for the edge of the tree line. The woods open up into a wide vista of tall grass, waving from side-to-side in the breeze like a green tide. Tex lunges forward into the grass, yapping furiously as you all struggle to keep up.

No more than 50 ft. in, Tex suddenly stops dead. He starts growling quietly, and those close to him see his hackles rise. He starts walking backwards very slowly. A rustling is heard in the grass, first off to your left, and then behind you. You’ve walked into a trap – something is hunting you. Something hidden by the long grass.

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Yeah, Jim can get a bonus action die for the mutated tuxedo birds comment…

[MilitiaJim]

"Welllll sheee-yit," Alice drawled as she looked around, ready to leap skyward.  "Aye geyess it's time ta see these tuxedo monster birds."

[Bill Whitmore]

Marcus quickly backpedals a few steps scanning the area looking for a clearing.  "Get clear of the grass!"

[Gentry]

Hondo calmly draws a knife. "It's too late for that, mang. We in it," he adds absently before putting the blade in his teeth pirate style and assuming a ready position.

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I assume the baddies' Ambush is blown or we'd be in a surprise round right now, so I try and put my back to the group so I can command the widest view, and ready an action to grapple the first thing I can reach, if possible, before it stabs, claws, or bites me.