Dead Earth: The Beginning

[shallowesoul]

after finishing his meal Hudson walks to the kitchen with his dish and rinses them in the sink. he then walks back to the others and ask "so who shall i wake for the second watch?" after asking Hudson paces a moment while the others prepare to sleep and gets a drink of water.

(during Hudson's watch): as everyone is sleeping Hudson paces the bar quietly to avoid waking the others. while occasionally checking out the windows to see if anything is taking place. he then continues to move around without making the slightest noise remembering the days of when he was in the army, and how he was seldomly detected by enemy forces. after an hour passes Hudson takes a seat at a vantage point in front of the doors and comtemplates what could possibly cause this to happen.
[spoiler]listen-1d20+2=22
move silently-1d20+10=25
spot-1d20+4=14
knowledge-1d20+3=13[/spoiler]

[maggieloo72]

Lily also cleans up once she's finished eating. "I'll take the second watch." As they quiet down and find sleeping places, Lily turns to Bob and says, "I'm sorry about your Melissa."
She lays her gun on the floor within reaching distance, the safety on. Looking at her phone, Lily mentally notes that she must try to call her father in the morning. It's best not to worry him right before sleep. Perhaps he hadn't seen the news yet, anyway... she hopes. She lies back and takes a deep breath, trying to relax.
[spoiler]Listen check: 1d20+10=15[/spoiler]

[Gnomeo]

Before eating, Chuck removes his turnout gear, revealing a plain white t-shirt and jeans underneath.  He turns his gear inside out and rinses it in the sink.  That's the problem with waterproof gear, it tends to get funky after wearing it for prolonged periods of time.  He shakes out most of the water and hangs it on a couple of chairs to dry overnight.  He then washes his hands and face thoroughly, scrubbing deeply.  When he is content with his appearance, he joins the others at the table.

He takes his time with his meal, savoring each bite.  The whiskey has turned his cheeks and nose red, which makes the burn scar on his face even more apparent.  He eats in silence; his eyes focused far in the distance.  When he is finished, he turns to Lily:

"Thanks for putting this together, Lily.  You're a decent cook, and the meal was a welcome distraction.  Wake me up when you're done with your shift."

As Hudson is in the kitchen, Chuck gathers the remaining dishes from the table.

"Firehouse rule.  If you don't cook, you clean."

Chuck takes the dishes to the kitchen, washes, dries, and returns them to their proper place.  He borrows a tablecloth and folds it into a makeshift pillow near the chairs he used to dry his turnout gear.  He then places the cleaver on one of the chairs and lays on the floor, head on the pillow, and turns his walkie on low.  Just enough for him to hear.  Listening to the chatter always helped him sleep.  It drove his fellow firemen nuts.  It was the last thing they wanted to hear when they were off-duty.

[spoiler]Listen (1d20+5=17)[/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

As Lily and Chuck lay down for the night, trying to get as comfortable as possible on the hard wood floor they hear the whistling of the wind outside, along with low sound of a siren far away, something that has become almost a static noise to them now sadly. They lay with full bellies but have trouble sleeping as they worry about everything the day has brought. In the background the news station can still be heard, the news anchor encouraging people to bunk down and not move because the military is in the area and could be paranoid of movement. The words slowly taper off to nothingness as Chuck and Lily fall asleep.

Bob lays down as well. The Lily girl was nice, apologizing for Melissa although she had nothing to do with it. He tries to push that away from his mind, what had happened today. His wound itches and tingles still as if to try and remind him. He feels as if he may be sweating almost. He wipes his brow and curls up. At least he doesn't have a shift. Guess he can't blame em' too much for not trusting him. Although in his defense they didn't seem to be best friends either but they let each other take a watch. Guess in short times you gotta make tough calls. Oh well, sleep all night. He falls asleep but twitches every now and then.

