CHAPTER 9: Return to the Tunnels

[Norjax]

...

The Gam’A Zone, 293-295D/81

During day 293, you pass the harmless Zone Barrier, which is invisible during the day.

Days 294 & 295 are spent traveling inside the Gam’A Zone. You take the familiar path back to the fungal canyon and the cave with the tunnel system. Your camp for the night of day 295 is near the sinkholes briefly reconnoitered by Belial back on day 212D/81.

OOC: You are at the light blue dot, southwest of the sinkholes.

--

The Gam’A Zone, 295D/81 (Night)

Belial and MacMak are on night watch, peering into the surrounding moonlit environment. You chose not to light a camp fire in fear of attracting attention. Torches are at the ready in case the need arises.

OOC: Watch was determined randomly. 1 in 8 chance they were on guard duty. These were the first two that came up a “1”.

Your proximity to the sinkholes forces you to fight anxiety about Thorax Scavenger activity.

Suddenly, a faint sound can be heard in the direction of the sinkholes. Just above the light nocturnal breeze you hear the sound again. Is it a click or a scrape?

It’s difficult to determine the distance from your position, and the ambient moonlight plays tricks on your vision. You think you see some movement out in the dark, away from the camp.

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 57/57 [3/9]
Bruce – 50/50 [12/12]
Denslow – 42/42 [16/16]
Frank – 63/63 [13/13]
Kurot –50/50 [11/15]
Ron – 69/69 [15/15]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]

...

[rossik]

"boyohboyohboyohboy" MacMak repeat in whispers
He shakes the telescopic vision guy first, felling sorry for not remembering his name. He will point to the noise source and ask for advice

Sure, it could be a mutant rat or something, but as goes the saying "the sun is more beautiful if watched by two birds", or something like that

[Norjax]

...

The Gam’A Zone, 293-295D/81

MacMak goes to Kurot and 'wakes' him from power-saving mode.

OOC: Kurot is now active and fully aware.

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 57/57 [3/9]
Bruce – 50/50 [12/12]
Denslow – 42/42 [16/16]
Frank – 63/63 [13/13]
Kurot –50/50 [11/15]
Ron – 69/69 [15/15]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]

...

[Urson]

Belial

Could be something non-cool, Brother Bird. I'm going to look a little closer. Belial flaps into the air- about 10 meters up- and zig-zags toward the sound.

[Norjax]

...

The Gam’A Zone, 295D/81 (Night)

Belial leaps into the air and flies, in the dark, towards the sound. He zig-zags in a search pattern, scanning the desert floor for the source of the unknown noise. The flying baboon eventually spots a slight reflection rolling across the desert floor. The twinkle from the ambient moonlight is from an object approximately 8-10inches square. The item appears to move in conjunction with the light breeze that blows across the plains.

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 57/57 [3/9]
Bruce – 50/50 [12/12]
Denslow – 42/42 [16/16]
Frank – 63/63 [13/13]
Kurot –50/50 [11/15]
Ron – 69/69 [15/15]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]

...

[rossik]

MacMak will get his crossbow ready for action!

[Urson]

Belial

Looks way harmless, mi compadres! Just some piece of junk blowing in the breeze! Belial shouts, hoping the others can hear him. Is the object going to blow into camp? Or just pass by?

[Norjax]

BelialIs the object going to blow into camp? Or just pass by?

Hard to say, the object is a couple of hundred yards away. It is currently moving directly south, and will miss the camp by a few dozen yards.

[Ardak2000]

Bruce Lee Mk. VII

Switching into full alert mode now, trains his sensors toward the direction the sound was last heard.

[quozl]

Ron slowly awakens.

"What's going on?"

[Urson]

Belial

The baboon stays airborne, circling above the trash just in case.

[Norjax]

...

The Gam’A Zone, 297D/81 (Dawn)

After being alerted over a piece of thin, metallic trash, the remainder of the night of 295D was restless but uneventful. You traveled for one more day, reaching the fungal canyon by evening. Camp is struck and a watch schedule is determined.

Before beginning the night’s watch, discussion turns to the encounter with the beetles, the discovery of the pod vehicles and exploration of the station stop on day 258. You also review Blixx’s map which he transcribed from the floor decoration in the station stop. This, along with his translations of Old Ongish script, will be a useful guide once you enter the tunnel system. The areas marked as “Gone” is where the fungal canyon sits. Apparently, this area was once solid ground with a tunnel traveling its length.

You awake at dawn on 297D/81, ready to continue exploring the underground labyrinth.

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 57/57 [3/9] 294
Bruce – 50/50 [12/12]
Denslow – 42/42 [16/16]
Frank – 63/63 [13/13]
Kurot –50/50 [11/15] 294
Ron – 69/69 [15/15]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]

...

[Urson]

Belial

Belial wakes up in a fine mood, chattering to everyone about Seein' the rest of that most awesome tunnel system!

[quozl]

Ron: "What's this I hear about the beetles?"

[shaidar]

Silvestri looks at the map

"Nasty beetle swarm, poisonous bite if I remember correctly. We should take both pods and go right at the turn-table, I'd really like to know what's at that sort-of-rhombus shape"

[Norjax]

...

The Gam’A Zone, 297D/81 (Dawn)

Kurot and Silvestri understand the operation of the hyperpod vehicles, and are able to drive them. They may teach others to become operators. (Trainee must make a DC10 check using Intelligence modifier. You do not have to read Ongish to be trained.)

Two of the pods are currently parked on the rails at the Station Stop, where you recovered ancient foodstuff and machine parts. This was the last area explored before returning to Hagalton.

Someone recalls Blixx translating the rhombus shape on the map as “City Terminal” or something similar. You are not sure why your mothish companion didn’t write this down. (Your Mutant Lord forgot!)

You have operated the pod vehicles forwards, backwards, and deployed emergency egress ladders from each windowed end of the pod. This is the only way to enter and exit the vehicle from the tracked tunnels. Normal access is through side hatches using side tunnels.

While driving the vehicles, you have parked the vehicles on a turntable and changed the direction of travel. This is performed using the control position.

TUNNEL AND POD REFERENCES

NOTE: Kurot and Bruce are the only two who can read and speak Ongish, the ancient script used for the hyperpod controls and tunnel/room markings.

Actions?

Hit Points [Luck Points]:

Belial – 57/57 [3/9] 294
Bruce – 50/50 [12/12]
Denslow – 42/42 [16/16]
Frank – 63/63 [13/13]
Kurot –50/50 [11/15] 294
Ron – 69/69 [15/15]
Silvestri – 60/60 [14/14]

...

[shaidar]

Silvestri ponders the map, trying to work out if any of the 'city terminus' symbols could align with the no-longer-lost city of Sott’ Urwa, or at least rule some out based on distance.

[greyarea]

Denslow asks, Silvestri, can we see where we are on the map? That might help us determine where to go next. I suggest we go from terminal to terminal in search of things to sell back in town.

[Zhym]

Kurot's eyes flicker briefly, then his head jerks. He speaks for the first time in days: "I apologize. I accidentally put myself into extended semi-shutdown mode, which suspends higher processing and computation while maintaning autonomous locomotion functions."

I just now noticed the new thread! Sorry about that!

"Well, I see we have made our way safely back to these tunnels, at least."

[Urson]

Belial

I dig that idea, Denslow! Fortune an' glory, yeah?