Gwendy and Louise begin their first travel day together by hitting the highway east out of the Bluffs towards the underground city of Lot. Arriving at the tunnel entrance many hours later, they discover that the city is extracting a toll from travelers who wish to enter:
Barter for expensive RAD-X to survive the dangerously radioactive passage or die trying.

Apparently the Management of Lot have decided that the city is now primarily for Ghouls immune to such danger, and smooth-skins wanting to partake of its technology and supplies are fair game to be extorted. The duo encounter a few such downtrodden wastelanders as they approach and Gwendy gets a taste of the poverty they've experienced attempting to scrape by in the ramshackle gathering assembled outside. A short negotiation with the guards at the mouth of the tunnel buys two doses for Gwendy to enter and exit the city at the expense of Louise's whiskey and two stacks of caps. Though the hunter claims the chem would be wasted on her, she accepts the second dose on the assumption they'll be able to find more once inside the booming sepulchre.

THE TUNNEL

Gwendy and Louise advance into the tunnel to Lot, the vault dweller's PipBoy heralding with a constant click, the integrated Geiger counter redlining all the way. They pass under ropes of different coloured lights crisscrossing the four lanes, illuminating the gloom all around well enough to see murals, signs and instructions. It is a deadly fairy grotto filled with a frightening host.

People--mostly ghouls--shuffle between wooden stalls of gear. Food trucks with no wheels peddle meat both familiar and mysterious. A pack-brahmin corral minded by a pair of filthy Protectrons in straw hats fragrantly occupies nearly three lanes for a good distance. Covering her nostrils and looking around, Gwendy wonders if the nose-less mutants even register the odor.

Gwendy: "Louise, do you see anything uhh... technological?" She was kind of hoping the city would be a bit more 'put together'.

Louise: (scanning the crowd, the stalls) "Nothing but the usual bullshit," She pauses at the doorway to an establishment made entirely out of welded sheet metal and car doors. "Might be able to find out something in here, though."

A rotating green-red-blue light fills the interior, spilling out between a thousand cracks and pits in the wall, many of which appear to be staccato chains of bullet holes. As they debate entering, the door is suddenly shoved open from the inside and a large, looming body carefully folds itself through. Louise's arm presses Gwendy back to make space for the huge figure that passes by without a downward glance. A giant, mountainous man in thick leather and rusted, bent metal bars: Supermutant. Gwendy knows it's impolite to stare but she can't help but be enthralled by the massive presence, an expression of awe filling her face until the mutant staggers drunkenly into a food cart and nearly tips it over on its raggedy owner.

Louise: (a bit harshly) "Don't gawk, we're the weirdos here so keep your eyes behind your glasses and keep close."

DECAY

The bar seems bigger inside owing to the curve of tunnel wall it is situated against, as well as wide openings leading to concrete rooms at even intervals. Through these door-less portals a myriad of strange folk sit at tables, huff bags of chemicals, shoot syringes of drugs and drink glasses of alcohol. In the main area a four-piece band idles on a low stage where the ceiling dips down into a sort of shell, bathed in the darkest, bluest light Gwendy has ever seen. She's led towards a rough rail that seats twenty assorted ghouls, men and mutants, backed with a wall so covered with graffiti she can barely make out a single word. One does begin to exude prominently from the noise, however, and she eventually takes it to be the name of the place: Decay.

Louise: "I've still got a little fuck-around money so we're going to have a drink or two and casually ask around about radio tech," she says, "Think you can handle yourself?"

Gwendy: "Yes, absolutely, no problem."

Louise: "Hm. Don't leave the bar. If we get split up head to that brahmin pen with the silver idiots and wait for me." She taps the bar top after mounting one of the wobbly stools and orders two whiskies from a rubenesque woman with a head covered in colourfully tied scarves. "Make this last a while because it's the only one I'm buying for you."

Gwendy thanks Louise and accepts the tumbler, giving it a sniff. Doesn't seem as strong as the sips she had last night, which is fine by her. Cradling it between her hands, she leans back and tries to look like she belongs here.