Hudson moves around the bar so quietly he does even bother the party in the least bit. Not even the hardwood floor below creaks as he sneaks to the window and risks a glance out. In the dark of the night he can make out the wreckage of the bus and the shape of the fire truck close by. The night looks cold and misty and Hudson shakes his head. His worry and paranoia are causing him to see silhouettes move about in the foggy night everywhere. He also swears that behind the sound of the siren in the distance and the news anchor on the tv, and Chucks damn walkie he can hear low moans from outside. He closes the window shade and goes back to the chair, a little unnerved. What could have caused this? If it was really a virus it was one fucking hell of a virus.

Hudson suddenly perks up in his chair as a thought occurs to him. Maybe it was man made. It wouldn't be the first time he had heard of the military going under international laws to illegally research and create chemical warefare weapons. But could such a thing escape a locked down laboratory? Maybe if it moved as quick as this thing but he still doubted. No, nature has created terrible things too. Like Ebola for instance.

Hudson looks up at the news report to see a camera man being pushed away very roughly by a military sergeant. The camera man had been trying to film scientists in large radioactive suits as they investigated several corpses in the dark of the night. "Get this guy out of here"! The sergeant yelled and the camera man was immediately hauled off by two privates. The news anchor said that video had been taken at 7PM, a little over two hours ago.

Hudson's shift passes without event, unless you call Bob tossing and turning so often an event, and he must wake Lily for the second shift.

[spoiler]Lily, same thing Hudson did please once he has woken you for the shift. It's now quite late at night.[/spoiler]

[shallowesoul]

realizing that his shift was up Hudson walks up to Lily and taps he shoulder and whispers to her "three hours is up... your watch now." he then helps her stand and walks to the other side of the bar. Hudson makes a little pillow out of his jacket and lays down to sleep.

[maggieloo72]

"Thanks," she says in a groggy voice.
Lily stretches her neck, arms and legs as she gets up from the unforgiving floor, surprised that she had slept at all with everything on her mind. While Hudson positions himself to sleep, Lily listens to the news channel in hopes of learning something more about the "outbreak." She paces the outskirts of the room and leans in a bit to hear Chuck's walkie talkie. Still not uncertain of Bob and his wound, Lily watches closely the way he sleeps. When she comes to the window, she cups her hands around her face to get a better look in the dark. Finally, she sits in front of the doors and waits.

[spoiler]Listen check: 1d20+10=25
Spot check: 1d20+8=27
Knowledge, behavioral science: 1d20+2=14[/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

As Lily wipes the sleep from her eyes and tries to focus on the blurry image of the TV screen, the only light around in the pitch black of the bar, she hears that as of now-12 AM-the military has declared a state wide closure of Colorado. The latest reports are saying there is some type of hysteria that has swept over the people and is causing them to panic and riot. Someone off screen yells bull shit and people begin yelling, there is obviously some sort of fight going on off screen and the anchor man is visibly nervous. He shrugs and says, "Who can say what men in chem suits are investigating"?

"That's it, your off the fucking camera, get the fuck out of here", someone yells off screen and the anchor man stands up shooting whoever it is a bird. "Yeah well fuck you Greg, I never fucking liked you anyways fuck ass", he steps from behind the desk and begins walking away, "And quit feeding these people bull shit"!

The News Channel suddenly goes to a blank screen with white words saying Technical Difficulties: Will Return Shortly.

Hudson shakes his head in pure disbelief as he lays down on his jacket. He falls asleep shortly after his head hits the make shift pillow. Lily just stares at the TV for a little then turns away, at least there is enough light still to see but not alert.

As Lily approaches the window she immediately hears the sounds of many low moans outside the door way. She realizes the only reason she can notice is the night is as silent as it is dark. Not even the constant sound of the siren is making noise anymore. Only the sound of low moans fill the night, being carried on the wind. As she peeks out the window she sees nothing...then she realizes it is because there are so many objects...standing in the way. Everywhere. Shapes cover the windows from even the street lights.

She closes the window flap and stumbles backwards, almost knocking over a chair. She lands on her rear but picks her self up quickly. Holy shit they are everywhere outside. At least they didn't seem to detect her. Or did they? How smart are the fuckers?

