QUEST: The Underground

[GM Whistler]

THE UNDERGROUND

Participants: 2-4

[//:zX4h7YTj902 0128/08/22/2277

RECOVERY OF LOST ITEMS SENT FOR TRANSPORT THRU UNDERGROUND, NORTH TUNNELS

SHIPMENT DUE 08/20/2277

CONTACT W/ SMUGGLERS LOST

SUSPECTED AMBUSH

RECOVER ITEMS INTACT FOR IMMEDIATE CASH PAYMENT

CONTACT KUJO @ SHADOWBOARD FOR FURTHER DETAILS]

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The following job posting is freely available at Lucky Sevens. Upon contacting Kujo through the shadowboard you will receive a picture of the items in question (two locked, sealed metal cases about 2ft x 1ft x 1ft weighing 50lbs each) and the last known coordinates of the smugglers. You are instructed to return the cases to a drop off point in the RPZ south of Lucky Sevens. Do not open the cases. The client is unconcerned about the fate of the smugglers.

OBJECTIVES:

1 - Investigate the last known location of the smugglers - 25 XP
(One dead smuggler - stabbed and exsanguinated, blood trail, faint traces of unidentified magic)

2 - Follow the trail to the cases - 25 XP
(Long trek, mutant rats, no lighting; leads to a disused maintenance area with the cases and one of the smugglers, partially drained of blood but alive; the smuggler can describe the ambush by 3 prime strain vamps and mention overhearing vampires talking about something called the long dark. the cases have a magical enchantment on them and cannot be opened. eventually the vampires will return)

3 - Escape the Underground - 25 XP
(Run through the tunnels, chased by vampires and mutant rats; if the party leaves the smuggler behind they can run out of the tunnels but if they try to save him they need to fight the vampires)

4 - Bring the cases to the drop off for payment - 25 XP
(If the party did not fight the vampires, they need to lose a tail before getting to the drop off point; if they did find the vampires, they need to deal with a nosy pair of cops looking for a quick buck before getting to the drop off; combat optional)

BONUS OBJECTIVES:

Escape the Underground with a surviving smuggler - 25 XP

ENCOUNTERS:

Mutant Rat Swarm
HP: 50
EVA: 11
DMG: 15
Bonus to roll: +0

Prime Strain Vamp (x3)
HP: 100
EVA: 13
DMG: 20
Bonus to roll: +1

RPZ Cops (x2)
HP: 75
EVA: 11
DMG: 20
Bonus to roll: +1

[Jace Deckard]

The details of the job play through Jace's mind as he skirts around puddles of rainwater painted iridescent under neon lights. Kali had contacted Kujo, easily navigating the darker corners of the web. Every now and again, he can hear the crinkle of a cellophane wrapper through the snugly fit earpiece. His and Sage's mic and camera route back to where she's cozily tucked away.

He leads the way above ground, hooking a right into a side alley that will take them around gang territory instead of through it. The moonlight above gets doused against the tall sides of stacked apartments, leaving the alley shadow riddled. Jace falls back a step, letting Sage take point since his eyes are better suited for the darkness. "We should be getting pretty close to the tunnel entrance that Kujo mentioned."

[Sage Stotto]

Night is cool and refreshing in this area of the city. Even though the smell of smog and pollution doesn't really ever go away, at least this late at night it's cut by the mist and chill. Sage most enjoys these late night outings, when the city feels like his own again. Jace too is confident and Sage is more than happy to follow his directions to the alleyway in question, only stepping in front once the darkness becomes more complete.

He thumbs down the volume of his earpiece at the sound of another candy wrapper. "Kali, I swear the next time we go out, I'm unwrapping all of your candy beforehand." From the darkness between the apartments, Sage picks out the outline of a door, "I see it ahead of us. You sure you don't want a light or something? You're not going to be much use down there if we get ambushed and you can't see."

[Kali Mira]

Her chin sits in her palm, soot colored eyes lazily taking in the pixels of the displays across from her. Candy wrappers nestle in among the papers of her desk as she meticulously unwraps another one. Her head tilts over towards a monitor, raising an eyebrow. "Just making sure you two are awake." She chirps back, leaning into her chair. "Besides it's the best part." Kali sets another wrapper down. "I'm going to do everything I can not to lose you in there." She adds, keeping a close monitor on her connection with the group. "You should be heading the right way, those are the coordinates I was given."

[Jace Deckard]

Jace puts his back to the door that Sage points out as they near it, making sure that no one is tailing them or paying too much attention to their activities. It takes him a second to analyze the shadows enough to be sure nothing more than a stray cat is moving in them. He ignores the banter in his ear, only offering a faintly amused smirk.

He turns back to Sage and his lips purse thoughtful as he considers, then says, “As much as I don’t want to lose the element of surprise, yeah. Might as well.” He was saving for a piece of tech that would make his vigilante lifestyle infinitely easier but so far the gangs they’d dismantled were small potatoes with even smaller bank accounts. They made enough to make ends meet with generally only a pittance to spare.

Jace pulls open the door and eases into a maintenance room, glancing around to make sure they don't startle any homeless using the place as shelter (or interrupt a drug deal). The room is empty except for the hum of machinery and a set of stairs at the back lead down into the tunnels. “Alright, Kali, which way?” He asks at the bottom of the stairs, glancing left and right as his hand settles around the hilt of the tactical knife at his side.

[Sage Stotto]

With a sigh and a wave of his hand, Sage conjures up a tiny ball of blue light, pushing back the dim shadows of the alleyway into brighter relief. "One of these days we're gonna have to get a flashlight for you, Boy Scout, or night vision goggles. Me and Kali'll go in on it for a birthday present. Isn't that right short stack?" He pulls the earpiece away from his ear at the sound of more crinkling, but ducks underneath Jace's arm and makes his way downward.

At the bottom, he holds the little light up higher, trying to give his companion the best possible picture of their surroundings. He wrinkles his nose and peers down the left hand tunnel, trying to locate the source of the coppery, familiar smell. "Somethings not right down here. How far are we from the last known location? There's blood somewhere."