>>1389349
>Wake up Mary and kiss her goodbye

>>1389349
>Write-In
Leave a not for her on the fridge.
Talking face to face is clearly hard for you so just leave her a "text".

>>1389349
>Wake up Mary and kiss her goodbye

Dunno about the kids but I think we could handle a quick hug

>>1389360
This

>>1389360
>>1389391

Switch to this

>>1389360
>>1389424
>>1389476
You grab a notepad and jot down a quick note:

GOT TO WORK TODAY. HAVE A NICE TIME AT SCHOOL. LEAVING YOU SOME MONEY FOR TAKE-OUT. SEE YOU SUNDAY. LOVE YOU.
-UNCLE TERRY

You load up your car and start driving out to Mt. Hood.

About an hour and a half later, you pull up to the cabin where you work. Moss growing on the roof, electricity provided by an on-site generator, big-ass radio antenna: it's definitely a remote ranger base.

The inside is a four-room setup: radio room, kitchen/living room/TV room mix, bathroom, bedroom. Here's where you'll be living until Sunday evening.


>Check the incident map pinned to the wall.

>Call in to base.

>Look around for any notes from the last ranger.

>Write-In

>>1389705
>Call in to base.
>Look around for any notes from the last ranger.

>>1389705
>>Look around for any notes from the last ranger.

>>1389705
>Look around for any notes from the last ranger.

>>1389710

This, let them know it's manned first and foremost and then check into the prior shift, then we can take a look at recent incidents

>>1389349

You know that an archiving site for qst called http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html exists right?

>>1389710
This

>>1389792

Yes, all threads except one are saved there

>>1389710
>>1389779
>>1389987
(Sorry, was with my IRL group)

You walk into the radio room and dial into base.

"HQ, this is Ranger Freedman calling in from Station 13. I'm on-shift starting now. Anything big going down I need to know about?"

"Alright, Freedman. Logging you in. Pretty quiet right now, we had some fireworks incidents on the 4th, but nothing major's been going on since then."

"Alright, that's a 10-4 on that."

You put up the microphone and look around. The previous ranger left a note behind for you:

RESTOCKED FRIDGE. SAW SOME TRACKS UP NEAR HATFIELD; LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE POACHERS. KEEP AN EYE OUT. ALSO, RADIO NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT: WAS GETTING SOME WEIRD STATIC AFTER SUNSET.

You tuck the note away and relax into a seat, thinking abut what's to come.


>(Crafts) Take a look at the radio.

>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield.

>Relax at your post.

>Write-In

>>1391724
>(Crafts) Take a look at the radio.

Let's make sure that it's not a mechanical issue first, might blow on us if it is, if it isn't well have to wait until after sunset to identify the issue

>>1391724
>(Crafts) Take a look at the radio.

>>1391782
>>1391992
You take the back off the radio setup and start sorting through the wires, looking for any possible trouble.

Roll Wits + Crafts + Repair Work bonus (5 dice).

Rolled 1, 2, 3, 10, 4 = 20 (5d10)

>>1392275

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1392371

Rolled 5, 7, 4, 8, 9 = 33 (5d10)

>>1392275

Rolled 6, 4, 10, 6, 7 = 33 (5d10)

>>1392275
>5 dice

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1393084
>10

Rolled 6, 3, 5, 8, 7 = 29 (5d10)

>>1392275

>>1392736
It don't look like you've got damage back there. I mean, nothing's smoking or sparking or melted or shit like that. Maybe it's the antenna on the roof. You put the back back on the radio.

>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield.

>(Athletics) Get up on the roof to check the antenna.

>Relax at your post.

>Write-In

>>1393240
>(Athletics) Get up on the roof to check the antenna.

>>1393240
>(Athletics)

>>1393242
>>1393268
Roll Dexterity + Athletics (4 dice).

Rolled 5, 6, 1, 1 = 13 (4d10)

>>1393296

Rolled 7, 9, 8, 10 = 34 (4d10)

>>1393296
Rollin

Rolled 8, 4, 4, 8 = 24 (4d10)

>>1393296

>>1393302

I think you got this

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>1393302
Kaboom

>>1393302
>>1393319
You haul your ass onto the roof and start checking out the radio antenna. Looks like the thing's still functional. Guess you'll have to wait until nightfall to actually figure out what's going on with the damn thing. Great.

Well, no use just fucking around up here. You get back down off the roof and head back inside. Looking at the map of the area (similar to pic related), you can see that the previous ranger stationed here took notes on unresolved reports in various parts of the Mt. Hood area:

MISSING HIKERS ON TIMBERLINE TRAIL: LOW PRIORITY, PROBABLE BODY RECOVERY.

SIGNS OF CAMP DISTURBANCE IN SHERWOOD CAMPGROUND, NEAR ROAD. POSSIBLE GRIZZLY BEAR ACTIVITY.

SUSPICIOUS FIRE OUTBREAK AT DALLES WATERSHED: POSSIBLE ARSON ATTEMPT.

>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>Wait at your post for a call to come in.

>(Survival) Go out and do a foot sweep of the Mt. Hood area.

>(Drive) Do a road patrol of your part of the Mt. Hood area.

>Write-In

File: Mt.Hood2012-Side2ForWeb.jpg (1.98 MB, 2808x1944)

1.98 MB JPG

>>1393364
Forgot map.

>>1393364
>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>>1393364
>>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>>1393364
>>(Survival) Go out and do a foot sweep of the Mt. Hood area.

>>1393364
>(Survival) Go out and do a foot sweep of the Mt. Hood area.

>>1393371
>>1393383

I'll switch to this to keep things moving

>>1393383
>>1393386
>>1393424
"HQ, this is Station 13, I'm going to do a foot-sweep of my sector, will check back in in two hours if all's clear."

"Solid copy, Station 13."

You strap on your work belt, with its hand-held radio, basic survival gear, and holstered Colt .45 handgun, and head out into the forest. Nothing like a good old-fashioned walk in the woods to get your spirit alive.
Your immediate area covers a lot of hilly terrain, with few paths: exhausting work for most people.

