The Web of Fear: A Fallout Game

Marcher Jovian · Aug 14, 2018

To: Trumbull
From: The RSPPR

We, too, wish to investigate the Bridgeport phenomenon; we will gladly lend you our full support in this matter.

gay_Aleks · Aug 14, 2018

The Grand Assembly of the Free Workers has assembled once more to decide upon the matters that concern the Hoboken Shipper Boys and Girls, and so it proclaims:

1) 30 of our citizens will continue to fish, while 50 of our people will no longer have to farm.

2) With the expedition from Hoboken showing that there are no dangers, we shall begin to scrap within the city, devoting 300 people to it, and 50 more to look for any Tech Parts/general curiosities that our initial expedition might've missed.

3) 30 of our people, armed with 30 laser guns and 30 leather armours will venture out to Newport and see the situation there. As with the Heights expedition before, caution is advised.

4) 20 ghouls will go find the Upside-Down Rams' and offer them a token amount of food as a gesture of friendship. We must make every effort that they don't learn we have humans amongst our ranks. At least for now.

The Grand Assembly has decided that if we approach the Upside-Down Rams with friendliness, maybe we can establish a mutually amicable relationship. With that being said, if they threaten our human friends that live amongst us, we shall defend them just as we'd defend a ghoul member of our community.

SouthernKing · Aug 14, 2018

Currently sitting on 9/24 orders. I'll start updating tomorrow; I'm currently dealing with an unexpected spate of RL stuff, so if I've seemed elusive the last day or two, that is the reason why.

To: Wall Street Traders
From: Cohen Syndicate

We currently have 10; we can give them all to you for what you are suggesting.

To: Wall Street Traders
From: Manhattan Commune

Excellent, we agree.

To: Connecticut State Government
From: Children of Concorde

We're not willing to trade our tech parts. Perhaps another time.

To: Connecticut State Government
From: Strontium Rangers

We have none to give.

Lord_Herobrine · Aug 14, 2018

Spoiler Disciples of Madison Orders :

Spoiler Stats :

Challenge:
Let them in. Just because they do not look like us, doesn't mean that they are denied the rights of man. To be allowed entry though, they must bring with them bits of knowledge or shows of good faith. Whether that be food, scrap, or insight about the region, the Disciples are a growing community that looks forward to new information and possibilities.

Orders:
-50 people will stay and maintain the farms.
-Build a Water Station (600 Scrap, 5 Tech) [If you decide I am near enough to a source of water; if not, build an Inn (300 Scrap)]
-Coordinate with Habitat 59 to lead an expedition to finally clear the Flushing Line. Send 150 people with 50 2H and 100 1H guns.
-100 people with 50 1H guns and 5 Mr. Handies will salvage more of the surrounding area.
-100 people with 75 1H guns and 25 2H guns will return to the Empire State Building area and continue salvage operations.
-45 people armed with the rest of the weapons will travel across the surface to scout for potential hazards and opportunities. Remain hidden if possible.

Diplomacy:
To: Vault 495

(Over Holotape message)
Greetings Vault Dwellers, We are the Disciples of Madison. A friendly and organized group, we are the remnants of the pre-war peoples. We will not try to actively open your doors, but instead be open to receive your inquires should you be curious. Be warned though, there are others on the surface who are not like us, others who seek to do harm. We and our friends will be willing to protect, should the good peoples of Vault 495 decide to grace us with their presence. Welcome to the world as we know it.
(End message)

NinjaCow64 · Aug 15, 2018

To: The Cohen Syndicate

We accept your offer. Pleasure doing business with you.

SouthernKing · Aug 15, 2018

Have started working on the update. It likely won't be done until early next week so there's still plenty of time to send orders.

Nobody126 · Aug 16, 2018

Atlantic Maritime League

Spoiler :

Decamper · Aug 16, 2018

The Captain nodded in response to the cadet’s salute and waited for him to open the door. The cadet announced her presence, waited for a muffled response, then opened the door and stepped to the side. He was careful not to make eye contact as the Captain walked in, then shut the door behind her. The Captain stepped to attention and saluted, which was lazily returned by the seated Major. He mumbled for her to sit, then stared at a paper for a moment, seemingly forgetting that she was in the room with him.

After a gaunt moment the man shook his head as if warding off a nap, then locked eyes with the Captain. He was disheveled for a man of his rank and held himself worse than the most beat down reserve cadet, but when you locked eyes with him his cold strength was all too apparent. They sat uncomfortably like that for a pregnant moment, both either too stubborn or too afraid to break their stare.

‘I understand you’re due to lead the company.’ He croaked.

She cleared her throat and replied, ‘Yes, sir.’

‘You’re first company command.’ He was looking back down at the paper.

‘Yes, sir.’ He didn’t reply for another long moment. She shifted irritably in the metal chair. She had places to be. ‘Lots of prep work, sir. I won’t let this big of an operation fail.’

‘Yes. Good. Good.’ He traced his finger along the paper, then, seemingly satisfied, pushed it towards the Captain. ‘There’s been some changes to the reserve personnel. I need you to confirm.’

She fought off a shiver as a chill of worry swept over her. There was something in the way he said that like it was a threat. ‘Did you make these changes, sir?’ As she took the paper to look over the names, she already knew what she would see.

‘I did.’

She forced herself to pass over the name. ‘I made the original list myself sir. Standard battle formation. One officer to every cadet. Only F10 and proven reserve cadets, 4 males to 1 female cadets.’ She paused, and when she felt it safe, she continued, ‘Why did you put a full female reserve platoon into a combat op?’

His eyes alone seemed to lower the room’s temperature. ‘You know why.’

She deflated. She looked down at the paper. Then hardened her eyes and matched the Major’s gaze. ‘You didn’t report me.’

‘No.’ The two officers once again stared each other down. To the Captain’s surprise, the older man’s eyes softened. He rubbed his temples and mumbled, ‘I need something from you.’ When the Captain cocked her head, he added, ‘13th Reserve Cadet platoon.’

She traced down the list again. There was a familiar name. ‘He’s yours?’ The Major nodded. ‘16. Didn’t make the cut?’