She turns to look at Bob, thinking of his wound and before she can even come to any conclusion on his behavior over the day he suddenly begins shaking violently under his blanket.

Then he starts screaming at the top of his lungs.

And the front door immediately begins shaking on it's hinges as something heavy slams into it from behind.

[spoiler]All players are waking now because of Bob's screaming. I need your immediate actions and an initiative check to follow.[/spoiler]

[maggieloo72]

Lily screams, "GET UP! They're everywhere! Restrain Bob or something--I think he's becoming like them!" She quickly grabs her gun and clicks the safety off. "Bob, if you can answer, is there another way out?! Do you have a car?!"
Hopefully the doors will hold a little longer. Please, let us get through this, she thinks. Thankful, yet wary, of the tables and chairs in front of the doorway, Lily points her gun toward the doors, prepared to fire a headshot to anything harmful that comes through.

[spoiler]Initiative: 1d20+7=15
**action readied.[/spoiler]

[Gnomeo]

Chuck's eyes open immediately to alertness at the noise.  Years of emergency response have trained his body to wake quickly.  Hearing Lily calling for help to restrain Bob over the din of Bob's screaming, Chuck reaches over to hold him down.

Actions
[spoiler]Initiative (1d20=11)
Touch attack on Bob to initiate Grapple (provokes an attack of opportunity): Touch AC (1d20+7=12) (-4 prone penalty to attack offsets Bob's -4 AC for being prone)
Grapple Check (1d20+7=19)[/spoiler]

Status
[spoiler]HP: 22
Prone
AC (unarmored): 9 vs. melee, 17 vs. ranged[/spoiler]

[shallowesoul]

Hudson quickly wakes to the screaming of bob and runs over to grab the gun from beside him. he then try's to help Chuck hold Bob down and restrain him. after helping Chuck restrain Bob, Hudson also sets aim at the window for anything harmful that comes through.

[spoiler] initiative-1d20+4=24
grapple check-1d20+3=5[/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

Lily's screams add to the frantic nature that permeates the air as the others wake to Bob's cries and the front doors shaking so heavily that chairs were falling off the tables they used to fortify the door.

Lily points her gun at the front door, waiting for the first sign of movement through them. Bob does not answer her questions.

Chuck leaps upon Bob and pins him to the floor with his powerful arms. Hudson joins him, using one hand to try and help while pointing the gun at the doors but Chuck takes most of Bob's thrashing weight. Bob pitches and shakes under him then suddenly stops.

Stops dead. Chuck leans in close to see if he is breathing and Bob's eyes fly open. They are red. "He's turned"! Chuck yells as Bob struggles to try and bite Chuck.

Hudson curses loudly as he looks to the front doors. The tables push away and several bloody, torn arms reach through the dark groping for anything they can grab. Suddenly the doors fly open and the infected begin rushing in.

[spoiler]Lily you get to go first since you have an automated action, it will of course put you at the end of the initiative.

Hudson this is your new found gun. Colt M1911 (.45 autoloader). Damage: 2d6   Crit: 20 Range 30 ft. Semiauto 7 box Small   3 lb.

Here is the initiative order after Lily's readied action.

Hudson
Chuck
Infected
Lily

The blackness outside signifies you can't see jack shit past the front door. I guess I'll fill you in on something else, the smells of the cooking lured more infected there. Remember, you only know that out of character  

Good luck guys. [/spoiler]

[maggieloo72]

As soon as the first infected one enters, Lily's finger pulls the trigger with hardly a second's thought to the reflex.
[spoiler]To hit: 1d20+5=10+1 point blank= 11
Damage: 2d6+4=7
Urg. [/spoiler]
After firing her shot, she quickly side/back-steps behind the bar for cover and aims her gun back toward the danger. She shouts to Hudson and Chuck en route, "If he's turned, we can't take any chances. Put him down, if you must." The fear and anxiety of the situation are suddenly quenched by the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Survival takes priority. They had to get out of here somehow...
[spoiler]HP: 16
AC (light vest included): 19. Once behind bar (J-13), add 2->21. [/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