Roll Stamina + Survival -3 (5 dice). Remember that you have 9-again!

Rolled 7, 1, 6, 8, 3 = 25 (5d10)

>>1393466
Why such a big penalty?

Rolled 7, 3, 9, 1, 2 = 22 (5d10)

>>1393466

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>1393480

>Boom

>>1393473
You're covering a large, densely-wooded and mountainous area in a relatively short amount of time.

Rolled 2, 2, 3, 10, 5 = 22 (5d10)

>>1393466
third set

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1393495
Explosion for you.

>>1393473
The weather's nice this time of year up in the forest. Rain's let up, sun's taking the bite off of the high-altitude chill, the snowy peak of Mt. Hood itself looms, distant and majestic; it all makes you half feel like you should strip ass-naked, take a run through the woods, and scare the absolute SHIT out of some tourists. But you won't, though. That ain't you. At least, you hope that ain't you.
Anyway, shit seems quiet in the eight-mile radius around Station 13 that's your foot-patrol area. No smoke from illegal campfires, no signs of poachers- hell, you only found a couple pieces of litter! Nice and quiet, just how you like it. That's why you asked to be assigned to Station 13: right up by Rocky Butte, middle of the Eastern forest region: not a lot of people come out in this section besides bike-happy white folks (funny, that: brothers are all about bikes in CITIES, if only because their ass's too poor for a car, but biking in forests and mountains and shit? White people thing.) coming up the trails from Camp Cody and the occasional hikers wanting to go up the butte (no pun intended).

You get back to the station a bit overheated, but otherwise good.

"Station 13, checking back in. All quiet up here."

"Alright, 13."

Well. Now what?


>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>Wait at your post for a call to come in.

>(Drive) Do a road patrol of the roads around Camp Cody.

>Write-In

>>1393572
Investigate poaching

>>1393572
>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>>1393572
>>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.
where is Hatfield on the map? I couldn't find it on google maps

>>1393572
>>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>>1393572
>(Drive) Take the ranger jeep out to Hatfield to investigate signs of poaching.

>>1393615
It's to the far north of Mt. Hood proper, in one of the wilderness areas (which, as an interesting trivia fact, are considered to be separate, legally, from the national forest, even though it falls to the US Forest Service to manage both.)

>>1393612
>>1393613
>>1393615
>>1393643
"Alright, I'm heading out to Hatfield, HQ. Previous ranger reported poaching signs up there, don't know what the Hell he was doing that far north-"

"We had an... incident involving a deer stampede, needed every ranger on-hand. You sure he said he saw poaching signs?"

"That's what this note says."

"Alright, well, Station 8 is out sick, so I guess it's alright for you to head up there. We'll let Stations 10 and 3 know that your area's going to be unpatrolled for a few hours."

"10-4."

You start up your work car (an off-road adapted jeep: probably Army surplus recycled to the DOI) and start hauling up the ranger-only roads towards Hatfield.

Roll Dexterity + Drive + Off-Road bonus (4 dice). Must get two or more successes.

Rolled 10, 7, 2, 2 = 21 (4d10)

>>1393692

Rolled 3, 1, 7, 9 = 20 (4d10)

>>1393692

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1393704
xpld

Rolled 1, 8, 1, 7 = 17 (4d10)

>>1393692

Rolled 5, 4, 9, 3 = 21 (4d10)

>>1393692

>>1393704
The road up towards Hatfield is flat and muddy, but nothing the jeep can't handle. You look out the window as you drive through, looking at the tall trees, kept preserved as they were before the white man came with his trains and coal plants and-
BANG

Your jeep starts spinning out through the mud! You wrestle with the wheel and manage to prevent the damn thing from flipping- but not from it heavily checking a tree with it's right side. Your airbag goes off, bouncing your skull against the headrest (You take 2 bashing damage).

As it slowly deflates, you wrestle with your belt and get out.

>Check the tires.

>Go back and try and figure out what you hit on the muddy road.

>Call in to HQ using your car radio.

>Write-In

>>1393692
Ruht-rho. Hopefully we have a winch on the jeep. At least a come along to haul it back onto the road.

>>1393750
>>Call in to HQ using your car radio.
"I hit something, checking", then
>>Go back and try and figure out who you hit on the muddy road.

>>1393750
>Call in to HQ using your car radio.

>Go back and try and figure out what you hit on the muddy road.

>>1393750
>Go back and try and figure out what you hit on the muddy road.

Rolled 10, 3, 9, 6, 5, 10, 10 = 53 (7d10)

>>1393757
>>1393761
>>1393775
"HQ? This... damn, this is Wagon 13. Just hit something on Restricted Road J, about... shit, I think 5 miles from the trouble spot. Tire possibly out, right side impacted a tree, fir I think... going back to check what I hit. Checking back in in 5."

"Reading you, Wagon 13."

You climb out of the jeep, wincing slightly from the airbag impact. You climb back up the slight incline that elevates the road out of the wilderness area and head back along the muddy surface to where you spun out. It doesn't take you very long to spot what caused your problem.

A lattice of planks with nails sticking up is sunk into the mud, JUST deep enough to elude notice, but not so deep that, say, a jeep driving through wouldn't pop its tires. Sabotage. Damn. Probably means the poachers are somewhere around right now: dropped this out to buy time if anyone spotted them and ran to the Forest Service about it.

You hear something rustling in the bushes nearby, and your senses go into overdrive, driven by an adrenaline spike.

Roll Wits + Composure (4 dice). Must beat above roll.

Rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>1393838
Explosions.

Rolled 9, 7, 9, 1, 10, 5, 3 = 44 (7d10)

>>1393838

Fucking Christ they're good

Spending will

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>1393842

Boom

Rolled 9, 10, 10, 7, 10, 3, 7, 1 = 57 (8d10)

>>1393838
Spending will
>>1393842
Hey, you rolled one dice less than you should have. Roll another.

>>1393870
4+3=7, anon.