The Major shook his head. ‘He fought just as hard as the other boys. Harder. But quotas are a kick in the ass, and my family are all too damn short.’ He jabbed a finger at the Captain. ‘If you put him the action, and give him a glowing recommendation, he’ll get that promotion.’

The Captain eyed the finger until it lowered, then said, ‘Cronyism is a serious offence.’

‘So is fraternisation with cadets.’

‘I could report you.’

The chair creaked as the Major leaned back. ‘And I would be happy to have your company as we’re hanged.’ He drummed his finger on the desk as he continued, ‘Or, you can get my boy his bar, and your friend can stay in the fields. Or in your bunk, wherever you’d like.’

Whatever paternal kindness he had shown before had been frozen over again. He was a bastard, and she wondered if it might be worth it to hang if she could watch that icy calmness of his break.

Instead, she stood and saluted. The Major gave a lazy reply, and barked for the door to be opened.

The cadet dutifully let the Captain out, and carefully avoided either of the officers’ gazes.

Zappericus · Aug 16, 2018

Thought I'd just publicize my set of orders this turn just in case I get obliterated.

Spoiler Poxxy's Chem Dogs' Orders :

SouthernKing · Aug 21, 2018

Update 3: The Brink of Disaster
Summer 2161
84 Years after the War

Somewhere across the great mountains to our west lies a city of death once known as Pittsburgh. Hardly inhabitable at all before the War, it became a Pitt worse than any human vision of the inferno in the years afterward. Toxic smoke, industrial chemicals, residual radiation, slavers, and the utter dregs of humanity combined to create a cesspool whose name was feared in hushed tones by even the most hardened raiders, as far afield as Connecticut.

As it would seem, no longer. The zeppelins, it is said, came in a single night, and out came the mysterious power armoured knights. No one is sure who they are or where they came from, but everyone is sure that they put the Pitt to the sword and the gear. The city has been cleansed with such fearsomeness.

What precisely this means is something no one knows, either.

***

Southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley

It promised to be a quiet and bountiful summer for the Kings and Queens. They’d all gone out to scrap in the suburb of Audubon, when they saw strange movement back home across the Schuylkill. When they went to investigate, they found an American flag flying from above King of Prussia--and, worse, a quintet of massive beasts prancing about outside.

In a bizarre and unexpected knot in the weave of time, the dwellers of Vault 77 had happened to arrive in King of Prussia at a time when no one had been home. Tightly fortified as the King of Prussia may have been, the Vault-Dwellers had managed to find a way through the empty gates and secure it without a drop of bloodshed before its true owners had returned.

There was no battle. Between the knowledge of just how fortified the King of Prussia was, and the sight of the elephants trumpeting, the Kings and Queens staggered to Mount Joy in a haze, hoping to regroup. How long the Vault-Dwellers can hold onto the mall-turned-citadel, however, is another question entirely.

Armstrong Gals

Spoiler :

Atlantic Maritime League

Spoiler :

The League consolidated their control over New Castle, or Memorial Anchorage, as they began to call it. The expected attack from more Halflings never came, although the mood remained particularly nervy as the summer months passed by.

The main focus continued to be on exploration. The eastern half of Wilmington itself was explored. Flooding had irreparably damaged the shipyard, although it may prove a fruitful scrapping location.
The city had been spared the nuclear fires, but many of its overgrown streets were crawling with mutated giant insects, keeping sentient life out--including some of the explorers, although the bloodbugs seemed to stay west of Walnut Street--everything east seemed utterly dead, decaying, and even the animals kept away. Any sailing ship at Fort Christina had long since rotted away. What they found instead was a little shining pyramid, a sigil of a stylised eye atop it. The explorers were considering investigating, but were careful enough to not mess with the pyramid, and they left it alone. The insect-free pockets of Wilmington, however, seem safe enough.

Another two parties headed up I-95 north, past Wilmington, in the direction of Philadelphia.
The road by Bellevue State Park had been overrun by vicious deathclaws, which killed a number of the explorers before they were able to flee. In Arden and Claymont, they found a commune of v a vicious war with each other. Both towns viewed the explorers with suspicion, and the explorers moved along before they could be caught in. The area around here was deemed especially fertile. Across the state line, they saw lines of smoke rising from the direction of Marcus Hook, but did not investigate. In Chester, they found a rather large and thriving town, open to trade relations. From there, one party branched up north along I-476, and never returned. Another party proceeded further towards Philadelphia; in these suburbs, the fertility was good, though not as bountiful as in Delaware. They turned back when they sighted a band of fearsome, masked raiders, their banners identifying them as the Dragons of Death, holding sway over I-95 near Ridley Park.

An entirely separate expedition was sent upriver to the edge of Philadelphia International Airport. They similarly contacted Chester. When they tried to land near the airport itself, they found themselves caught up in an automated defence system, who drove them back to their boats. Returning south, they explored the Delaware-Chesapeake Canal, where they found little that was not already known. Emerging in the Chesapeake, the explorers were nervous; the whole coast, especially around Elk Neck State Park, was infested by mirelurks and shadowy swamp creatures. Coming to the mouth of the Susquehenna, they noticed that Havre de Grace had been taken over by a strange cult (see Challenge). On the other side of the river lived more mirelurks. Garrett Island was uninhabited, and insulated enough from both the town and the sea creatures, though not particularly fertile.

Another party headed south past the site of New Castle Airport--where salvagers had found an intact vertibird, as well as some other intact aircraft they were unable to return with them--and as far as Bear, whose inhabitants--the so-called town of New Bear--greeted the explorers with relief. They claimed they were being menaced by raiders from the west; with this news, the explorers decided to simply turn back.

