The (Attempted) Rescue Part 1

After the ambush of three gangs by the Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service with help from the Waste-Side Bears, and the capture of several of the gang members, Emperor’s Getaway was all abuzz with excitement.  The prisoners were dragged back to Blightwater Borough just in time to be special guests at the Blightwater Beer Bonanza.   There was going to be justice for the theft of cultural items from Hethel’s Bowl…not that the denizens of Blightwater Borough cared about the theft or had any particular grievance towards the prisoners, they just wanted to be entertained.

The gallows were built with care (sort of) and Barrister Kowlis McVallek, leader of Blightwater Borough was making last minute changes to his speech. His how many Squats does it take to screw in a luminary globe was not testing well with his council or the members of the Luminary Guild.  McVallek would be kicking off the Beer Bonaza with a rousing oration and a hanging. The occasion even brought out McVallek’s old armor from his brawling days, and the aging leader could still buckle his straps.

While the Barrister discussed security with Captain Howl Neckbreaker, leader of the EGGS, the prisoners awaited their fate in a pen atop the Ventus Lautus tower under the watchful eye of EGGS guards. 

Other EGGS and Luminary Auxiliaries kept vigil in the area.  The Waste-Side Bears were also present and  waiting to finalize their deal for helping the EGGS at the ambush.  The festivities were only hours away and it was shaping up to be glorious.  

The Pale Veil, Wastoids and Mischievous Misbehaviors, unbeknownst to the EGGS were present as well.  In fact they were sneaking up in hopes of pulling off a daring rescue. 

The gangs had decided to collaborate.  The Misbehaviors and Veils were fresh off their stomping of the Bears and Shrouded Path in a gunfight at Grave’s Posttown, and figured they would continue to team-up with the addition of the Wastoids. 

The three gangs developed a plan to go for the pen atop the Ventus Lautus tower where they would rescue their comrades and fight their way out.  Three Veilers even infiltrated onto a lower level of the tower in preparation for the attack.  Not all the EGGS, Bears, or auxiliaries were in the immediate area so the attacking gangs could count on numbers if they could stealthily gain the tower and overwhelm the defenders.  

The gangs could not stealthily gain the tower. The rapidity of the gangs’ cover being blown was truly breathtaking.   The three gangs converged on the tower and either didn’t see the Luminary guard or were confident that they could sneak a dozen gangers right under the Squat’s eyes and ears. Baldur Mossfinder was posted up alone on the second level of the tower and pondered the intricacies of the lumiglobe and its practical applications in bringing light to Emperor’s Getaway.  He paced back and forth with the occasional glance out across the empty market stalls below, while trying to decide if the Emperor was more of a soft light or white light kind of guy, when he noticed a very large green ganger attempting to tip toe past him on the level below.  

Baldur wasn’t sure what he was seeing at first, but he definitely caught the words “quiet” “idiot” and “gonna shove this auto pistol up your green behind.”  Baldur knew what he had to do.

“Alarm!  We are under attack”

The response from the defenders was instantaneous.  Thia Blustream, quickly gaining a reputation with her trusty bolter leaned over the edge of the main bridge and dropped a Veiler with one shot.  Two Bears, also on the bridge, joined in, shooting the big green who had first blown the attackers’ cover.  The big boy fell slightly wounded but wasn’t out of the fight.  Another Misbehavior was pinned from the fire. 

The Misbehaviors fired back, wounding a Bear and pinning another, while the Veilers and Wastoids bolted for the tower.   The defenders continued to throw bolts and slugs at the attackers who were at a severe disadvantage due to the inability to fully hide from the elevated attackers. 

McVallek immediately made the decision to expedite the opening ceremony.   He strode to the front of the platform with the Caller and her Vox Staff hustling to keep up, and signaled the guards on the other tower to drive the prisoners towards the gallows.  Using the Vox Staff, McVallek would call the citizens of Blightwater Borough to come to the speech just a bit earlier than expected.   The Barrister  was ready to give them a show. 