Rolled 9, 8, 8, 6, 1, 8, 4 = 44 (7d10)

>>1393838

Rolled 4, 1, 5 = 10 (3d10)

>>1393879
ah shit, sorry. Bad at math.
Disregard my roll then.

>>1393884
You whirl- and see a deer come quietly out of the brush. It's a buck, 12-pointed and majestic. It stops when it sees you and starts sniffing the air. It paws the ground with a forehoof and snorts. Shit. It sees you as a threat.

>(Animal Ken) Try and get it to calm down.

>(Intimidate) Make yourself look like too much to fight.

>(Athletics) BACK TO THE JEEP

>(Brawl, with optional Contract activations) Get into a receiving stance and prepare to grapple the sucker if it charges.

>Write-In

>>1393927
>>(Brawl, with optional Contract activations) Get into a receiving stance and prepare to grapple the sucker if it charges.
I'm thinking we activate Might of the Terrible Brute.

>>1393927
>>(Athletics) BACK TO THE JEEP

>>1393960

Seconding this, we should try to get out of here without killing it but we should stand our ground

Rolled 5, 2, 2, 9, 8, 6, 3, 2, 6, 8, 10, 1 = 62 (12d10)

>>1393960
>>1394055
You aren't good with animals. That's more Jerry's thing. If you run, the buck'll take that as an invitation to charge and trample you. If you try and look big and scary, it might decide that it's GOT to charge. Guess the only thing to do is take it head-on, MAKE it respect you. You shift your center of gravity down and spread your arms, hands positioned to thrust through the forest of points and grab the antlers as it charges. You lock eyes with the beast.

"Well?! WHAT YOU WAITING FOR?!?!!! GET SOME!!"

Your yelling makes the deer finally come to a decision. It lowers it's head and charges.

>Activate Might of the Terrible Brute (spend 1 glamour, roll 6 dice, +1 Strength to your next action for every success)

>Take it on raw (Roll Strength + Brawl, 7 dice. Must beat above roll).

>>1394110
Exploding. Thus far, must beat 4 successes.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1394117
Shit.

Rolled 9, 10, 4, 8, 3, 3 = 37 (6d10)

>>1394110
>Activate Might of the Terrible Brute (spend 1 glamour, roll 6 dice, +1 Strength to your next action for every success)

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>1394168

Boom

Rolled 9, 3, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 2, 5 = 52 (10d10)

>>1394110
>>1394168

With the successes

Rolled 8, 8 = 16 (2d10)

>>1394185

Doublemint Boom

Rolled 9, 5, 9, 4, 4, 4 = 35 (6d10)

>>1394110
Might makes right.

Rolled 1, 6, 1, 1, 2, 8, 4, 10, 10 = 43 (9d10)

>>1394110
>>1394221
With the added dice.

Rolled 8, 10 = 18 (2d10)

>>1394230

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1394242
Oh boy.

Rolled 8, 2, 4, 10, 7, 9 = 40 (6d10)

>>1394110
Activating

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>1394357
Boom

Rolled 2, 3, 10, 5, 8, 5 = 33 (6d10)

>>1394110
>>Activate Might of the Terrible Brute (spend 1 glamour, roll 6 dice, +1 Strength to your next action for every success)

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>1394364
>10

>>1394357
>>1394363

With added dice

Rolled 3, 10, 4, 10, 7, 6, 9, 10, 7, 6 = 72 (10d10)

>>1394364
>>1394371
>>1394110
>>Take it on raw (Roll Strength + Brawl, 7 dice. Must beat above roll).

Rolled 2, 4, 7, 9, 5, 2, 10, 4, 1, 2, 7 = 53 (11d10)

>>1394374
Tring again

Rolled 10, 7, 4 = 21 (3d10)

>>1394378
>10

>>1394379
Pityful boom

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>1394385
>10

>>1394185
>>1394188
For most people, wrestling a buck deer is how you write a one-way ticket to either a hospital or a tombstone with the epitaph "He died like a jackass". You ain't most people. You dig deep inside yourself and let loose with a deep, primal roar that causes birds to take flight out of nearby trees. Glamour surges through your muscles, making them briefly swell and bulge.
You grab that deer by his antlers slam his head into the ground, HARD, and flip it onto its side. As the buck reels, legs thrashing, trying to find purchase in the mud, you howl into its face:

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME! I'M THE BAD MOTHERFUCKER IN THIS FOREST, GOT IT? NOT YOU! ME!!!"

Deer seems to get the message, because as soon as you let go of its antlers, it clumsily rights itself and bolts into the forest. Well, that's that settled, then, you think as you pull the road trap out of the mud and stick it in the back of your jeep. Hopefully, that deer won't get shot by the poachers. Now, the jeep has a winch, and you could rig it on one of the uphill trees and use the spares in the back to replace the busted tires: but that would take a while, and none of the trees look super healthy: you might end up pulling up a tree, which is the opposite of your job. 'Sides, the poachers might have heard your tires blowing out and you subduing the deer, and could get a head start on fucking out of the wilderness area: and, once out of the area, they'd be out of your jurisdiction. If you call in to HQ, they'll send a rescue truck out and haul the jeep back for repairs: but then you'd have to go back with the jeep, and give up on the poachers. 'Course, you could always ditch the jeep and try and hunt them down on foot- which, once again, would be dangerous...

>Try and winch the jeep back onto the road.

>Ditch the jeep and pursue on foot.

>Call in a tow and give up.

>Write-In

>>1394404
Fuck. Just let it be known that this anon here's roll was the one used:

>>1394378
>>1394385
>>1394393

>>1394404
>Ditch the jeep and pursue on foot.

These motherfuckers gonna learn today

>>1394404
>>1394413
2nd. We ain't gonna let no poachers intrude on our turf!

>>1394413
this famalam

>>1394413
>>1394425
>>1394512
You head back to the jeep and grab the radio.
"This is Wagon 13, object I hit was an illegal road trap, repeat, illegal road trap. Poachers are almost certainly active on-site, pursuing on foot."