Stats Changes:
+5 Humans (Fort Delaware Growth), +5 Humans, +5 Human Slaves (Memorial Anchorage Growth), +5 Humans (Memorial Anchorage Immigration)
+860 Scrap Parts, +1 Vertibird (Salvaging)
-10 Humans, -10 2H Guns, -70 Ammunition (Expedition 1)
-5 Humans, -5 1H Guns, -5 Leather Armour, -50 Ammunition (Expedition 2)
-50 Humans, -40 2H Guns, -10 LT Ranged, -50 Leather Armour (Expedition 3 Disappearances)

Challenge: When our expedition returned from Havre de Grace, they brought back with them a couple of strange robed figures, bearing sinister three-pronged sigils and carrying what were clearly fragments of irradiated metal. After they were established are peaceful, they claimed to represent a sect of the Church of the Children of Atom. According to them, the Great War was Atom’s gift, the creation of a Glow of life. This particular sect claimed to be the guardians of “Atom’s Blessed River,” with Havre de Grace being merely an outpost. They know of our maritime capabilities, and are interested in establishing closer ties with us in order to expand, even willing to lend us a powered boat--but they would like our fusion core in return.

Kings and Queens

Spoiler :

Order of the Holy Wound

Spoiler :

Poxxy’s Chem Dogs

Spoiler :

It was a time of vengeance for the Chem Dogs, as they prodded southeast, trying to find what had become of their missing raiders.

At Haverford College, they found the empty remains of what had once been a post-War habitation. But, from the bloody handprints all over, and the piles of rotting corpses around the edges, and the overbearing stench of death, and the general lack of any sign of civilisation, it would appear that the Chem Dogs had been here before. But there was no trace of any Chem Dogs. Furthermore, they found, in the centre of a lawn, a perfect, shimmering pyramid, as good as new, with the sigil of a stylised eye upon it.

The moment one of the Chem Dogs laid a soiled hand upon the surface, a quite well-camouflaged automated defence system popped up from the ground and began spraying away. Within minutes, the Chem Dogs were under attack by Vertibirds, carrying blue-and-gold-armoured soldiers with them. The Chem Dogs scattered, with quite a few--mostly slaves--being gunned down in the process.

Unsure whether that had been real, or the second mass chem-induced hallucination in a year, the remaining Chem Dogs regrouped and decided to press on. In Havertown, they came across a few independent homesteaders, half of whom were eaten on the spot, the unlucky other half of whom were pressed into slavery, all of their possessions taken over. Upper Darby had been overrun by radscorpions, who were fairly easy cleared away. Springfield was under the control of another group of upstart raiders, calling themselves the Gold Cougars, who were easily outnumbered by the Chem Dogs even after the Haverford College strangeness. Contact was avoided.

Meanwhile, a team of slaves was sent to drag the mysterious boat back to the Underhive. After great strenuousness, they managed to do it. Chem-fuelled rumours had been whirling about, claiming that strange men in black would come and punish Poxxy for removing the boat, but nothing of the sort came. The boat was placed in the centre of the Underhive’s arena, and all the Chem Dogs’ bobbleheads were placed upon its holy hull. It would seem the Chem Dogs have claimed the Boat as their new patron deity.

Stats Changes:
+10 Humans (Growth)
+1 Military Skill (Arena)
-300 Chems, -30 Humans, -85 Human Slaves, -20 Ghoul Slaves, -80 LT Melee, -15 1H Guns, -20 Leather Armour, -465 Ammunition, -5 Grenades (Expedition Losses)
+20 Human Slaves, +5 Ghoul Slaves, +25 2H Guns, +10 Leather Armour, +50 Ammunition (Expedition Gains)

Challenge: We are faced with a theological dilemma. The introduction of the Boat has split the Chem Dogs in two major cults: those who venerate the Boat, and those who venerate the Bobble. Most are content to let everyone else worship as they please, but a few zealots have emerged in both cults, demanding the exclusion of the other. (There is also a third, much smaller cult of the Eye Pyramid, but most of its adherents are just hapless slaves believed to be thinking above their standing; most who venerate the Boat and the Bobble think of the Pyramid as a great evil.) What is the ruling of the great Poxxy?

Ursine Order of Hershey
The Ursine Order disappeared from travellers’ stories during the course of the summer. It was speculated that they had disbanded for some reason--or, perhaps, they had simply sealed themselves and gone into deep, dark cover.

Vault 77

Spoiler :

***

New York City and North Jersey

Beastie Boys

Spoiler :

Disciples of Madison

Spoiler :

The Disciples of Madison gave shelter to a number of ghouls in from the Wasteland. Some of the Disciples were less than thrilled, seeing the immigrants through the lens of their feral counterparts, and fearing them. Tensions have spiked as a result, but peace held, and slowly, things returned to normal.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with Habitat 59, another push was made into the Flushing Line. Once again, conditions were tense in the dank, claustrophobic subway tunnels. In the end, however, thanks to Habitat 59, this effort was at last relatively successful; the Flushing Line was cleared between 34th Street and Grand Central, and the giant subway rats seemed to disperse…or hide away into even deeper tunnels. In Grand Central, they found a desperate migrant community that had been under siege from the subway rats, and were all but reverent of the Disciples and Habitat 59 for their help.

Other people explored around the surface, looking into neighbouring areas. They found that Hell’s Kitchen seemed to have been badly damaged during the War; the streets were all but impassable, the familiar Manhattan grid warped into a pockmarked labyrinth. However, skirting around the edges of the neighbourhood, they did make contact with people in red-starred naval uniforms who spoke heavily accented English. Once the language barrier was broken, however, these Chinese naval remnants proved friendly.

In the other direction, the explorers found an ostensibly peaceful settlement, calling themselves Big Iron, occupying the remains of the Flatiron Building, who treated the Disciples with coldness. In Chelsea, however, the explorers came across a vicious, cannibalistic, raider band, wearing all-blue, calling themselves the Blue Lions. After some initial firefights, the explorers chose to retreat.