The attackers watched in horror as the prisoners marched towards their demise.   The EGGS prodded their reluctant charges forward.   The Wastoids had a plan.  A lone Wastoid with a long rifle climbed an adjacent tower and carefully aimed at the lead guard.  “Pop”   The guard, Zolena Sunrise, turned in time to throw up her shield and absorb the attack.   She was stunned but not injured.  The EGGS returned fire and drove off the Wastoid sniper.  

The Pale Veil were also making their move.  The three infiltrators hurried forward in hopes of catching the tail of the prisoner conga line.  The unexpected sounding of the alarm rushed their plans, causing them to throw out caution and sprint towards the top of the tower.  They paid for their mistake.  A Bear dropped through a hatch and down a ladder to within yards of two of the Pale crew, pulled out his hand flamer and let them have it.  The flamer was ineffective.  The second Bear and his pistol were more effective.  He shot and dropped one Veiler and another Veiler broke and ran.  The third sneaky boy calmly walked up shot both Bears down with his rapid firing.  He failed to wound either, but they were pinned and at his mercy. 

The prisoners clambered onto the bridge while gun battles raged around them.  McVallek, ignoring the chaos continued to call for the local residents to come forward to hear his speech. 

The attackers changed tactics. Veilers, Wastoids and Misbehaviors now ran to the Central Tower where the gallows and the Barrister stood.  There was some shock when the greens and ashers noticed that the Pale Veil’s little beast was not so little anymore. 

The blue beast was not only larger but was also fast.   Several sprints carried the not so little beast onto the Central Tower and directly at two Bears who were not happy to see him (her?).    Not only had the little blue dude (dudette) grown, his flaming breath could now vomit further.   A huff and a puff, and a gout of flame washed over the surprised bears.  They were surprised because both remained unharmed when the doorway that stood between them and fiery pain blocked most of the blast.  

The rapid firing Veiler on the Ventus tower charged the pinned Bears and realized too late that shooting was easier than clubbing.  The Veiler fell to one of the bears in ferocious hand to hand fighting. 

The final performance in the first act of the unfolding drama was by two Cavaliers who, hearing the alarm, galloped into the market.   Swinging clubs and axes, the armored anachronisms smacked a Misbehavior and the Wastoids’s Hydra into oblivion.   

The rescue was looking shakey.  The sneak didn’t work.  The prisoners marched to their doom. Could they be saved?  These questions, and possibly the one about the Emperor and the lightbulb would be answered soon. 

 

Brawl at the Market.

After the ambush by the Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service, the gangs hiked it back to civilization-or what counts as civilization near the bottom of the EG-in varying moods.  The Waste-Side Bears carried their freshly earned credits provided by the EGGS for their turncoatism. Fresh off the betrayal at the hands of the Waste-Side Bears and Shrouded Path, the Mischevious Misbehavios and Pale Veil trudged out minus comrades whom were captured by the Barrister’s militia.  The Misbehaviors and Path found themselves in a scrappy mood when they encountered the traitors at the trading post known as Grave’s Posttown where the gangs stopped to re-supply before heading home.  

Grave’s Posttown, or the Grave Post for short is a popular trading post for the less established, more unlawful groups   It is tolerant of mutants, and the head proprietor Marne Lamplighter tends to look the other way when the more wanted types show up to deal.  Violence rarely flares up in the trading post because customers don’t want to be banned.  The Pale Veil and Mischievous Misbehaviors were not thinking about bans when six of their crew closed in on a small group of Avians and Bears in the central market.   It was going to be a shootout.

The shops and stalls that line the main thoroughfare emptied as the two gangs slowly walked towards each other.   The Bears and birds possessed confidence. They did just watch the Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service haul away several of their rivals   The Veilers and Greenies were focused.  They had been betrayed and they were out to collect scalps. 

The two groups slowly moved in.  Two straight lines closing, hands on triggers.  They faced off only feet apart.  Eyes narrowed. Sweat pooled  (except on the Kroot. Kroot don’t sweat.)  Tension tightened grips.