"Roger on the road trap, sending recovery rig out now, but do not pursue, 13. Orders just came down from above: EPA's closing down Hatfield, something about a wreck spilling classified hazardous waste into the forest, they're sending a scrub team in, no one without biohazard training's allowed in."

"But those sonsa-"

"Trust me, 13, we all want poachers in jail, but this goes over our heads: DEA gets jurisdiction when there's a spill."

The sound of a rifle firing rings through the treeline. It sounds pretty high-power- hell, at first you thought it might be a cannon. Judging by the sound, they can't be more than one or two miles out.

>Bullshit! I've got shots fired, those fuckers aren't doing this on my watch!

>...Understood, HQ. Over and out. (wait with the jeep).

>Understood, HQ. Over and out (Go after them anyways).

>Write-In

>>1394605
>DEA
Should be EPA.

>>1394605
>Understood, HQ. Over and out (Go after them anyways)
>BUT IN SASQUATCH MODE

>>1394605
Understood and go after, tell him to cancel the rescue truck, since we are not following we will change the tires here

I mean, we heard shots pretty close and they might be in danger due to the spill

>>1394605
>Understood, HQ. Over and out (Go after them anyways).

If this comes back on us say that the rifle shots were much closer and we were acting in self preservation, staying with the jeep would make us a sitting target

>>1394605
>Understood, HQ. Over and out (Go after them anyways).

>>1394621
>>1394634
>>1394636
>>1394639
"10-4 HQ. Cancel the rig: I've just got a couple of busted tires, nothing I'm not already equipped to fix. The rest of the damage is cosmetic."

"Copy that. Over and out."

Like Hell you're going to let some poachers get away with some bullshit because the EPA feels like waving its dick around! You get ready to go after these assholes:

>Get the shotgun from the trunk

>Get the high-power scoped rifle from the trunk

>Go in with what you have.

>Leave your badge and gun in the jeep.

>Write-In

Regardless of your decision, then roll Wits + Survival (6 dice)

Rolled 2, 10, 4, 3, 3, 8 = 30 (6d10)

>>1394760
>Get the high-power scoped rifle from the trunk

We should focus on scouting these guys out first, get more information on what they're carrying and how many there are before picking a fight

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>1394802

Boom

Rolled 7, 7, 7, 10, 5, 9 = 45 (6d10)

>>1394760
>>Get the shotgun from the trunk
Let's see if we can get up close and personal like.

Rolled 1, 3, 8, 6, 9, 3 = 30 (6d10)

>>1394760
>Leave your badge and gun in the jeep.

>>1394760
>Get the high-power scoped rifle from the trunk
Long range and a scope would be nice, we have righty and lefty for if we need to get up close and personal.

Rolled 5, 10, 7, 2, 6, 9 = 39 (6d10)

>>1394760
>>1394852
shit forgot to roll. Remember lads, we have 9-again on survival rolls, and can spend a point of glamour to reroll

Rolled 9, 5 = 14 (2d10)

>>1394862

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1394849
pop

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>1394877
Once more.

Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d10)

>>1394838
Rolling this man's explosions.

Rolled 3, 8, 4, 7, 4, 3 = 29 (6d10)

>>1394802
You grab your scoped rifle from the trunk and climb up onto a nearby hill. From here, you start sweeping the landscape for the poachers.

Roll Wits + Composure + 2 (6 dice). Must beast above roll.

Rolled 10, 4, 4, 1, 5, 10 = 34 (6d10)

>>1395233

Rolled 4, 3, 7, 8, 5, 9 = 36 (6d10)

>>1395233
>6d10

Rolled 8, 2, 4, 2, 9, 8 = 33 (6d10)

>>1395233

Rolled 10, 10 = 20 (2d10)

>>1395255
Explo

Rolled 9, 6 = 15 (2d10)

>>1395267
And again

>>1395283

Nice

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>1395283
Yet again

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>1395296
Once more into the breach my friends

>>1395313

Well we couldn't go too overboard on these poor fuckers

Rolled 1, 2, 7, 4, 4, 3 = 21 (6d10)

>>1395233

>>1395255
>>1395267
>>1395283
You spot them about three-quarters of a mile off of your position: five men in camouflage gathered around a downed grizzly. One of them's carrying a big-ass rifle: probably the one that you heard earlier. The others are armed with smaller hunting rifles, more appropriate for small to medium-sized game (a category that, of course, includes humans). It looks like... yep, they're field-dressing the bear. Looks like they're going after claws and fur; these aren't just hicks who think that they can hunt in this area because their daddy and granddaddy did, or trophy hunters trying to add the spice of illegal, out-of-season prey to their sport. The illegal fur trade's a big business, as is the sale of bear claws (chinamen apparently grind them up and snort them because they think it makes their dick work better): a big enough business that these shitheads wouldn't think twice about capping a ranger and dumping him in the river for stumbling on their hunt without backup. But, hey, that's why they pay you the big bucks, right?
Now, TECHNICALLY, you aren't supposed to shoot to kill, but part of you- a dark, animal part- says that no one would miss these scumbags if you put them down right here, right now.

>(Firearms) Take a shot at them from this range.

>(Stealth) Try to get in closer.

>(Wits + Composure) Keep watching them.

>Write-In

Rolled 6, 3, 8, 6 = 23 (4d10)

>>1395440
>(Wits + Composure) Keep watching them.

I do not like 5 to one odds, let's try to see what we can learn about them, and figure out where they camp or where they return to. Worst case scenario it's something we take care of with Jerry when we can

>>1395440
>Now, TECHNICALLY, you aren't supposed to shoot to kill, but part of you- a dark, animal part- says that no one would miss these scumbags if you put them down right here, right now.
So how else do we stop them from poaching, spook them so bad they never try endangering wildlife again?

>>1395440
>>(Stealth) Try to get in closer.
Get up and beat the fuck out of them.

Rolled 4, 3, 4, 9 = 20 (4d10)

>>1395440
>(Wits + Composure) Keep watching them.