Stats Changes:
+5 Humans (Natural Growth), +20 Ghouls, +10 2H Guns, +20 Ammunition (Immigration)
+100 Scrap, +5 Tech Parts (Madison Square Garden Salvaging), +19 Scrap Parts (Mr Handies)
+100 Scrap, +3 Tech Parts (Empire State Building Salvaging)
-20 Humans, -10 1H Guns, -5 2H Guns, -200 Ammunition (Flushing Line)
-10 Ammunition (Exploration)

Challenge: When our men returned to Vault 495 to deliver the holotape, the door was still tightly shut. But they found something extremely peculiar: a lone man in a ragged, dirtied Vault suit, slumped against the door. He was staring straight into one of the still-functioning mercury-vapour lamps in the Lincoln Tunnel, whispering, “I’m safe in the light, I’m safe in the light, I’m safe in the light,” seemingly on an endless repeat. He was catatonic, extremely weak, and attempts to get him to respond all failed; the explorers tried to get him back to safety, but he let go of life before they reached Penn Station. Hidden on the man’s person, however, was another holotape, apparently stolen--containing the details of a secluded emergency entrance to the Vault within a service shaft of the North River Tunnels, which we have explored and know to be clear. What should we do about this?

Hoboken Shipper Boys and Girls

Spoiler :

Sanctuary Guard

Spoiler :

The Sanctuary Guard put some expense into building a rope-ferry across the Hudson River. The ferry is not the most reliable means of transport in the world, and there has been limited usage thus far, but it has helped link New Jersey and Manhattan.

But it was the fight against the Red Kangs that particularly captured the attention of the Guard. After the raiders rebuffed all attempts at diplomacy. So began as a campaign of guerrilla warfare, as the Guard camped around the Red Kangs’ encampment and continually harassed them, as well as cut off their supply caravans (see Challenge). The Red Kangs’ leather armour and simple weaponry were little match for the lasers and advanced armour of the Sanctuary Guard, and over months, their numbers were ground down. As a last resort, the Red Kangs utilised great deal of dynamite to create a spectacularly massive explosion; the explosions were powerful enough to cause a blast that disabled even some the Guard’s power armour.

Ultimately, what the blast damaged most was the Red Kang’s own fortifications, allowing the Guard to push through and secure what the Guard quickly renamed Red Cliff, driving the remaining Kangs across the Harlem River into the unknown lands of the Bronx. The slaves were freed; some departed, but most stayed under the Sanctuary Guard’s control, although this has had the side effect of diluting the military skill of the populace as a whole. This has made the Sanctuary Guard the undisputed masters of the northern edge of Manhattan.

Stats Changes:
+10 Humans (Natural Growth), +5 Humans, +5 Ghouls (Immigration)
-300 Food (New Harlem)
-60 Alcohol, +6 Energy (Trade)
-1090 Ammunition, -40 Humans, -25 Combat Armour, -20 Laser Weapons, -3 Early Power Armour, -3 Plasma Weapons, -5 Mr Gutsies (Casualties)
-1 Military Skill, +110 Humans, +20 Ghouls, +170 2H Guns, +20 Leather Armour, +210 Ammunition, +330 Food, +490 Scrap Parts (Red Cliff)

Challenge: Our entreaties to the other Kangs’ supply caravans seemed to have been successful--but they could. Following the defeat of the Red Kangs, a pair of emissaries have peacefully arrived at Red Cliff: one dressed in yellow, the other dressed in blue. They explained that they were representatives of the Yellow Kangs of Yankee Stadium and the Blue Kangs of Fordham, respectively. Since we have defeated the Red Kangs, by the Kang Code, they are willing to make us the new Red Kangs, and welcome us into their trading network. How should we respond to this?

The Skylanders

Spoiler :

Sons of Hope

Spoiler :

Vault 314

Spoiler :

The Sons of Hope, in conjunction with their friends in Vault 314, sent even more numerous small parties radiating out to explore neighbouring parts in Essex County. Bloomfield was largely empty, ripe for potential scrapping; the explorers did find a cache of construction equipment, split evenly between the two factions. Belleville was under the control of a stylish raider gang known as the Baritone Family. The expedition to North Arlington failed to return; the townspeople of Lyndhurst heard rumours that they had been defeated by another unknown group of raiders. Rutherford had been overrun by giant swamp creatures--one of the Sons of Hope were killed before the others retreated. In North Caldwell, they came into contact with heavily armed figures in very worn-looking power armour, who refused contact and simply avoided the explorers, heading back in the direction of Essex County Airport. The airport seemed to be under their control, a sort of extremely closed community.

Meanwhile, life in the Vault and its surroundings continued to change. Continual training by the Sons of Hope has meant that the Vault-Dwellers have picked up an iota of military know-how. Effort was put into reconstructing a fledgling history museum out on Montclair State’s campus, something that has quickly been a source of pride for the Vault. An addition to the museum was the Vault-Tec bobblehead, whose owner was wont to keep it, but a quick reassignment on the expedition out to North Arlington, and he failed to return, presumed dead--whatever that might say about fate.

Stats Changes:
+10 Humans (Natural Growth), +10 Humans (Immigration)
+1 Military Skill
-5 Mr Handies, -5 Protectrons, +50 Alcohol (Verona)
-10 Alcohol, -10 Food (Inn)
+1900 Food (Hunting/Gathering), +575 Scrap, +1 Tech Part (Salvaging), +238 Scrap Parts (Mr Handies)
+15 HT Melee (Exploration)
-1 Human, -1 Mr Handy (Exploration Disappearance)

Challenge: We have finally learned the fate of our lone wanderer: they had found themself lurking the shadows in the nearby town of Lyndhurst, driven mad by some unknown horror they had seen in the wasteland--having turned to being a serial killer. When Sons of Hope caught them, they were shouting at them that they didn’t understand, that giving people a quick death was an absolute mercy compared to what “the men of steel” would do. Regardless, the Vault is now fiercely debating how the wanderer should be treated: left to the mercy of a vindictive Lyndhurst, taken back in to us and face the judgement of our own dwellers--or simply cast out and rid ourselves of the problem, but that would simply begin the cycle again.

Wall Street Traders

Spoiler :

The Wall Street Traders’ corporate focus continued to be on expanding their Pier 11 branch office. Docks were built, giving the Traders a potential foothold in the theoretically lucrative East River seafood market. Friendly raider groups in the Two Bridges area continued to be allowed to merge with the Traders, which enabled another burst of expansion of Pier 11’s employee--and intern--count, although all forecasts are that this will not continue.

