Into the Wasteland - The City at the Edge of the Universe, Chapter 3

 

Felix looked excitedly over the array of exotic and futuristic goods available at the various stalls of the trading post, "What's THAT thing? Wait, what the heck is THAT?"

Scout Thomas and Officer Tucker were haggling with one of the sellers over how much they could get in exchange for some bottles of alcohol they brought from Williamsburg. They really needed a map of the area and some armor. 

Meanwhile, Rex left Vera in the hands of a healer, paid for with the credit obtained from the alcohol. 

The unlikely team regrouped. Officer Tucker laid out a plan, "We'll camp here tonight. Tomorrow I'm heading back into Williamsburg to get some more bottles of alcohol and bags of coffee. Those seem to be good trade items here. We'll also need more car parts for the trucks. These off-road trips are grueling. Who wants to go with me?"

Everyone raised their hands. 

"Good. Get some sleep tonight. Try not to interact too much with the locals. We don't want any unnecessary trouble." 

Chapter 3 - Into the Wasteland

What follows is a play-through of an adventure scenario I'm writing for Overlords of Dimension-25. The scenario is a survival hex-crawl where the player characters and their entire town are transported to a strange new dimension, only to be attacked by armored invaders intent on rounding up the townsfolk for a mysterious and nefarious purpose. 

This week, after having escaped the town and found their way to the Wasteland Trading Post, the party heads back into Williamsburg to secure some valuable trade goods.

Dramatis Personae

• Officer Bocephus "J.T." Tucker - Williamsburg police department - Level 1 Warrior
• Rex Werthy - construction worker - Level 1 Engineer
• Professor Thadeus Putnam - retired professor of anthropology - Level 1 Expert
• Felix Silla-Rossi - 15 year-old juvenile delinquent - Level 1 Rogue
• Scout Thomas - 16 year-old outdoorsman and YouTube personality - Level 1 Scout
• Vera - elderly lady with a broken leg - NPC

DM - This week the players had a list of gear they might find at the trading post. Each items has a percentage chance that item will be found at the trading post on that day. The players got excited to see some of the more exotic items on the list and were asking what each item was but I said, "If its not available, you don't see it, you can't ask about it." Which lead to a flurry of dice rolls to see what was available.

Item	Availability	Cost
Agricultural Equipment	60%	50
Alcohol, Bottle	60%	150
Backpack	80%	50
Battle Armor	40%	2500
Bio-Fuel Still	20%	3000
Bioscanner	30%	400
Body Armor, Light	90%	250
Bolt Gun	25%	250
Breather Helmet	2%	40
Camp Light	60%	30
Canteen	80%	1
Carry all	80%	10
Coffee, Preserved, 1 month	80%	100
Crawler	30%	50
Crossbow	40%	100
Cutlass	60%	100
Cutters	80%	20
Cutting Torch, Hand-held	10%	60
Dagger	80%	15
Dart	70%	15
Digging tools (5)	80%	40
Educational Computer	5%	500
Emergency Distress Beacon	20%	500
Entrenching Tool	40%	5
Fire Extinguisher	25%	10
Flier	5%	35000
Flight Pod	15%	15000
Floodlight	25%	15000
Food, Preserved, 1 meal	75%	5
Food, Preserved, 1 month	35%	120
Force Field	20%	900
Garments, 1 container	60%	50
Gillmask	60%	200
Goggles	75%	2
Grenade	50%	50
Grenade Launcher	45%	500
Grenade, Aerosol Mist	5%	50
Hand Light	60%	2
Heat Gun	20%	400
Heavy Gloves	70%	2
Hoverchair	15%	1500
Ice axe	75%	20
Jetcar	2%	20000
Knife	90%	10
Laser Gun	15%	300
Laser Rifle	10%	600
Laser Saw	25%	600
Load Lifter	25%	250
Locator	25%	70
Macroglasses	35%	150
Magnetic Keycard	45%	100
Mess Kit	65%	5
Microwave Gun	10%	350
Mono Knife	25%	200
Mono Sword	20%	2000
Needle Gun	35%	200
Net	60%	20
Night Vision Goggles	25%	50
Personal Communicator	40%	10
Personal Computer	35%	200
Personal Scooter	55%	200
Plasma Thrower	25%	800
Plasma Welder	25%	800
Plastic Crate	65%	2
Pole arm	75%	120
Power Generator	15%	600
Powerpack Charger	20%	200
Pressurized Tent	65%	250
Projector	55%	250
Rations, 1 week	75%	30
Remote Control	50%	30
Rocket Harness	60%	1000
Rocket Launcher	50%	1000
Rocket Pistol	40%	400
Rocket Rifle	30%	500
Rope, 50 ft	75%	25
Security Locker	85%	50
Shell, Aerosol Mist  (5)	5%	50
Shells, Chaff  (5)	5%	50
Signal Scrambler	55%	200
Sleeping Bag	60%	100
Small back-hoe	45%	500
Smartsuit	60%	1000
Snow Shoes	75%	30
Sonic Stunner	40%	300
Sports Ball	50%	5
Steel Cable, 100ft	80%	50
Swim Fins	65%	60
Sword	75%	150
Tarpaulin	65%	5
Technical Scanner	50%	500
Technical Tools	40%	150
Timer	30%	150
Tracer	25%	50
Traffic Regulator	65%	5
Translator	45%	40
Velocipede	55%	40
Watchbox	40%	400
Water, 10-gallon Container	20%	20
Water, 5-gallon Container	90%	10