>>1395440
Stealth,
Let's get forest monster on their asses and feed on some glamour to boot

>>1395440
>(Stealth) Try to get in closer.
>>1395466
>>1395478
Time to show them what the Autumn Court's all about!

Do we roll now or wait for a consensus?

Rolled 1, 1, 4, 5 = 11 (4d10)

>>1395440
>(Wits + Composure) Keep watching them.

>>1395512
I would wait for concensus, personally.

>>1395465
Shoot to wound, followed by an arrest. The weaponry is officially for dangerous wildlife. HOWEVER, the worst shooting poachers normally gets you is a bunch of paperwork.

>>1395475
The quintet turn the bear over and start the skinning process proper: looks like they did the claws before you got here. They got a big sumbitch, that's for sure: practically takes all five of them to roll it over. They all look like real roughnecks: three of them have scars, and one's missing an ear- the ugly, puckered hole sticks out slightly on his left side- but they undertake the skinning with a surgeon's precision: after all, you think to yourself, the hide wouldn't be worth as much if they fucked it up.

You hear a WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP start carrying through the air, and look up from your scope to see several helicopters moving in from the East. You raise your scope to look. Black. They got EPA marking, but they don't look like the kind of chopper the scrubbers would use, or even civilian- hell, they look like a sci-fi version of the whirlybirds used to move boys around in 'Nam. The side of one of the choppers swings open, and you see the gleam of a sniper rifle in the hands of the man standing in it. He's not pointing it at you: looks like he's sweeping the ground below, right around where those poachers are.

>(Athletics) Shit. Back to the Jeep!

>(Stealth) Try and blend into the hill and the trees.

>(Wits + Composure) Watch the proceedings.

>Write-In

>>1395671
>(Stealth) Try and blend into the hill and the trees.
Train the rifle on them just in case.

>>1395671
>(Stealth) Try and blend into the hill and the trees.

Rolled 10, 9, 8, 2 = 29 (4d10)

>>1395671
>(Wits + Composure) Watch the proceedings.

We appear to have stepped into something

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>1395734

Boom

>>1395734
this

>>1395734
>>1395743
Taking this for the sake of keeping things moving, but for future reference: PLEASE don't roll until the thread has come to a consensus. In the future, all such rolls will be ignored. Now:


The poachers look up at the choppers as they fly overhead and start to panic. They get up from their kill and start to run; the rifle barks in a staccato rhythm, and the poachers go down. The second chopper in formation hovers down over a small break in the trees, and you see rappel lines fly over the sides and a team of eight men slide to the ground. The third chopper gets some height and starts slowly moving over the area, like a patrol.

The chopper carrying the sniper starts flying towards your hill: you duck behind a tree as it flies by and evade being spotted.

>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>(Athletics) Fuck this: time to leave.

>Write-In

>>1396214
>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>>1396214
>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>>1396214
>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>>1396214
>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>>1396214

>(Stealth) Get closer and figure out what this tactical team is doing in your forest.

>>1396238
>>1396254
>>1396297
>>1396327
>>1396337
Roll Wits + Stealth + Forest bonus (5 dice). Remember, you have 9-again on this roll, and may spend a point of glamour to re-roll if it fails.

Rolled 5, 2, 2, 2, 2 = 13 (5d10)

>>1396357

Rolled 1, 4, 5, 3, 8 = 21 (5d10)

>>1396357
Rollin'

Rolled 4, 2, 7, 10, 2 = 25 (5d10)

>>1396357

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1396368

Boom

Rolled 6, 2, 8, 1, 6 = 23 (5d10)

>>1396357

Rolled 6, 3, 3, 10, 6 = 28 (5d10)

>>1396359
Well... that certainly calls for a point of glamour.

Rolled 1, 2, 7, 4, 7 = 21 (5d10)

>>1396337

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1396382
Alright, everyone should probably burn that point of glamour because those rolls are garbage.

Rolled 4, 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 2, 7, 4 = 40 (9d10)

>>1396368
You pick out a route down the hill and towards the clearing that should keep you out of the sight-lines of any marksman in the team. You manage to reach their position in around 15 minutes and take a look from the treeline.

The team are dressed in full-body armor, some real next-generation stuff. Their guns look like bulky piles of garbage, though, but you suspect they can still kill you. You overhear one of them:

"So... what're we going after? Type Black?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, rook, did you read the briefing? Or ANYTHING? Type Blacks have a negative reaction to ultraviolet light."

"Huh?"

"THEY EXPLODE IN SUNLIGHT, SHIT-FOR-BRAINS. We wouldn't be going after one in sunlight. No, we're going after a Type Red."

"Oh! ...what're those?"

"Badass fuckin' animals. Now, we don't know much about this one besides the fact that its been ripping shit up in Portland: we've got eight bodies bored into attached to this thing, and the Brain Trust says it's here. No, I don't know how they know, they just DO, got it? Now, people, we don't know shit about this thing, so be on your guard, hardcore. Now, two-man teams, split up, start looking, and for GOD'S sake, keep your goggles on! I know how weird everything fucking looks through those, but if we're dealing with a Parrot or Caspar-type threat, those'll save your goddamn life."

The group starts fanning out, sweeping the treelines with their goggles.

Roll Dexterity + Stealth + Woods bonus (4 dice). Must beat above roll.

Rolled 6, 3, 8, 6 = 23 (4d10)

>>1396503

Rolled 8, 9, 7, 3 = 27 (4d10)

>>1396503

Rolled 7, 5, 6, 9 = 27 (4d10)

>>1396503

>>1396522
You press yourself against a tree as part of the group passes by: by some small miracle, none of them look around and notice you. The group seems to have fanned out into the wilderness.

>(Stealth) Follow the men who passed you by.

>(Athletics) Get out of here.

>Write-In

>>1396542
>(Athletics) Get out of here.

Now is a good time to bug off back to our jeep

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>1396529
9-again

>>1396542
>>(Stealth) Follow the men who passed you by.
Tempting to find out who is doing what in our forest.

>>1396542
>(Athletics) Get out of here.