Meanwhile, the Traders continued their expeditionary operations in the north. A path was cleared from Fulton Street subway station, north along the IND Eighth Avenue Line, to the Manhattan Commune in Canal Street. The operation was surprisingly clean, the Eighth Avenue Line tunnel surprisingly empty.

North of the Manhattan Commune and Canal Street, the Traders continued exploration. Alphabet City was under the control of vicious, cannibalistic raiders who were unaware of the Wall Street Traders’ true nature and fired back. Lower Manhattan’s Chinatown, sombrely, had been the victim of a never-finished pre-War “urban renewal” project meant to evict any trace of Chinese presence from the area; the explorers found some construction equipment there, and there is more to be found from scrap there. North of that, the Bowery was rife with more feral ghouls. Lastly, explorers sent to investigate Greenwich Village never returned.

Stats Changes:
[New York Stock Exchange] +5 Humans (Natural Growth), +5 Humans, +5 Ghouls, +5 Human Slaves, +10 Ghoul Slaves (Immigration)
[Pier 11] +10 Humans, +5 Ghouls, +15 Human Slaves, +5 Ghoul Slaves, +20 1H Guns, +40 Ammunition (Immigration)
-200 Food, +15 Ghoul Slaves (Manhattan Commune trade), -100 Food, +10 Tech Parts (Cohen Syndicate trade)
+410 Scrap Parts (Salvaging)
+Precision Tools, -30 Humans, -25 1H Guns, -25 Ammunition (Exploration)

Challenge: We may have found another business opportunity. While we were clearing out the Fulton Street station complex, we were approached by a rather enterprising trader navigating the tunnels, reaching us from the direction of Brooklyn. He claims to be representing a group called the “Elephant Company,” operating out of the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Dumbo, who requires labour. If we were to sell him slaves, he would offer us a wide variety of alcohol and chems. Should we take advantage of it?

The Warriors

Spoiler :

***

Connecticut

Brotherhood of the Undead

Spoiler :

In a fruitful stratagem the New Britain trader’s caravan guards were eliminated, and her food seized, in a veritable cornucopia.

Simultaneously, a mass of ghouls poked around Hartford police stations, looking for weapons. Those that hadn’t been destroyed were pilfered through. In the process, the ghouls encountered another, somewhat less vicious gang of raiders operating out of West Hartford, who caused a few casualties when they encountered the Brotherhood.

Meanwhile, some punked-up ghouls were sent north, trying to reach Massachusetts. They followed the route of the former I-91 north out of the feral ghoul-infested northern reaches of Hartford. The town of Windsor was controlled by a humble settlement, some of whose people were killed and eaten by the chem-fuelled explorers. Further north, Windsor Locks was infested with more feral ghouls, seeming to be flocking from the direction of the airport to the west, although this wasn’t investigated. It was here that they found the I-91 bridge across the Connecticut River had collapsed, and, after several of the ghouls accidentally fell to watery deaths, they decided to follow CT Route 159 along the west bank, north into Massachusetts.

It was not long after the ghouls crossed the state line that they happened upon something unexpected: a massive pre-War amusement park, once owned and operated by the Nuka-Cola Company, the manufacturers of the best-selling refreshing pre-War drink. In any case, the park had long since been redone with blood and entrails, having been taken over by warring raiders in a conflict of very limited relevance. The ghouls could not hope to understand the intricacies of the raiders’ politics, and wisely chose to avoid entering the heart of the park.

What the ghouls did also find, however, was a strange religious sect known as the Hubologists, who claimed to descend from a pre-war prophet known only as “The Hub.” The Hubologists greeted the ghouls with compassion and gladly showed them a downed UFO, telling them about the Hub's teachings: that humans are descended from a Star Father who hailed from the planet Quetzal in the constellation of Zyphus, and will return once the neurodynes have been cleansed from human minds via alignment.

Stats Changes:
+5 Human Slaves (Natural Growth), +5 Ghouls (Hartford Immigration), +5 Ghouls (Trinity College Immigration)
-32 Chems, -32 Ammunition, +1800 Food (Trader)
-5 Ghouls, +350 Scrap Parts, +6 Tech Parts, +10 Combat Armour, +40 1H Guns, +10 Laser Weapons, +180 Ammunition (Salvaging)

Challenge: In their less-than-entirely lucid state, the explorers fell straight into these sweet words, and returned home shouting about how the Brotherhood of the Undead leaders are “suppressors,” giving them harmful “neurodynes,” and only proper compensation and alignment will solve the problem They are trying to spread these messages to the other Brotherhood members. They have proven to be nothing but a nuisance. How should we deal with them?

Reformed Society for Psychic and Paranormal Research

Spoiler :

The Society’s big move of the summer was an expedition, together with a party from Trumbull, into the heart of Bridgeport. A large and heavily armed party was sent south, to determine and disable the cause of Trumbull’s nightmares.

They were first met with a large collection of feral ghouls, but the sheer numbers involved--and the fact that some of Trumbull’s ghouls had the foresight to come along-- meant that carving a path along CT 8 through the ruins was easier than it first seemed. But the ghouls grew thicker, and thicker, and even though the ghouls were fought off, by the time the party reached south of Beardsley Zoo, they had begun to inflict casualties. This, combined with the ever-worsening visions and the rising radiation. Still, determined to end the nightmare, the group pressed on. The deeper they plunged into the Bridgeport, the worse the devastation became--it appeared that the town centre had been nuked during the War.

But, at the very edge of what was deemed the danger zone, the party found something strange: trails of scorched metal and scrap parts, in perfectly straight lines, as if fallen from the sky and radiating from some centre. They were mixed with other strange, out-of-place objects, such as automotive chassis and metal objects.

It was not long before they found the source: a radio tower, rising from the banks of a former industrial site on the banks of the Pequannock River. The tower had clearly been recently built, long after the War. The tower was defended by a small number of combat-armoured figures and very advanced weaponry. They fired back at the Society and Trumbull on sight, but, despite their technological advantage, they were simply far too outnumbered to last. They were overwhelmed--but, rather than be captured, all of them activated what appeared to be suicide pills.