?: Does Gwendy see anyone that looks like they might know tech?
d: 50/50 (1-10 No) 2D20v=6,12 -> No
=> Quite a few dirty ghouls, but no nerds

Scanning the room for anyone that looks put-together, or educated, or technical in anyway ends in disappointment. She sighs into the fumes from her whiskey and decides that she might have better luck if she asked someone near the card tables closer to the little bandshell. People who play cards are usually good at math, right?

She hovers near a scavenged table and waits for an opening before introducing herself to a cluster of leather clad people. She gets as far as "Hello, my name is Gwendy--" before she's told to piss off by a scarred woman with slicked-back hair. The knives and guns hanging from her belt emphasis the point and the young vault dweller backs away to the front wall of the establishment. As she's giving the table a bit of distance, her heel bumps hard against something soft and she utters an automatic apology, looking back and bracing for the worst.

Gwendy: "Ohmygosh, I'm sorry I didn't see you... laying on the ground there."

Bundle of Rags: (clearing its throat) "Oh, no worries you didn't break anything that wasn't already broken," it says, unfolding into the shape of a man and sitting up agains the interior sheet metal wall.

The pair observe each other for a moment while the quartet on stage begins to tune their instruments. Taking in the appearance of the man, she sees a thin man of average height with shoulder length brown hair, a patchy beard and serene eyes behind a cobbled together pair of eyeglasses. He wears a ragged blanket over a grimy, 'white' collared shirt and grey slacks.

Man under a Rag: (a smile slowly forming) "Hm, vault dweller."

Gwendy: "Oh, you could tell?" She says naively.

Man under a Rag: "Yes, the suit is pretty obvious," he says. "Want to trade for some super special caps? These are limited edition." Jingling a thong of multi-coloured and polished Nuka Cola caps around his neck.

Gwendy: "They're very nice. Maybe later? I'm actually looking for someone, I'm just not sure who."

She begins to turn around and continue checking the bar for likely technical candidates when the hunched man suddenly and smoothly rises to his feet, causing her to back up a step.

Man under a Rag: "Interesting! Maybe I'm the person you're looking for. Mishken is my name, Ira Mishken," He says, extending a hand to Gwendy as introduction. "I've been all over this big wide world! I've seen things that haven't even happened yet, things I could tell you about if you want."

MEET NPC
@: Gwendy makes contact with the NPC Ira Mishken
-> +1 XP awarded (tracked)
-> +1 side quest "Save the Ghouls of Lot" (tracked)

Gwendolyn takes the offered hand automatically and is shaken by Mishken. He grins at her with a beatific zeal and she's reminded of the unwelcome preacher at Fort 73, of Rebecca and The Creeps, but more peaceful. She notices when he smiles that his cheeks barely touch his wide brown eyes.

Gwendy: (taking her hand back) "Gee, that is very nice of you, I appreciate it, but--"

Ira Mishken: "Please don't go, I... I need help!" He says, his expression falling to one of deep sadness and hurt. His posture changes and he curls an arm across his chest, holding his left shoulder. "You're the nicest person I've met here, no one will talk to me or hear my plea..."

The man begins to sway on his feet as if to fall and Gwendy reaches out to steady him, her brow knitting together with concern. She is suddenly overcome with compassion and a sense of duty and decides to lead him to a table with a free seat near the band.

Gwendy: "Sir, it's okay, if you're in trouble maybe I can assist. Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" She offers, handing him the as-yet untouched whiskey Louise bought her.

As Mishken swoons and nips at the drink, he tells Gwendy about his problem: The ghouls of Lot produce a chemical they need to ingest regularly to stay sane but the process they use is tainted. The ghouls who take the drug appear to hold on to their minds, but all the while a flaw in the compound is building up to a sudden and violent reaction. Each day more and more of the mutant citizens succumb to the reaction and go feral, wreaking havoc. He has tried to tell the Management about it but they simply refuse to listen, to believe that someone like him could know anything about chemicals or how to make them safe.