>>1396542
>>(Athletics) Get out of here.
Get back to the car and repair it like nothing happened. If they come by tell them of poachers and ask them to arrest them if they meet them.

>>1396545
>>1396572
>>1396632
You've had enough of spying on men armed with enough firepower to turn you to mist. You floor it towards the car. Roll Stamina + Athletics -2 (6 dice). Must get at least two successes.

Rolled 1, 7, 9, 6, 4, 7 = 34 (6d10)

>>1396673

Rolled 4, 2, 4, 7, 2, 9 = 28 (6d10)

>>1396673

>>1396673
>>1396684
Wait, can we use Nevertread here as well? If these guys track us, it could get ugly.

>>1396686
Of course!

Rolled 6, 9, 3, 9 = 27 (4d10)

>>1396696
Intelligence+Wyrd. That's 4 right?

>>1396703
Yep!

Rolled 1, 9, 3, 9, 1, 3 = 26 (6d10)

>>1396673
Finishing out the set to advance.

>>1396892
>>1396703
You walk quick and light through the woods back to the jeep, leaving no tracks. It's easy to winch the Jeep back into place and fix the spares, what with the threat of getting shot up by black ops commandos on your back.

As you start wheeling back, your radio starts squawking.

"Wagon 13? Wagon 13! Wagon 13, do you copy?"

>I copy, HQ.

>Picking you up, HQ, but got a lot of interference. Think the impact might have knocked something out of place.

>>I hear you, HQ. Sorry about being radio silent for so long: took longer than I thought to get the Jeep out.

>Write-In

>>1396921
>I copy, HQ.

>>1396921
>Picking you up, HQ, but got a lot of interference. Think the impact might have knocked something out of place.

>>1396921
>I hear you hq. Sorry...

>>1396921
>>>I hear you, HQ. Sorry about being radio silent for so long: took longer than I thought to get the Jeep out.

>>1396921
>>Picking you up, HQ, but got a lot of interference. Think the impact might have knocked something out of place.
Well, we did get a lot of interference.

>>1396921
>>I copy, HQ. Tire's replaced and the car's back on the track again, I'm returning now to the post.

>>1396921
>Picking you up, HQ, but got a lot of interference. Think the impact might have knocked something out of place.

>>1396957
>>1397533
>>1397848
"I'm picking you up, HQ, but I'm getting a lot of interference. I think the impact might have knocked something in the radio loose."

"We're getting you loud and clear, 13. Might be a problem with the receiver. Bring the wagon around to HQ and take the spare out to Camp Cody: we've got reports of an animal attack. Station 3's ranger is already on-scene, says he could use an extra hand, and we've got 10 dealing with a 3-11 incident at the sky lodge."

>Copy that.

>If he needs help that bad, my jeep can wait. I'll head right over there.

>Write-In

>>1398059
>Copy that.

Then let's hop on to Station 3's frequency and explain we'll be held up while we switch vehicles. If he needs us immediately he can let us know then

>>1398070
>If he needs help that bad, my jeep can wait. I'll head right over there.
Fuck. Animal attack? After what we just heard those Delta Green wannabes talking about? We need to get over there right now. He might be in some serious shit.

>>1398084

Fair point, I was thinking more that we've been fairly uncooperative with HQ so far and didn't want to throw another one on there

That was seriously one shitty Hunter team though, or at least a Hunter team with an incompetent streak a mile wide

>>1398102
Yeah, but I don't think HQ knows that.

>>1398109

Yeah, I'll switch vote
>If he needs help that bad, my jeep can wait. I'll head right over there.

>>1398126
>>1398084
"If he needs help that bad, my jeep can wait. I'll head over there now."

"10-4, 13. Over and out."

Camp Cody is a more urbanized lodge area right next to the Rock Creek Reservoir. RVs are parked en masse next to a large central lodge. You pick out the ranger from Station 3 standing outside of one of the RVs, holding off a crowd of onlookers. As you approach, you start picking up fear: the crowd stinks of it. As you draw closer, you start to smell (ACTUALLY smell) something else: a nasty, metallic stink, like what you get when you leave a kettle on an electric stove too long. You elbow your way through the crowd, most of who come up to your armpits, maybe.

"Out of the way, people, I'm a ranger. I SAID MOVE!"

A path clears in front of you, letting you get to the other guy. You vaguely recognize him: Tom, or Ron, or something like that.

"So what's going on?"

He looks you in the eyes, and he has the face of a man who just wants to go home and curl up in the bottom of a liquor bottle. "We got two dead campers. Animal attack of some kind, but no animal I've ever seen before. All I know is that it wasn't human."

>Lemme have a look.

>You called the morgue?

>How you know it ain't human?

>Write-In

>>1398238
>>Lemme have a look.

>>1398238
>>How you know it ain't human?
without waiting for an answer (because we'll see):
>>Lemme have a look.

>>1398238
>Lemme have a look.
>How you know it ain't human?

>>1398261
>>1398270
>>1398276
"How do you know it ain't human?"

"...Just take a look."

You climb up into the RV and look inside.
Blood is splattered all over the bed. And the walls. And the ceiling. The bodies of a man and a woman are lying in the bed: they look like someone took a sledgehammer and ice drill to a mummy. The smell of blood and that burnt-metal aroma is choking.

>(Medicine) Examine the bodies.

>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.

>(Investigation) Look around the RV for evidence.

>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.

>(Science) Try and remember what sort of animal could do this.

>Write-In

>>1398337
>(Medicine) Examine the bodies.
Hopefully that'll give us something to work with when we inevitably
>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.

>>1398337
>(Medicine) Examine the bodies.
>(Investigation) Look around the RV for evidence.
>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.

Order of operations here, we want as objective evidence as possible before we start thinking up theories

>>1398353
>>1398424
Roll Intelligence + Medicine (3 dice).

Rolled 1, 7, 2 = 10 (3d10)

>>1398496

Rolled 3, 10, 4 = 17 (3d10)

>>1398496

Rolled 2, 7, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>1398496

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>1398517
Exploding.

>>1398745
Exploding the explosion.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>1398795
FUG.