The tower was quickly deactivated, at last ending the nightmares. But the people of Trumbull, wanting nothing to do with the place, immediately departed, thanking the Society for their help.

Stats Changes:
+5 Humans (Natural Growth), +10 Humans (Immigration)
+60 Scrap Parts, +Precision Tools (Salvaging), +41 Scrap Parts (Mr Handies)
-550 Ammunition, -90 Humans, -35 1H Guns, -10 2H Guns, +15 Combat Armour, +15 Plasma Weapons, +90 Ammunition, +80 Food, +10 Chems (Bridgeport)

Challenge: We have established control of the former transmission site in Bridgeport. The site is useless for any sort of agriculture, and surrounded by dangerous feral ghouls, but we have been able to repurpose the transmission site for own purposes, and we can use it for broadcasting. Furthermore, it is clear this is part of something much larger; subsequent investigation of the area may yield answers as to whose site this is, precisely. Then again, the true owners may decide to return. Should we keep control of the area, or withdraw?

Shepaug Dam Survivors

Spoiler :

Further exploration was done; in Monroe, they found a town peaceful and prospering under the authority of the Reformed Society for Psychic and Paranormal Research. In Easton, they found an area abandoned but heavily used for scrap by the Society. In Redding, they found only a few independent homesteaders generally treating the Society as a sort of distant authority. Finally, explorers returned to the northwest, around Bridgewater. The homesteaders in the area were willing to accept Shepaug Dam’s authority. The explorers then went to scout out the mysterious “Archbishop of Canterbury,” following them back north into New Milford. However, it seems that their stealth must have been broken and the explorers ambushed, as contact was lost.

But the main focus of the self-declared Connecticut state government over the course of the summer was a reclamation against the independent town of Roxbury. The two had been at dispute for some time over Roxbury’s use of slaves. One rainy night, a large number of soldiers took up positions on the two ridges overlooking down upon the town. At dawn, the soldiers announced their presence and demanded that the town surrender. Seeing that they were outnumbered and easily outgunned, the town leadership elected to surrender. Without a single shot fired, Roxbury had been reclaimed; the slaves were freed, and the town leadership placed in “incarceration camps.” A few of Roxbury’s people filtered out into the Connecticut wastes over the following days, but overall the campaign was a success.

Stats Changes:
+5 Humans (Shepaug Dam Growth), +5 Humans (Newtown Growth), +5 Humans, +5 Ghouls (Shepaug Dam Immigration), +5 Humans (Newtown Immigration)
-100 Scrap, +800 Food (Strontium Rangers)
-10 Humans, -10 1H Guns, -10 Leather Armour, -10 Ammunition (Exploration)
+412 Scrap Parts, +1 Tech Part (Salvaging), +45 Scrap Parts, +2 Tech Parts (Mr Gutsies/Mr Handies)
+270 Humans, +30 Human Slaves, +470 Food, +380 Ammunition, +220 Scrap Parts, +5 Tech Parts, +150 1H Guns, +50 2H Guns, +80 Leather Armour (Roxbury Surrender)

Challenge: As part of the trade to the Strontium Rangers, we provided them an American flag. While the Rangers certainly recognised it, they did not fly it correctly. Much to the contrary, the flag was cut up and incorporated into the garments of the Raiders’ leadership; the red stripes demarcating distinguished warriors, the white stripes now the bands of the tribal elders, and the stars becoming a part of the tiara of the Raiders’ chieftain. This has been a great shock to the more patriotic elements amongst us. How should we respond?

Vault 350

Spoiler :

It was a summer of exploration for the dwellers of Vault 350, as they continued to attempt to get a grip of the world they now find themselves in.

One expedition continued searching around the outer reaches of East Haven and the parts of New Haven along the near side of the harbour. All along the way they found signs of areas that had been inhabited, even recently, but completely abandoned or cleared out. Some of the coastal areas, such as the neighbourhood of Momauguin, seemed to have been reclaimed by mirelurks, though these were easily dismissed thanks to the size of the party. Moving east, they encountered a nervous but peaceful settlement in the town of Bronson, who treated the explorers warmly, and who seemed blissfully unaware of any strange happenings--perhaps on account of being too far from New Haven. Following this, they returned to Tweed New Haven Airport to scrap; they lucked out and found a functional Veribird parked on the airport grounds, something they were able to fly back to the Vault.

Another expedition managed to cross the river into the New Haven neighbourhood of Fair Haven. They found evidence that the area that once been inhabited, by a raider group calling themselves “the Skull and Bones,” but here, too, had the area been emptied. It was clear that, whatever the true nature of strange lights the Vault-Dwellers had sighted from the near side, their origin lay somewhere further west, deeper into the tangled heart of New Haven. So, the explorers pressed on. Southern New Haven had been devastated by a nuclear detonation, but that was not what halted the explorers.

Around New Haven train station--the lights now to their northwest, in the direction of Yale--the explorers encountered something horrific, even by the standards of the Wasteland. It was flanked by a quartet of human escorts, dressed from head to toe in lion-themed armour. But that did not compare to the thing, which appeared to be a shadowy hybrid woman, with a lion’s head, a beast’s body, and the feet of a bird. Initial attempts to fight her failed miserably--the thing seemed to absorb bullets, and could kill with a single touch--though it seemed to kill only women. The rest of the party fled en masse, hollow-eyed, a wave of cosmic void seeming to have washed over them. It was clear that this creature was a guardian of the lights.

Meanwhile, the mystery of the figurines and the nightmares continued. Interviews with Vault residents determined that the dreams were variations, or reinterpretations, of the same scene: a dark world, with a claustrophobic sky and cities of darkened stone, with no life and only an ashen rain. The returning explorers from New Haven seemed to report similar visions, persisting even after recovering their initial condition. One thing that was determined to alleviate the visions was drinking water immediately before sleeping.