I think I need to add some adventure hooks to this section to allow the characters to make money without having to venture back into Williamsburg - or make a venture back into Williamsburg more a part of the story options.

Night Raid

The groups spent the next morning perusing the stalls at the trading post and acquiring a map of the area.

They left the trading post the next day at 4pm. They drove slowly, creeping along the wild hilly terrain as the sun set. They arrived at the outskirts of the forested zone transported from our Earth at around 10pm. They took the west highway, driving east towards town at about 40 mph. Once they got close to the outskirts of town they once again slowed to a crawl and turned off their lights. They pulled into the sawmill which was still beyond the roadblock set up by the Martians. 

After a quick trip into the sawmill to get some repair parts for the trucks they cut through the woods on foot towards downtown. They entered the main street downtown, hoping to visit the guns and ammo store, when they were caught in the search lights of a Martian patrol. They scrambled, running east into the residential area.

Professor Putnam told the others, "Quickly! Into my house - its that one right over there!"

They entered into the modest two-story bungalow. The interior was filled with books and trophies of an academic life spent studying anthropology - tribal masks adorned the walls, ritual weapons, and photographs of the younger professor with tribes from around the world. Everyone immediately started going through the house searching for useful tools and weapons and trade items. Professor Putnam quipped sarcastically, "No, Please. Just help yourself to whatever you need."

15-year-old Felix went downstairs into the basement. Rex and Officer Tucker looked through the kitchen on the main floor. 16-year-old Scout went upstairs to look for towels. 

Scout entered a small bedroom when he was struck from behind by a heavy object - a bust of Richard Leakey. He stumbled and shouted.

DM- he had 1 hit point left!

Officer Tucker heard the commotion and ran upstairs, gun drawn and flashlight in hand. Rex and Professor Putnam were right behind him. Officer Tucker stopped at the top of the stairs and pointed his handgun at an elderly woman holding the bust. He shouted at her to drop the weapon and back away from Scout.

The woman, frightened, retreated to the end of the hall. 

Professor Putnam exclaimed, "Mabel? Mabel what happened here?"

The woman let out a massive sigh of relief, "OH! Professor Putnam! Who are these people? I thought they were looters!"

Scout rubbed the back of his head as he looked out of the room into the hall, "Geez, lady! We're with him!"