Gwendy: "You know how to do chemistry? That is pretty darn technical..."

Ira Mishken: "I studied at the feet of one of this century's brightest minds, Doctor Bartholomew Plavic in the ruins of Washington, have you heard of him?"

Sadly, she has not, but her interest is piqued--Ira is educated and knows science! She takes a chance and tells the man about her desire to find someone who knows about radio technology, specifically to track town the origins of a mysterious broadcasting code. Perhaps he knows something, or someone who can point her in the right direction.

Ira: "We are both fortunate! I happen to also know a great deal about radios, their towers AND their powers. Not that different from chemistry, really. If you can help me save the poor ghouls of Lot I will not rest until you find your signal."

Gwendy: "Then it would be an honour to assist you, Sir!" She says, placing two fingers on her brow in a Scout's salute. "I'll just go find my friend and tell her what we need to do. She's great, I know you'll like her--"

Ira: (standing from the table and shaking his head) "No, oh no-no-no! The window for success is rapidly closing and we must act quickly before the Management finds out. Follow me," He says, grabbing Gwendy by the wrist and leading her to the exit.

Gwendy: "B-but, my friend Louise said not to leave..." She tries to look towards the bar rail for any sign of the hunter's horned helmet.

Before she can blink they're out of Decay and into the wide four-lane tunnel that serves as Lot's main street, angling across the gloomy black-top towards a bank of steel doors about 30 meters away. Gwendy looks back at the pitted, corrugated walls of the bar in the distance, hoping that Louise will understand that she needs to act quickly if she's going to learn what Mishken knows.

She squeaks as the man tugs her lower to the ground behind a stack of crates, pointing a little ways away towards a bank of three doorways. The two on the outside appear to be locked shut with chains around their pulls, but the centre one is apparently unsecured.

Ira: "There is a stairwell through that middle door that leads to a laboratory where our ghouly friends brew their brain calming beverage. I tried to get to it last week but the Management goons took exception to my presence. I tried to explain what I was intending to do, but they didn't believe me. Things got... confrontational. If they catch me there again I'll be dog food!"

The man shakes his head sadly, dirty brown hair hanging down and obscuring his face.

Ira: "They despise down-trodden humans... but you, you're a vault dweller with a PipBoy, trustworthy to a T! If you're questioned I'm sure you can talk your way around them. Tell them what I told you about the tainted cure, and if things get ugly, offer them these," He says, pulling the thong of limited edition caps off of his neck and draping it over hers. "Didn't have these the first time. The MGMT are basically gangsters, I doubt they could resist baubles like this!"

Gwendy: (unsure) "O-ok, stair well to the closet near the lab..."

Ira: "Yes! The lab itself is strictly off limits (some kind of key-card security system) but there is a storage closet adjacent that contains the ingredients they require." He says quickly, digging in the pockets of his slacks for a small object: a thin aluminum vial with a twist-cap stopper. "Pour the contents of this vial into the jar marked 'Coalescent Medium ALPHA-103', it will be the largest one there."

The small vial is transferred to Gwendy's hand and she looks at it briefly. The surface is mostly unadorned except for a small patch of roughness along one side.

@ Gwendy examines the vial for details.
d: (PER) v (TN=6) Dif=1 2D20=1,19 -> Hit x2
-> Additional success
=> It isn't a texture, but rather a very small engraved image
=> The image is a tiny circle of stars surrounding a large capital letter 'E'

Gwendy: "What does this mean, twelve stars with 'E' in the centre of it?" She asks, turning the vial over and pointing at the design so Ira can see it.

The dreamy, peaceful look on the man's face falls away to reveal a wholly different set of expressions: surprise, exasperation, and annoyance.

Ira: "Ahaha, for chr--goodness sake, vault dweller! It must be the logo of the manufacturer. I merely used what I could find to hold the cure. Time is of the essence, hurry now! Through that door and up the stairs! Quickly, quietly, there-and-back."

Gwendy: "Then you'll tell me how to find the signal transmitter?"