Stats Changes:
+5 Humans (Natural Growth), -10 Humans, +2 Super Mutants, +8 FEV Abominations (…)
+159 Scrap Parts, +6 Tech Parts (Salvaging Nearby), +500 Scrap Parts, +1 Vertibird (Tweed New Haven Airport Salvaging)
-40 Humans, -5 Leather Armour, -30 1H Guns, -10 2H Guns, -150 Ammunition (Exploration)

Challenge: It was a lone researcher who frantically threw open the doors of the Overseer’s office, breaching all protocol and claiming to have found the answer to the mystery. She had been poring over old pre-War books on mythology during her off-duty period when she happened across a description that matched the nightmares perfectly: Irkalla, the Mesopotamian underworld. This seemed bizarre enough, and the Overseer was about to have her removed by the guards, when she claimed she had identified the beast found in New Haven: a demon named Lamashtu. Others were initially highly sceptical, but indeed, her claim is consistent with facts, and is the only solid answer we have to the increasing weirdness. How should we treat her claim?

***

Other

Big Antlers Clan
The Big Antlers Clan disappeared from its home, never heard from since then. Perhaps they returned north, or some other greener pasture; perhaps the clan simply disintegrated into infighting. Rumours still fly of hordes of radstags roaming Upstate New York, and it is sure that their name will not disappear from the legends of the region.

The Daughters

Spoiler :

The Point

Spoiler :

Sovereign Fortuna Guild

Spoiler :

***

To: Beastie Boys
From: Mapleton

Hello there! There has been an, er, change of leadership here. We, the ghouls, found out that the human leaders of this town had been planning to murder us and eat us as delicacies. This didn’t sit well in our stomachs, of course, so we had them killed instead! You seem like cool people who could use a few more people--would you be interested in buying some of these humans in exchange for food? Human flesh isn’t exactly tasty, you know.

To: Order of the Holy Wound
From: Roscoe’s Horde

We are planning an envoy north, to Princeton; we have heard word of a thriving ghoul town in the area, and they very well might need assistance. Would you like to send some people along? Perhaps there’s something up there you might find interesting, and we could use your experience guiding our way.

To: The Point
From: Newburgh

Please help us defeat the evil slavers from Stewart International Station! They kidnapped us from the surrounding lands and forced us into servitude--all because they needed servants for their military. If you claim to defend anything the United States once claimed to stand for, then you will help us.

To: The Point
From: Stewart International Station

Please understand that we had to fudge a few details--it’s in the name of national security, eh? We were unsure how much we could trust you outsiders to help us; especially as you enslave your own kind. Anyway, if you help us defeat and teach these other fools to respect their betters, all will be forgiven, and we will be forever grateful to you.

To: RSPPR
From: Trumbull

Thank you, again; we are forever in your debt. Accept this gift; it is not much, but it is all we have, and we know it may be of value to you.
(RSPPR: +5 Tech Parts)

To: Sons of Hope
From: Lyndhurst

Thank you for your great help. Here, have some of our food. (Sons of Hope: +600 Food)
Would you be willing to keep some of our people around our streets as a permanent police force? You do a better job than we ever could ourselves, and we can continue paying you in food.

***

Lord_Herobrine: The “PATH” tunnels you explored last turn are actually the (Amtrak/NJ Transit) North River Tunnels; I mislabelled them, apologies. Also, you’re unfortunately not close enough to a source of water.

thomas.berubeg: You didn’t have enough alcohol to get the entire amount of energy from Habitat 59, so I just gave the appropriate amount.

Trigo238: Sorry, I should have been clearer about this: you can’t build farms at bunker locations, regardless of whether they’re indoors or outdoors. You would have to find a different location to do so.

***

I’m experimenting with a slightly altered update format; I might rearrange the stats into this new format as well. Let me know if you have a preference. As always, let me know if I have missed anything. This update was done in somewhat fragmented and disrupted circumstances so there are almost certainly errors.

From this point going forwards, as I’ve said before, we will be moving to biweekly updates because my semester has begun and with it the fact that I am actually doing things; furthermore, it’s just more manageable with how complex this game has gotten (which isn’t a bad thing).

With that in mind, orders for the coming fourth update, Winter 2161-62, are tentatively due Tuesday, 5 September.

SouthernKing · Aug 21, 2018

Stats:

Spoiler :

Map

Immaculate · Aug 21, 2018

The Governor's Statement Regarding Roxbury:

With great trepidation and no small amount of sadness, Connecticut State Governor, Richard Weicker has passed resolution 41. Resolution 41 is a punitive resolution directed at Roxbury’s leadership and slave-owners in response to their unwillingness to give up slavery or recognize US law.

Seon · Aug 21, 2018

To Roscoe's Horde

The Colonel Who Cannot be Denied shall show us our way. We'll help in any way we can.

Ailedhoo · Aug 22, 2018

To East Hampton
From SFG

Forgive us if this message may be strange but... how sentient are Mr Handies?

Nobody126 · Aug 22, 2018

Diplomacy

Chesapeake City

Winter approaches once again our friends. The AML's leadership has thought long and hard about how we can best give Chesapeake City a long term solution to your hunger over the course of our winter's. Our scientists predict a particularly harsh season this year.

We have come to the conclusion that the most efficient way of running food, supplies, and trade between your great city and our two existing settlements is by joining our two peoples together. As a result (OOC because of mechanics pooling food between settlements) trade will flourish between our settlements and we can ensure you will never go hungry again. Our people can rejoi e in the idea that we co trol the Chesapeake Canal, and can look forward to decades of prosperous trade along that route. We shall forge a single nation from our two peoples.

We propose that such a merged faction will be called the Chesapeake-Atlantic Maritime League. The leader of your settlement would be granted the rank of Vice Admiral our leadership; in other words they would be of equal rank of anyone who runs a settlement and only outranked by our leader, the Admiral. You would become privy to our most condfidential councils and a native of your city, as befitting citizen of our new nation, would of course be eligible to become a future leader of our people once the Commander leaves office.

We ask that you accept, as together, we would be stronger, and better equipped to face the threats of the wasteland.

New Bear

Greetings, and welcome friends. May we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship between our two settlements.

