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Sunday, August 16, 2009

[RPG] "Who Let Slip the Dogs of War?" -or- "The Hunters, Hunted"-

I was granted the opportunity to run a game with two of the players in the C&C game I participate in, and a gaming friend of theirs.
--They decided to use the Point-Design system (7k points -- making them 3rd Level), and so we had the full bells-and-whistles experience. Derek decided to play a mutant Durn divine spellcaster, and spent a long time tweaking that aspect, although the other two had been finished for a good 20-25 minutes.
---That said, the spellcaster had enormous flexibility and utility with a fire-based theme.

The scenario took place on The Fortifications of Wlor, just off the northern cost of the Durn continent, and involved the human Western Isles treasure-/big-game hunter and his mutant Yaesh fellow hunter searching for large flightless birds. They had travelled from Vrun Berror aboard a tramp freighter and had encountered ethnic and political antipathy from the miscreant crew. Their dinghy ride to shore was in the company of a Dokirin woman who had sequestered herself in her stateroom to avoid worse treatment.
--The fishing pier to the southeast of the main port was operated by the Guild Council fishermen, and quickly the group fell afoul of local roughs at a drinking and seafood shack at 1AM. A somewhat comical smakdown was lain upon the goons, and the band of four decided to investigate the portion of the island in the direction the non-Durn gangers had come. A second fight changed the tune as two Critical Hits dropped party members (although they were healed by Derek's character and the Dokirin NPC), and the surviving enemy fled as best possible while pursued.
---Further reconnaissance marked out the gang's complex near the island dictator's fortress (which should have been a clue), which the party avoided, and they instead found lodging in a very run-down place overlooking the quaint squalor of the main city. Their morning to afternoon rest found the party refreshed and ready for more troublefinding.

Purchasing three bottles of the best local hootch and eight commemorative shot glasses, the party took off once again, to a location advertised on a handbill stuffed under all the doors of the lodging. The indicated route took visitors past the gang's complex, and the party were justifiably wary. Returning to the foot of the hill at which the previous fight had taken place, looking for bound gangers, the group instead witnessed the gang members being rescued by a large group of well-armed government forces, whom the party avoided as they pressed on to examine the site marked on the map.
--Unbeknownst to them, the party was being observed from a higher altitude upon the sloping terrain. They then chanced upon a clearing filled with 60+ troops, in the process of torture and rape against foreigners who vaguely resembled the N/PCs. Trying to stealthily creep out of the clearing before being noticed, the party members were ambushed by their pursuers, one armed with a reciprocating heavy coilstock, the other with a 'hand-choppa' light coilstock. The fight was one marked by wounds on both sides; a successful death-from-above strike by the Western Isles hunter that flung the reciprocator-gunner down the slope and broke his neck; a desperate battle for the reciprocator as the Yaesh hunter was wounded with two bolts in his leg, hobbling downhill and the Durn battle-priest following after him in the hopes of escaping the fighting and healing his wounded companion. Those two made it to concealment, and the wounds were healed.
---The Dokirin woman had demonstrated that she possessed a cloak of Improved Invisibility in the first fight back at the shack, and had disappeared before this battle. The Great White Hunter desperately battled for control of the reciprocator and was discovered by troops from the encampment whereupon a second running battle and escape and evasion was played out against a large portion of the troops, while the other two PCs were E&Eing it further northeast, constantly being discovered by their pursuers.

Heading back toward the populated side of the island, WI hunter always managed to escape death, although wounded and hounded by 30+ paramilitary troops. He spotted smoke from the gang's complex, and as he continued to hug the curvature of the hillside, began to see emaciated Vrun fleeing from that direction. Most (women and children alike) were mowed down by the paramilitary that chanced upon them, but a few escaped when an explosion took out all but two of the tightly clustered search party (the survivors had arms blown off and quickly died).
--Meanwhile, at the other end of the island, the two PCs were constantly beset upon by their hunters, but managed to enter the thick palm forest and hide; the government forces unwilling to enter the terrain.
---The WI hunter was reunited with the Dokirin woman, Dasuel (who had initially claimed to 'document wildlife for the Federated Cities Council' of Marnharnnna) who was responsible for liberating the captives at the complex. Together with the fortunate survivors, they fled upon a fishing sail boat out to a larger vessel awaiting them. It turned out to be a Vrun Continental Authority naval ship and when the rest of the party's plight was explained, a rescue mission was initiated after dark. Villagers helped the two stranded PCs in exchange for blessings, and the VCA commandos rendered medical aid before departing with them.

Official VCA thanks, 500 count (each), and 1300 XP (each) was the reward.
--There is talk of playing again, soon.