Rolled 8, 7, 5 = 20 (3d10)

>>1398496
>3d10

>>1398517
>>1398745
Cause of death's easy: looks like something ran all through them and pulled big chunks out of their bodies. Like, ALL their bodies: you can't even see the bone. The mummy-look, you know, must be because they got all the water sucked out of them: but that takes a long-ass time, and this blood's FRESH. And why's the bodies all crumpled up and shit? God, this is sick shit.

>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.

>(Investigation) Look around the RV for evidence.

>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.

>(Science) Try and remember what sort of animal could do this.

>Write-In

>>1398844
>(Investigation) Look around the RV for evidence.

>>1398844
>>(Investigation) Look around the RV for evidence.

>>1398890
>>1398897
Roll Wits -3 (chance dice) (1 dice, only 10 counts as a success: on a 1, something REALLY bad happens which overrides any success you might roll.) May spend a point of Willpower to increase pool to 2 dice.

Rolled 10, 8 = 18 (2d10)

>>1398910

Popping Will

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>1398917

Boom on these?

Rolled 6, 10 = 16 (2d10)

>>1398910
I'll roll will

>>1398919
Yep.

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>1398924
splodan

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1398929
second splosion

Rolled 5, 10 = 15 (2d10)

>>1398910
last one

>>1398943
explo

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>1398948
Forgot to actually roll, anon. Let me get that for you.

>>1398924
>>1398929
Okay... Just ignore the smell... and the blood... what's going on in here?...
Look's like this van's got one of those roof window things for air circulation: it's cranked open, and there's some black shit hanging off of one edge. You grab at it with one hand: it's wire. Looks like part of it's stuck to the side.

The only other thing that's clearly off is the position the bodies are in. One's lying curled up like a baby on their side, and the other's lying on their back. No signs of a struggle, far as you can tell.

"Can you hurry it up in there? The crowd's getting antsy!"


>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.

>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.

>(Science) Try and remember what sort of animal could do this.

>Talk to the ranger

>Write-In

>>1399019
>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.
Then
>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.
I want to know what we should be looking for.

>>1399019
>>(Occult) Try and remember myths of what might have done this.

>>1399019
Survival,

The ocult we can do outside

>>1399092
...Are you suggesting we look for tracks inside the RV?

>>1399019
>(Survival) Look for animal tracks.

"One minute man, you put in a call yet or did you want a second opinion first?"

>>1399035
>>1399092
>>1399120
"Keep your damn shirt on. I'm trying to figure out what the hell happened in here!"

"Okay, whatever!" the ranger shouts back. You then hear "...freak." in a lower tone.

Roll Wits + Survival (6 dice).

Rolled 10, 8, 7, 1, 7, 2 = 35 (6d10)

>>1399139

Rolled 10, 7, 2, 7, 4, 3 = 33 (6d10)

>>1399139
>6d10

Rolled 2, 6, 5, 1, 5, 8 = 27 (6d10)

>>1399114
Yeah, on the blood, and then outside, or claw and pawn marks

>>1399139

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1399143

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1399146
>10

>>1399143
>>1399162
You start poking around for tracks in the RV. Doesn't look like there's any: no paw or claw marks, or footprints. Damn.

You hear a knocking from outside.

"If you're done playing Dick Tracy in there, the morgue's here. And some kind of government van."

>Give me a second! I want to look more closely.

>Come on out.

>Write-In

>>1399182
>>Come on out.
Delta wannabes are gonna come for us.

>>1399182
>Come on out.

Well ... it's not an animal attack.

>>1399182
>Come on out.

>>1399182
Come on out

>>1399192
>>1399198
>>1399212
>>1399222
You come out to the sight of a nondescript black van with 'EPA' written on the side disgorging a bunch of men in hazmat suits and a security team. The suits rush over to the RV and climb in while the team starts motioning to the crowd to get clear. A man in a three-piece suit walks towards your group and flashes a badge.

"Edmund Johnson, EPA. We have jurisdiction on this site."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"We believe the people in that RV were agents of a foreign power, possibly Russian or Iranian, who were smuggling dangerous chemicals and planned to launch a terror attack on American soil within the week. The state those bodies are in is the result of a dangerous biodestructive aerosol that, apparently, leaked during transport. The two of you may be contaminated, we're going to have to sweep you."


>bio-what? This is bullshit, those people were attacked!

>And I suppose the hazardous chemical spill happening the same day's what, a coincidence?

>(Say nothing)

>Write-In

>>1399308
>"What do you mean sweep, exactly?"

>>1399308
>bio-what? This is bullshit, those people were attacked!

Make sure that this isn't done near the crowds, or loudly, having people be attacked inside their RV's is bad news for everyone who has been thinking they were safe inside their tin boxs

>>1399324
This

>>1399329
And also this

>>1399324
>>1399329
>>1399336
>>1399341
"What are you talking about, 'sweep'?"

"Check you for contamination. The agent can be lethal in hours without proper treatment." The man in the suit waves to a member of the hazmat team, you starts lumbering over with some kind of boxy hand device.

"'The agent'? That's bullshit!" You lower your voice. "Those people were attacked. I know an animal attack when I see one, even if this is the WEIRDEST attack I've ever seen."

Mr. Johnson (no way in HELL that's his real name) raises an eyebrow at you and gives you some dumb-ass look. "Are you suggesting you know something about this situation that we don't?"


>(Wrath) Yeah, you slimy cracker-ass motherfucker, and I know another thing too: you ain't with the EPA.

>No, sir. Just telling you what I see.

>I might, but I'd need to understand the whole situation to help you.

>Write-In

>>1399526
> I might, but I'd need to understand the whole situation to help you.

>>1399526
>"I don't know about all that, but I do know that there's no way I'm letting some spooks 'sweep' my black ass for a chemical that ain't there. You guys wanna deal with this, fine, I'm out."

>>1399526

>Write-In
Buddy, I don't think anybody knows what the hell went on in there. But you're pissing away resources by keeping us in the dark like this, what happens if there's another attack and the "EPA" isn't around

>>1399526
>I might, but I'd need to understand the whole situation to help you.