We understand your settlement is harassed by raiders to the west. We have recently dealt with our own raider troubles in New Castle and emerged victorious with hardly a scratch. Because raiders are an impediment to free trade in the wastes, we would like to help you cleanse the land of those who threatened your lives and livelihoods.

However we cannot place the lives of our citizens in danger with no return. If you are interested in our help, we would be interested in a return if scrap, tech parts, and compensating us for any ammunition that we expend on the campaign.

Dragons of Death

Greetings and please dont shoot. We come in peace, only wishing to establish trading relations.

Our scouts noticed that your area is not particularly fertile and you may thus require food to make it through the harsh winter that is coming. We would like to help. However we of course require some benefit in return. We would offer you 1500 food this winter, as well as 50 slaves we captured in a recent conflict. In return we believe 50 laser weapons and 100 metal armor would be a fair trade.

Please let us know if this trade interests you. It is our understanding, based on our calculations, that you may not survive the winter without an influx of food.

Chester

Greetings friends. Our scouts tell us of the warm welcome they received amongst you and we appreciate it.

We come to you with a proposition. We face a grace threat to the South, of a raider gang threatening to overrun our allies. We are in need of better armaments, and we understand you have 50 laser weapons at your disposal.

You also have raiders to your north, so we understand you may be reluctant to spare any arms. However we are prepared to offer you 1000 food this upcoming winter to ease any food shortages that may occur in your settlement. In exchange, we request to borrow your 50 laser weapons for 12 months (2 turns). You will also receive 25% of any loot that is brought back from our canpaign against these vile fiends.

Additionally, we will pledge to rush to your defense should any external force threaten you while we are loaning these weapons.

thomas.berubeg · Aug 23, 2018

To: Habitat 59
From: The Sanctuary

Now that the dagger poised to plunge into our side has been removed, we may turn our attention to more peaceful designs. We are now prepared for our great crusade into the under-roads, the deep dark, so as to restore the flow of the city's lifeblood. Do you still call upon our swords and fire to do so?

To: New Harlem
From: The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary wishes you the brightest of winters, and hopes that the offerings of food have served you well. Do your larders now overflow, or should we send you more?

This world is also a harsh, dangerous ones, and it is our duty to help protect those who need such protection. Do you wish us to station some of our Knights to assist you in your defence against the dark elements of the world?

Nobody126 · Aug 23, 2018

Diplomacy 2

Children of the Church of the Atom

Greetings friends. We are gladdened to know that there is civilization to our west. Our leadership is I trigued by your religion. Our people have been isolated for much if the last 80 years and so we are still searching for answers.

You ask for our fusion core. As you no doubt are aware, fusion cores are rare and very valuable. A small powered boat is worth far less than a fusion core that can pite tially grant unlimited access to energy, which we prize very highly.

So we instead make this proposal. 6000 scrap parts, 20 tech parts, a set of precision tools, and a set of machining gear in exchange for our fusion core. We believe this is fair exchange. Additionally, should you accept this deal, we will allow your people free reign to travel settlements under our control and expose our people to your religion. And of course we would be more than willing to help with your maritime ventures in the future.

We hope this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship.

SouthernKing · Aug 23, 2018

Map/stats fully updated.

SouthernKing · Aug 24, 2018

To: SFG
From: East Hampton

It is said they have the intelligence of a child, but, truthfully, we know little of the answers to such questions.

To: AML
From: Chesapeake City

We would be happy with our continued friendship, but we are frankly insulted by the suggestion that you assume we would be so quick to give up our independence to a little island.

To: AML
From: New Bear

Thank you for your help. We have acquired quite a number of scrap parts, and we are willing to trade perhaps several hundred; what sort of numbers are you looking at?

To: AML
From: Dragons of Death

[sends envoy's mangled head back, inked with gothic symbolism and nailed to a stake]

To: AML
From: Chester

We're unwilling to give all of our best armaments to someone so far away, but there is truth in your words. Perhaps we could be willing to give you 20 of them for 750 food.

To: AML
From: The Chesapeake Neutron of the Children of the Church of Atom

For a group who calls yourselves merchants, you should know better than to set a price that is far too high. We can give you 2000 Scrap and 10 Tech Parts. Do remember that it is Atom's will that we collect these fusion cores; we have a purpose for them far more critical than whatever you have in mind.

To: Sanctuary Guard
From: Habitat 59

Absolutely. We can't say we understand the meaning of quite everything you say, but rest assured we will commit all resources to clearing the IND Eighth Avenue Line.

To: Sanctuary Guard
From: New Harlem

We would gladly appreciate more food supplies. We have heard of your victory over some blood-stained eastern raiders, and if that is the power you can wield, we would appreciate even more having some of your knights stationed around here.

Terrance888 · Aug 24, 2018

We would like to welcome and invite the Towns of Verona and Lyndhurst, the brave warriors of the Sons of Hope, the Settlers of Caldwell and the Mysterious Overwatch at the Essex County Airport to a winter sports tournament called the Snowball Bowl!

We accept teams sized 10-25! There will be be both individual and team based events. There will be ice skating and snow skiing! Racing and prancing! Blade hockey! Blindfolded Handy Ice Sculptures! And to top it off, a big team-based snowball fight!

Everyone is welcome to send their team up to a month early to practice these events at our beautiful lake. Your team will be our honored guests. Please, bring your friends and family to our Inn to relax and share a drink! Everyone’s first drink and meal is on us!

This is the first time we’re holding this tournament, so of course we’ll appreciate help and advise judging and setting up the rules of all the events. During the event, five Mr. Handies will provide live feed from various angles, for your viewing pleasure! We wish to provide a safe, fun, and well run events for everyone!

The final winning team of the tournament shall win a prize for their home town! A full year’s service by 5 Mr. Handies and 25 units of booze! Additionally, their names shall be added to a plaque in our Museum to be immortalized in Wasteland History!

Other potential events: Competitive igloo building. Snowman contest. Christmas tree decoration. Snow angel competition. Snow eating contest.

[To Verona - Yeah, the offer for Robots built to order will still be available, as longs you provide the tech part necessary. Prices vary by materials provided.]

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