Introductions were exchanged and everyone was brought up to speed on the situation. Mabel was Professor Putnam's elderly housekeeper. Mabel was surprised and incredulous a the thought of being thrown into another universe. Professor Putnam told Mabel that the town wasn't safe and asked if she wished to join them. She reluctantly agreed. 

The team loaded up with some bottles of fine alcohol, an antique revolver, and towels. Felix, who never left the basement throughout the excitement upstairs, took a folk mask from Guatamala as a souvenir.

Professor scoffed, offering Felix a lesson on its origin, "Son! That is an antique Patron mask used in the Patzcar dance of Guatemala! The Baile del Patzcar, or Plantation Boss’s Dance, is the oldest Guatemalan dance still practiced today and evolved from a Mayan purification ritual.  In it, a dancer representing a female known as Lola performs a Mayan ritual using a white handkerchief to heal other masqueraders wearing rags and disease masks with gigantic thyroid goiters. Then gracejos representing ranch hands and carrying whips dance, comically whipping each other in mock fight over the love of the boss’s wife, Patzcarina. This mask represents the Patzcar, also called the Patrón."

Felix, wearing the mask, yawned, "Blah blah blah! Don't care."

They left the house and returned downtown, hoping to try the gun store again. Unfortunately, they were once again spotted. This time they fled northwest, back towards the sawmill. Scout was forced to abandon the wagon-load of food he had acquired while Rex had to ditch his armfuls of alcohol.

DM - I had to implement a rule that you couldn't run away if you were encumbered - you had to ditch all the heavy things to get away. The players thought it was a good rule and used pretty good judgement to lighten their load. I also had to update the rules in the book to reflect this. I also had to add new rules for minimum distance for running away - two hexes - and increased the odds of getting spotted if you go back to a hex you just ran away from.

Despite abandoning a lot of loot, they still managed to get back to the trucks with a few bags full of food and alcohol for trade. It was around midnight so they decided to drive back to the trading post - hoping to be there by dawn.

The Wandering Captain Zarridin

Both trucks retraced their journey north around the western edge of the transported zone before heading north across the barren wasteland towards the trading post. The journey was grueling and officer Tucker's truck was damaged at about 2am. Both trucks stopped as Rex got out and worked on repairs. The repairs took several hours to complete but both trucks were once again underway before dawn.

Rex suffered his own mishap at around 6am and was forced to get out and effect repairs on his own truck. 

Felix was playing with his Professor Putnam's antique revolver when he saw a lone figure crossing the wasteland towards the east. The figure changed its path and approached the trucks out of the sun. 

He wore old clothing worn ragged by the wasteland. On his head was a distinctive helmet with a crest and he carried a strange technologically advanced conical weapon on the end of a long pole which he used as a walking stick.

Felix told the others and weapons were drawn as the man approached. The man held up his hands to show he meant to threat. He asked if they needed help. They allowed him to approach.

The man introduced himself as Captain Nabu Zariddin, a Terran who once served in the ARES Consortium military. He was an elite guard assigned to protect visiting Martian dignitaries while on Terra. He was a loyal soldier who once believed in the history taught by Consortium propaganda. He once believed that the bombardment of Terra by the Consortium was a right and justifiable act of revolution against the ancient and oppressive Terran Empire and that the Consortium had nothing but the best intentions for the planet Terra and its people. 

Captain Zariddin served twenty years and protected the lives of countless Martian nobles. He was often assigned to perform unspeakable acts of cruelty against his fellow Terrans, including the procurement of Terrans to serve in Martian harems or to “dispose” of Terran servants who displeased his Martian overlords.  

Two years ago, Captain Zariddin reached his breaking point. He was ordered to procure Terran infants for use in the cruel experiments of the Martian Doctor Jondo. He refused. Captain Zariddin was arrested and sentenced to execution for his insubordination. Only the loyalty of his fellow guards saved him when they secretly orchestrated his escape. 