He nods emphatically and rises smoothly once again, clutching the lapels of her Dad's thick leather jacket. She rises with him like a ragdoll until she finds her feet.

Ira: "Go-go-go-go-quickly-quickly! I'll remain here and wait, then we will discuss signals and transmissions."

DOSES

The doorway is indeed unlocked. It opens with a low, humming vibration and closes with a heavy click when Gwendy steps inside the hallway. A single amber loop of softly glowing string-lights droop along the ceiling into the distance, giving the passage a haunted look.

Navigating patches of detritus and empty boxes, she slowly explores the linear space until it opens up into a small lobby containing a wide staircase. As she enters the room she hears a soft scratching from inside... guards? She crouches down near the entrance and places her hand on a throwing knife in her jacket, peaking into the half-light.

@ Gwendy tries to get the jump on whatever that noise might be
d: (AGI)SNEAK v (TN=6) Dif=1 2D20=17,8 -> MISS
=> The scratching increases in speed, heading right towards her

Ughhhh gross! A giant cockroach scrabbles towards her on the damp, dirty concrete floor, making her gag briefly before drawing the knife from her jacket.

COMBAT ROUND 1 - RADROACH x1 (?)

OPPOSE
@ Gwendy stands up from her crouch, winding up to toss a knife into the approaching radroach
d: (AGI)THROWING v (TN=9) Dif=1 2D20=14,6 -> HIT
-> -1 throwing knife (tracked)
=> The knife flicks out and schlicks smoothly into the roach's back, killing it dead

Note: RAW states radroaches are small and hard to hit with RANGED WEAPONS, but not THROWN weapons specifically. When AT RANGE the difficulty v THROWN weapons will be 2, otherwise I'm keeping it at 1 for this close range encounter

Keeping her guts on lock, the young vault dweller tosses her knife in a silver streak that buries itself deep in the monstrous insect's back, killing it instantly with a wet hiss. She has barely enough time to take a breath when a similar shape scuttles towards her.

?: How many more of these things nest here??
d: # of Radroaches present: 1D4=3
=> Two more large insects scrabble out of the corners of the room, one falling to the floor in a flutter of greasy looking wings

Gritting her teeth to stifle the scream building up in her throat, Gwendy meets the nearest roach and prepares to kick it with her foot. If this keeps up she'll be absolutely covered in these disgusting bugs!

COMBAT ROUND 2 - RADROACH x2

OPPOSE
@ Gwendy sweeps her leg back to swing it forward and boot the advancing bug
d: (STR)UNARMED v (TN=7) Dif=1 2D20=17,11 -> MISS
-> -1 Action Point (tracked)
d: 1d20=13 -> MISS
=> The bug jigs out of the way and her foot swoops out, connecting with nothing. Shit!

ENEMY ACTION - RADROACH #2 (Near)
?: The dodging roach squares up to the vault dweller
d: Action 1d20=18 -> CAUTIOUS
=> It evades her attack, holding back until a comrade is adjacent!
-> A third roach approaches and is NEAR

She's not sure what's worse, mangy dogs in the woods, or disgusting bugs under ground.

COMBAT ROUND 3 - RADROACH X2

OPPOSE
@ Gwendy is starting to get angry at these things!
d: (STR) UNARMED v (TN=7) Dif=1 2D20=3,13 -> HIT
=> The second roach opens it's case to flutter away--too late!
-> 1x RADROACH is defeated

ENEMY ACTION
?: The final bug chitters loudly as it's fellow is spread across the floor by G's boot heel 
d: Action 1d20=3 -> AGRESSIVE 
=> The angry radroach flicks up into the air and scrapes its mandibles against Gwendy
-> -1HP (tracked)

Crouching into the stomp that killed the second roach, Gwendy is open for retaliation. She shouts as her neck and head are tugged sideways by the third roach. It flits into the air and makes a scratching attack with it's forelegs and mandibles, tangling with her hair. Maybe the thick braid she thought was a smart idea is actually bit of a liability after all.