The Greens and Unseens blinked.  One of the newly recruited little pointy ears fumbled for his gun. The Pathers were quicker.  A Kroot pulled his auto pistol and fired the first shot. He missed.  A second bird drew and fired knocking down the little grot but couldn’t wound him.  A Bear fired his  newly acquired plasma pistol and shot down a Veiler. Another Bear fired his autogun but missed.  One of the bigger Misbehaviors had the foresight to pack his flamer and swept a gout of flame, burning one bird and barely missing the other.  The much slower Pale Veilers pulled guns last but dropped a Bear injured to the ground.

The shooting was decidedly poor.   Gangers hit gangers but injuries were minor..for now.   A Bear decided that his ammo was not going to cut it and charged a juvenile sneaker.  The older, more experienced Waste-Bear clubbed the youngster and knocked him out.  Further along the line, the torched (fried?) bird recovered long enough to stand up and be hit again by the flamer.   This was too much and the Kroot passed out.   The jittery juvenile greenie who had triggered (or didn’t trigger in his case) the shooting, jumped up and howled as he charged the one standing Pather.  The Avian was not standing long.  The little dude clubbed the more skilled, but less ready bird, knocking him out.

Soon, the noise and violence brought more combatants to the brawl from each gang.  The last remaining Kroot of the showdowners was unceremoniously shot down  by a long gun toting Veiler who had managed to climb a nearby hab block.  Another Pather was shot and killed by a newly arrived little green Juve. This would be the only death on the day.

The Bears braced for a bad beating.  A Mischievous big green ran up a flamed two Bears who had been pinned down by overwhelming Misbehavior firepower. Other Bears who had arrived and fired suppression shots to keep the greens at bay either ran out of ammo or watched shells harmlessly bounce off their opponents.   The Shrouded Path tried to fight back but were outclassed by the more skilled Veil and Misbehaviors. 

It was soon obvious that the day was won by the better armed and better skilled avengers.   The gangers of the Shrouded Path and Waste-Side Bears slipped away from the trading post and missed the two for one sale on socks.  The Pale Veil and Mischievous Misbehaviors claimed their vengeance and got a good deal on some very soft pillows and matching duvets. 

  

Hard Boiled EGGS part 2

 When we last left our protagonists they were being squeezed by the Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service.

The EGGS were pushing the gangs into a cul de sac. The gangs were retreating up into a large manufactorium intending to make a stand. 

The EGGS were inching forward but were inexperienced and most were armed with shorter ranged guns.  An excitable Cavalier dropped a Pale Veiler but ran out of ammo.  One of the squat auxiliaries lugging a heavy bolter also wounded a Veiler, but the sneaky boys were pulling back out of range.  The Wastoids were screened by the manufactorium and the Waste-Side Bears were already on top of the giant structure.

The Mischievous Misbehaviors were more aggressive.  They had already come up against the EGGS and one of their little lads had been captured by Foot Sergeant Oliver Oakwood, who bonked the lad over the head after a fellow Guardian Thia Bluestream had shot him down with a bolt gun. 

The EGGS had a serious problem.  The retreating gangs were fleeing high.  This left the Cavaliers unable to follow on their horses.  The Cavaliers were each armed with rifles but could never get an angle on the elevated enemy.  Billy Bot had the same issue.   Giant clunky metal boxes don’t do ladders. 

It was up to the foot troops.   The Guardians crossed a bridge that connected to the upper levels of the tower while the squats climbed out of a giant warehouse and closed in from the flank.  The EGGS also had a an ace up their frilly sleeves.   

If you will recall, two gangs decided to turn over the looted items to the Blightwater leadership instead of selling it to Aidus Johipok. The Shrouded Path had already snuck away from the trap.  The Waste-Side Bears was the other gang and was the trap.  Foot Captain Howl Neckbreaker spoke the code phrase through the Vox Staff and the Bears turned. 

“Run Burp Chickens Run”

Throughout the early stages of the scenario the Pale Veil loudly and persistently pointed out that the Bears had taken the deal and not to trust them.  They told anyone who would listen and did so repeatedly.   So it was ironic that when the Bears pounced it was the Veil that was situated closest to the traitorous tricksters.