>>1399649
>>1399541
"Maybe I know, but you'd need to get me in the loop for me to help you."

"Are you saying that you're withholding valuable information about a terrorist group from the federal government, sir?"

"What? No! Don't get this twisted-"

"Then just share what you know about the entity or entities that you claim perpetuated this attack."


>(Wrath) Go to Hell.

>I don't know. I don't know nothing.

>I dunno... it might sound crazy... but it's a ghost or something.

>Write-In

>>1399554
This. Perhaps ask how much should be omitted from our reports.

>>1399843
>I dunno... It might sound crazy...

>>1399843
>I dunno... it might sound crazy... but it's a ghost or something.

>>1399843
>Write-In

I don't know what could have done it, all I know is there is no way a chemical managed to do all of what just happened in that trailer

>>1399882
>>1399936

Guys stop going the paranormal route that'll just get us on the Hunter's radar

>>1399882
>>1399936
"I dunno... It might sound crazy..."

"Would it now? Well, I'm certain you can tell us all about your crazy ideas back at base, sir." He makes a sharp motion, and two of the guards start striding over. One of them removes a pair of handcuffs from his belt, right next to his handgun.

>(Athletics) RUN.

>(Brawl) Take the spook hostage.

>Go quietly.

>Write-In

>>1400153
>Write-In
Listen here hunter, you and I want the same thing. To get rid of this goblin. We can work together, or we can fight to the death, your choice.

>>1400153
>Write-In

Oh yeah, take the black guy huh? Sure sure, gotta be the black guy, look I have no idea what went on in there and if you guys don't want help fucking fine. Whatever Just let me get back to my patrol and I'll be sure to call y'all if somebody else explodes

>>1400190

No, not this, this is a government level Hunter team, they have enough resources to take care of things or at least believe they do. Revealing ourselves is an easy way to end up on an operating table

>>1400153
>>1400254
Seconding this.

Teller, if they take us prisoner, what do we need to escape via magic means? A mirror?

>>1401294
A mirror large enough to fit your shoulders through, or a door/archway (including one created by leaning one object against a wall, provided that you can crawl through the gap without knocking the object over). There are other ways to enter the Hedge, but they are less relevant/useful to a modern Changeling (SURE, you can get there by leaping over a suicide's grave at the stroke of midnight while holding your breath: but you could just as easily walk out the door).


>>1400254
>>1401294
You raise your voice loud enough for the crowd to hear. "Oh, yeah, take the brotha, huh? I see how it is, gotta be the black guy you gotta detain, probably slap on some bullshit charges..."

"Are you accusing me of being a racist, ranger?"

"Maybe. Look, to be honest, I got no damn clue what happened in there beyond it being maybe some kind of freakshow animal, and if you don't want park ranger help, fuck it. Just lemme get back to my patrol and I'll be sure to call y'all if we get more exploded campers."

"I never said that our agency wasn't interested in park ranger help. But... you must understand, some of our work is highly classified... the chemicals were developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Here, just sit down with me over here..."
The guards in the back start walking forward with the suit, shepherding you over to a picnic bench. The suit reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a form.

"This is a Non-Disclosure Agreement, agreeing that you will not discuss anything that may or may not be exchanged between us in the upcoming conversation in public or to the media. Just sign here."

The man produces a flashy silver pen and hands it to you. You give the form a once-over: it don't look like confession papers, so you don't think the suit's trying that game, but the text's all in lawyer-talk. You don't see any EPA stamps on this like what's on your DOI forms: hell, you don't see ANY logos. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see one of the hazmat guys pointing some sort of gadget at you.

>(Sign the forms)

>(Get up) I changed my mind. Just let me get back to my patrol.

>Write-In

>>1401314
Look over to the gadget pointing guy. It could be that it either a Men-in-Black amnesia stick or something that casts a harmless illusion over a "I confess to the murder" form or some other sinister thing. If we sign (not instantly), don't use our real signature.
These guys have no problem with disappearing us forever and blaming us as well. Remember, they killed the poachers, probably just for seeing them.

>>1401324
The gadget looks like someone strapped a very tiny (by 70's standards) camera to a radiation detector. He's pointing it at you and staring intently at a panel on the back.

>>1401326
Okay, so he's trying to read our magic aura or whatever. I hope the changeling "wavelength" is not the same as the evil monster wavelength.
>Sign (with fake signature)

>>1401327
this

>>1401327
>>1401333
You sign the form with a scribble that could be anything. The suit's hand twitches, and the form vanishes into his briefcase.

"Thank you. Now, in your professional opinion, what do you believe caused that murder scene? Be as honest as possible: we will accept any theory, no matter how... unusual it may seem."

"Well, whatever it is, it can melt through metal with its spit, doesn't leave normal tracks, and likes going through people like an ice corer, all without waking anyone up. You'd probably know what matches that description more than I do, huh?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised." You see the man's eyes flicker over your shoulder to where the hazmat guy's standing, then back. He rises and gives you a smile that doesn't reach his mud-brown eyes. "Thank you for your testimony, ranger. And, in the future, should you run into anything... outside of the US Forest Service's field of specialization... feel free to call this number. You won't regret it."

He flicks a business card onto the bench and walks away at a measured pace towards the van, his muscle tailing him. You pick up the card: there's nothing on it except for a number and the logo of a winged sword.

You shrug and get back into your car. Time to get to HQ.

The trade-off at HQ happens with little ceremony, and you're back to the Station as the sun begins to set. It's damn beautiful at this time of day: trees glowin' gold, the mountain in stark relief, and not a cloud in the sky- you can see the appeal at times like this.
You pull some smoked sausage out of the fridge and bite in. This is 'round the time the radio acts up- after sunset, the note said.

>Watch some TV.

>Go outside and watch the sunset.

>Call Mary.

>Wait by the radio.

>Write-In

>>1401340
>>Wait by the radio.
Investigate everything, like our best pal Jerry