COMBAT ROUND 4 - RADROACH X1

OPPOSE
@ Gwendy bares her teeth and practically jumps into the air, intending to bring both of her feet down on the last bug
d: (STR)UNARMED v (TN=7) Dif=1 2D20=7,18 -> HIT
=> The last radroach barfs out the entirety of it's insides, splashing them  against the bottom of the stairs

COMBAT COMPLETE

This is easily the most disgusting thing she's faced yet, even more than cleaning the Yao Guai and rad-hounds. No chance she wants to eat theses things, but what about the stacks of stuff the roaches were hiding behind?

@ Gwendy digs around in the small lobby for LOOT
d: 2D20=10,18 -> 18 (Caps)
=> The jingling of cash!
d: 1d20=3 -> A stack of caps (x1, tracked) at the bottom of a small trash can

Hey not bad, when she gets back to Decay she can buy Louise a drink by way of apology for sneaking out. Not much reason to hang back any longer so she makes for the stairs and continues her search for the laboratory and it's supply closet.

STEP INTO MY PARLOUR

The going is easy as she ascends the floors of the structure. Two floors are blocked and bolted but the third opens into a similar lobby as the bottom--roach free, thank goodness--with a hallway running away from the landing. Intervals of pot lights create cone shaped islands in the darkness that stretch into the distance, terminating at what she guesses is the laboratory: twin, white doors with yellow and red signage.

Along the way she passes peeling, printed displays of Super Duper Mart concepts: a grocery store in the middle of a lake being patronized by cottage-bound boaters, a bubble-domed location surrounded by gleeful astronaut families on what looks like the moon, a bodega serviced by a Protectron with coal miners jostling to purchase Nuka-Cola far under ground... dreams of a profitable future by folk who turned to dust long before she was born.

Finally at the end of the hallway she examines the adjacent doors, spotting a tarnished sign above one: Chemical Storage. Attempting to turn the handle Gwendy unfortunately discovers that it is locked!

Gwendy: "Darn it, Ira. You said this would be easy."

@ Gwendy fishes a bobby pin from her pack and attempts to pick the lock on the door. 
d: Try Your Luck: -1 LCK Point (tracked) TN=7 
d: (PER)LOCKPICK v (TN=7*) Dif=2 2D20=1,12 -> HIT
=> The lock opens on her first try! 

The closet unlocks on her first try--something of a minor miracle considering Gwendy has never attempted to pick a lock before. She enters the closet into a small space of near total darkness, holding the button on her PipBoy to engage the flash-light function so she can see. Rows of shelving along the walls are stacked with boxes of jars, most of which are labeled with incomprehensible scientific names. What did Ira say she was looking for? Coalescent Medium Something-Something...

@ Gwendy looks for the jar Ira said she was to pour the vial into.
d: (INT)SCIENCE v (TN=7) Dif=1 2D20=13,10 -> MISS
=> There are so many jars named Coalescent Medium! 

A frustrated sigh escapes her as she peers at one jar after another. Mishken said the jar she was looking for would be the largest one here, but the largest sized jars all have different number codes after the name! As the minutes tick by on her illuminated PipBoy's time function, she becomes increasingly aware that she is sneaking around a laboratory run by possibly dangerous Ghouls. Come on, come on it has to be here!

From the hallway echoes the sound of a door unlatching followed by booted footfalls. Gwendy's heart pounds in her throat as the approaching steps slow and stop outside of the closet door.

Deep Gravely Voice: (with a sigh) "Alright dickhead, told you we'd do it the hard way next time we caught you sneaking' around. Your junky ass better have some painkillers in it 'cause I'm gonna kick it right outta town!"

Before Gwendy can respond the door to the closet is kicked open, smacking against the racks with a loud, rattling clang. A narrow beam of white light floods her eyes and she brings her hands up in a defensive gesture.

Gwendy: "W-wait, wait! I'm not armed!" She stammers, trying to block the light from blinding her.

Deep Gravely Voice: "Keep your hands up and walk forward, no sudden movements or I'll pop a hole in you big enough to shoot hoops through."