One of the Bears immediately charged an unsuspecting Veiler and routed him due to having a killer reputation.   The Veils wormy beast, who ignored psychology counter charged.  Soon one other Bear and one other Veiler were locked in. 

The hand to hand was short and bloody.  The Bear dropped the Veiler and the beast.  The human was captured and the beast went to the bridge of death for judgment. (He would fully recover.)

The Veil immediately sought revenge, and an angry Veil charged the Bear monkey (monkey bear?). The fight was over quickly as the ape had sustained a chest wound in the last fight and was just a fresh faced young monkey with a reduced toughness.  “Bonk”. The monkey was out.

Things between the two gangs only became more vicious.  A Veiler with a hand flamer torched two Bears and a Bear shot a Veiler.   Another Bear roped in the Wastoids by flaming two of them.  One of the poor Wastoids lost his footing and plummeted from the fifth floor to the ground with a flaming splat. 

Meanwhile the Misbehaviors were doing all the heavy lifting against the EGGS and Auxiliaries.   Five separate hand to hand struggles were playing out across several bridges and the smaller tower.  

The Misbehaviors were taking a beating but were dishing it out. The most protracted struggle and ultimately the deadliest occurred on the middle bridge where one EGG had already been shot down by a little green, and another had been flamed out.  Old Arthur, the eldest of the Guardians had sprung forward to cover Molly Mudgummer-daughter of reknown slag collector Enron Mudgummer-who was the shot down Guardian and who was crawling back down the bridge. 

 One of the not so little green Misbehaviors pounced on Arthur  with an assist by a mechanical dungeon bowl ball that the Misbehaviors had found in Hethel’s Bowl. 

The hand to hand was ongoing and Arthur was holding his own. The ball stabbed at Arthur’s shins with a sharpened appendage, and as Arthur lowered his shield to block the strike, the large green menace brought down an axe and struck Arthur a killing blow.

     Elsewhere a battle of the short legs ensued.  A Luminary named Baldur Mossfinder was charged by a newly recruited Misbehavior.   The two tangled until Mossfinder shot the green down and captured him.

..

The Bears were taking hits and the EGGS were dropping.   Foot Captain Neckbreaker’s  Guardians captured five scofflaws and shot down several more.  It was time to pull back.  The newly formed militia hadn’t set the world on fire with its first action (The Bears and  Veil did that) but it held its own. The EGGS could be proud that they had brought in members of each of the thieving gangs.  Old Arthur was dead, and he would be honored.  The scaffolds in Blightwater Borough would be seeing action.  

Hard Boiled EGGS

The gangs of Emperor’s Getaway never pass up an opportunity to find loot.  If they hear about loot rumored  to be in abundance in one of the many pockets of the Underhive they head out to cash in.  This is how our intrepid not-really-heroes found themselves converging on an old administrative district. 

 

The Waste-Side Bears, Shrouded Path, Mischievous Misbehaviors, Pale Veil, and Wastoids all arrived in the area after hearing a tip from a merchant in Blightwater Borough.  The Slag Ratz with a Z for Maximum Doucheyness lost track of time and were running late 

There was indeed loot galore in the district.  There was also a lack of easily accessible exits.  This was a trap.

Barrister Kowlis McVallek had sworn vengeance on those that looted Hethel’s Bowl.  He had raided the abode of Aidus Johipok, the Archeopriest who had offered a reward for items found in that area, and recovered most of the items, but the Barrister felt that there needed to be consequences for those responsible for the looting.   He had offered compensation, albeit minimal for those that turned in the items found at Hethel’s Bowl, but only the Shrouded Path and Waste-Side Bears cooperated.