Captain Zariddin had spent the last two years wandering the Central-East Sector. He sought to redeem the crimes he has committed against his own people by helping those in need, righting wrongs, defending the innocent, and freeing the oppressed. 

The team told Captain Zariddin their story - having been transported to this world from a parallel dimension and the subsequent attack by the Martians. The man showed genuine sympathy and concern, “I’m sorry that happened to you. If it’s any consolation, it sounds like your friends and loved ones were captured alive and taken to the Manhattan Island Complex. I’m very familiar with that place. It’s where I used to be from. Today its run by General Clopis who oversees the Consortium Security Forces. Your people are likely being studied by Doctor Jondo. He’s a scientist in charge of the Martian effort to re-open the hypergate network.”

Felix asked, "What's a hypergate network?"

“The hypergate network? They were created by the Terran Empire a long time ago. At one time they linked all the worlds of the Solar System together. Then, about five hundred years ago, during the Martian War of Independence, the Terran Empire deactivated the hypergate network completely as an act of sabotage. No one’s been able to use the network since then. Whoever is able to restart the network would have an amazing logistical advantage. I wonder if Doctor Jondo might think your people might be the key somehow in reopening the network? I mean, it sounds like you teleported here. Maybe they’re connected?”

“Whatever you do, don’t surrender willingly to the Consortium. Doctor Jondo has no interest in sending you home to your Earth and his methods are - questionable. If you want to return home, your best bet will probably be the United Earth Administration. They have scientists that will help you. The UEA is the government of Earth, set up by the Martians but technically independent. The UEA domes are technologically advanced city-states - constructed generations ago by the ARES Consortium as part of their reconstruction effort after the war. Each dome provides food, water, shelter, and security to the remaining population of Earth. They have scientists who may be able to help you. There’s a dome west of here called Cuyahoga Dome. I know a woman there. Her name is Captain Narayanan Sitharaman. Tell her I sent you. She’ll be able to grant you asylum. At the very least, you’ll be given food, water, and shelter. If you need anything else, go to the ruins of Old Cuyahoga and find Eris Birdsong. She can get you anything you need.”

Officer Tucker asked if the domes accepted newcomers. Captain Zarridin said that they normally did not but Eris Birdsong could probably find a way.

“I regret that my insubordination and subsequent exile, though justified, prevent me from retiring to one of the domes.”

Felix then asked, "What about the Resistance?"

“The Earth Resistance? Don’t worry about them. They’re a bunch of misguided amateurs and terrorists. I’ve heard rumors that they have some kind of secret headquarters near the ruins of Buffalo and have somehow managed to keep its exact location a secret from the Consortium. “

After some more friendly small talk the team bade farewell to Captain Zariddin, who said he was headed northwest to seek out a tribe of anarcho-primitivists. 

"That's definitely a thing you said!" scoffed Rex from under the truck.

"How can we reach you?" asked officer Tucker.

"I carry no radio. I wander the wasteland. I go where the winds take me. If you leave word with Eris Birdsong in the ruins of Old Cuyahoga or with Frank Knowles at the Wasteland Trading Post, word will eventually get to me, and I will seek you out. Fare well, my friends, and good luck." 

Shopping Spree

They arrived back at the Wasteland Trading Post around 10am with several pounds of coffee and several bottles of alcohol with which they were able to trade for five suits of light body armor and some other equipment. 

Felix saw a massive weapon that caught his eye - a plasma thrower - but it was too expensive. He then spied a strange backpack with multiple straps. He was told it was a "jump harness" - a device that used repulsotron technology to defy Earth's gravity - allowing him to make prodigious leaps and fall from great heights as if he were a feather.

Felix eyes grew wide, "That is SO POG! Officer Tucker, can I get one of those?"

"Do you have enough trade credit? I'm not your mother!"

He did not. "Some day," he said. "Some day.' 

To Be Continued...