All she can do is nod and obey the man, slowly stepping back out into the hallway with her hands up, the silver vial held with her thumb against the right palm.

Gwendy: "Please don't shoot, I wasn't doing anything wrong I swear."

Gravely Man: (after an assessing pause) "Then why the fuck're you creeping around in my supply closet, smooth-skin?"

Doing her best to swallow around the lump in her throat, Gwendy spills the beans about the flawed drug and the plan to fix the ingredient with the chemicals in her hand. The words pour out of her in a nearly uninterrupted stream, forcing her to take a deep breath after.

Gwendy: "I just wanted to do the right thing for the Ghouls. No one should take a cure that will hurt them, it isn't fair."

@ Gwendy attempts to cut the tension by explaining her purpose. Does the Ghoul believe her?
d: (CHA)SPEECH (T-3) v (TN=9) Dif=2 2D20=16,19 -> MISS
=> He is unconvinced and keeps his gun trained on her

Gravely Man: "Yeah, uh-huh, fair like the rest of this beautiful fuckin' world. Turn around slowly and head towards the doors."

The armed ghoul marches her through the double-doors and into the laboratory proper. The room is better lit than the route she took to get here, but still somewhat gloomy. Lamps of various design have been placed around a space that reminds her of the classroom back in Vault 73--there are even a few chalk boards and glowing RobCo computers against the walls. A U-shaped collection of heavy tables covered in strange machinery sits in the centre of the space, and as they enter a second ghoul in a white lab coat looks up from a centrifuge of glass beakers.

Lab Ghoul: "Goodness, Chomsky, how long does it take to grab a jar--oh shit." She says, hairless eyebrows raising behind a rather lovely pair of metal cats-eye glasses.

Chomsky: "Spider caught himself a fly," he says, gesturing to Gwendy with the shotgun. "This vault-trash was messing around in the supply closet. Put that vial on the table, then tell the doctor what you told me."

Starting from the top, Gwendy tells the other ghoul exactly what she told Chomsky a moment ago, except this time she begins with meeting Mishken in the bar...

Gwendy: "...I agreed to help him fix the chem in exchange for his knowledge about radio transmissions, but I really did want to help your people. You believe me, don't you?"

DE-ESCALATE
@ Gwendy gives the Dr. her best doe-eyed expression, hoping the ghoul will believe her 
d: (CHA)SPEECH(T) v (TN=9) Dif=2 2D20=1,5 -> CRITICAL -> HIT x3
-> -1+ Additional Success: An NPC becomes a QUEST GIVER (Dr. Carmilla)
=>  Much more articulate the second time, Gwendy's story lands gracefully in the ears of the lab-coat wearing ghoul

The doctor looks at her shotgun-toting assistant with an expression that makes the vault dweller's neck muscles start to relax.

Chomsky: "Horseshit," he scoffs, lowering his shotgun and leaning against a console along the wall. A hawk-like eye watches both of the women closely.

Doctor: "No, I don't think so. Look at her, Brian. She's fresh from a vault, do you really think this woman is capable of coming up with a plan to sabotage my work on her own? I suggest you get Partino back inside the tunnel and looking for this Mr. Mishken."

Brian Chomsky: "I'll do it, but I don't have to like it," He growls, looking at Gwendy and her holstered knives. "Behave yourself, or I'll punch that hole I was talking about earlier."

As he leaves the room through the lab's double doors, Gwendy sees the large M-G-M-T sprayed in white against the black of the flack vest the Management 'staff' of Lot all seem to wear. As the doors click shut again, she breathes a sigh of relief.

Dr. Carmilla: "Brian is a good man, and a friend, but he does lack a certain... decorum. Why don't you come around and show me what you've got in that vial."

MEET NPC
@: Gwendy makes contact with the NPC Doctor Susan Carmilla
-> +1 XP awarded (tracked)
-> Side-Quest 'Save the Ghouls of Lot' - FAILED
-> New Side-Quest - PENDING narrative progression

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