Barrister McVallek had also recently formed the militia known as the Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service to help bring local order to the chaos of the Emperor’s Getaway.   This was a perfect chance to try them out.  The Auxiliaries of the Luminaries Guild, the militant wing of the light guild,  joined the EGGS in the hunt. One of the savvier Luminaries possessed an old Terra tome “Rouge  Traitors “ or some such and used old scrap to build what he called a Dreadnought, but was really just a crude engine stuck in some metal lockers.   The creation dubbed Billy Bot clunked along occasionally breaking down as the militia advanced   On the march to the cavern the inventor Luminary went on about his next project, a hover craft built using old odorous drums.

It was the agents of the Barrister who spread the word of loot in a cul de sac of a cavern near Jersey Sump.  It was The Emperor’s Getaway Guardian Service that followed the gangs and shut the trap.

The gangs arrived in a cooperative spirit as there appeared to be plenty of loot to go around.  They entered the cavernous chamber and spread out.  

While four of the gangs crawled about looking for goodies they didn’t notice that the Kroot of the Shrouded Path disappeared one by one from the cavern.  The Foot Captain of the militia Howl Neckbreaker arranged with the Kroot’s human  interpreter to allow the Kroot to leave the area before the shooting started.  The Shrouded Path was one of the gangs to hand over the Hethel’s Bowl swag to the Barrister, and although there were some dirty looks and unpleasant words from the Militia members aimed at the mutant scum, no violence broke out.  

The EGGS spread out and entered the administrative district.  The auxiliaries, an entirely Squat outfit climbed to the high ground to better position themselves. 

The booming voice of Foot Captain Neckbreaker, amplified by the Vox Staff of the Militia’s Caller, rang out.  “ Surrender and you will be given fair trial for your transgressions against the citizens of Emperor’s Getaway.”

The Foot Captain, The Caller.  One of the Cavaliers (with Bolt Cannon)

The militia advanced slowly and the Foot Captain made the offer one more time but it was ignored by the gangs who knew what Underhive justice looks like.

The remaining gangs began to retreat towards the rear of the cavern, taking time to loot as they went. The Waste-Side Bears who inexplicably had acquired a monkey they painted orange were farthest away from the new threat and calmly grabbed credits. 

The Pale,Veil, closest of all gangs to the advancing militia was more cautious.  

The Foot Captain huddled up his militia and barked out “ EGGS break!” and the guardians(foot militia)  spread out and advanced 

The four Cavaliers fanned out and hung back.  They knew they blocked the only exit. 

A word about the Cavaliers.  What would drive an Hiver to hammer out archaic armor and get on a horse (where did they even find a horse let alone four of them?) and go riding into the Underhive.  The answer is eccentricity.   Cavaliers are weird folks.  Often having some wealth and prestige ( at least for someone living below the Borderlands) the Cavaliers like to believe that they are like the knights of old.   They also like shiny things.  

One of the Cavaliers arrived mounting a Bolt Cannon to his arm and he was excited to use it.  Taking aim, the horseman spotted several Veilers running across a bridge.  He unloaded.  The first volley missed but a second volley dropped a Juve of the sneaky gang.  Excitement for the event may have slightly affected the Cavalier’s rationing of ammo as he emptied his Cannon and withdrew with a giddy smile on his face but a now useless gun.

The EGGS cautiously advanced at the same time their quarry withdrew. The gangers headed for higher ground while the militia was split high and low.

A Mischevius Misbehavior either wasn’t paying attention or was feeling bold as he wandered onto a platform of a powering  tower and straight into the path of a militiawoman who wielding a Boltgun.  She shot the Juve and he fell to the floor bleeding from several holes in his body. 

The withdrawing gangs were taking the “ignore it and it will go away approach” and continued to load up on valuables. 

The wounded Misbehavior acted on this philosophy to the extreme when approached by two EGGS who offered aid if the little green guy would crawl to them. The grot looked at them and then crawled in the opposite direction toward a box of valuable booty. 

The gangs realized that it would babe unwise to fight each other so rhey acted on their live and let someone else shoot you dead philosophy.   They continued to back up but were running out of real estate.  They would have to turn and fight. 

 

Would the alliance hold? Could the gangs escape? Would Billy break down again?

To be continued..