As the doors burst open, tables and chairs flying in all directions Lily quickly squeezes off a shot to the lead infected human. The sound of a gun shot after the silence all night is nearly deafening in the small bar as the sound echoes loudly in everyone's ears. The bullet slams into the door frame above the infected's head and splinters it into a million pieces. But the infected doesn't even seem to take any notice. The monsters screech an ear wrenching sound as they clamber over the tables and chairs to get to the party.

Lily dives behind the bar for cover and as she looks over it-even in the midst of the pandemonium-her sharp eye for details catch something. The infected humans are beginning to look different...they are mutating into something else. Something with sharper teeth and claws on their hands. And if the virus can mutate too, then perhaps no one will be immune. A terrifying thought. What else will come from this?




[spoiler]Map updated to show Lily's new position. Lily is now at the bottom of the init. list. It is now Hudson's turn. Hudson you are currently crouched down to help pin Bob. Standing from a crouch is a move action, just to remind you. And yes, Bob is still snapping at anything and everything. Poor Bob, turned after all.[/spoiler]

[shallowesoul]

as the infected start climbing over the barricades Hudson quickly turns to shoot (G-8). Hudson then says "Chuck as much as i was hoping this wouldn't happen were going to have to kill Bob. try to make it as quick as possible, cause we have other thing we need to focus on."

[spoiler]HP-21
AC(with leather jacket):20
range check-1d20+6=18+1(pointblank shot)=19
damage(if hit):2d6+4=11[/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

From the kneeling position Hudson fires off a round at the closest infected. His aim is precise and the monster stumbles backward and almost looks as if he is about to fall, but does not. There is a large hole blown through the infected's chest, yet he continues to slump weakly towards the party.

"My God", Hudson says, never having seen someone take a shot like that and keep trucking.

Chuck continues to hold Bob down, probably wondering how the hell Hudson expects him to kill him with his bare hands.

[spoiler]Chuck your up.[/spoiler]

[Gnomeo]

Chuck's eyes narrow.  "Does this look easy?  It's all I can do to hold him still.  Either shoot him or I'm letting him go."

[spoiler]Actions
Full-Round Action: Using Extreme Effort (Strong Talent) to boost his grapple check by +2 and pin Bob
Pin Bob (1d20+9=16)

Status
HP: 22
Prone
AC (unarmored): 9 vs. melee, 17 vs. ranged

Notes
Upon further review of the grapple rules, the initial grapple check should have dealt unarmed damage to Bob.
Unarmed Damage (Nonlethal) (1d3+4=5)
[/spoiler]

[ragincajun2288]

Infected Bob rears up to snap at Chuck's neck... and misses as Chuck slams Bob back down into the hard wood floor. Only he is sure it doesn't even effect the man as he continues to wrangle in his arms as if nothing had happened.

The Infected scramble over the chairs and table and began surging forwards. As they do you can see other infected entering the front door to follow.

One infected human jumps onto the bar and attempts to jump onto Lily...But Lily side steps and the infected falls to the side of her, stumbling into the bottles behind the bar and causing them to fall and shatter as the monster manages to slip on some of the liquor bottles that don't break. But it stays on it's feet much to Lily's dismay.

The other two infected run towards Hudson, the way they move and weave towards him directly...he senses a familiar tactic. These creatures are primal but work like a wolf pack.

The two infected begin swinging claws widely to rip Hudson into pieces.

Hudson swings his gun hand and deflects one claw easily and backs his head up in time to avoid another swing. "Ha"! He yells triumphantly.

[spoiler]Okay you fucks, I don't want to hear any bitching about bad rolls you hear me! NONE!

Map updated. Hudson your back up, cause Lily's now at the bottom. Okay you guys, this isn't over I'll get you yet  
[/spoiler]

[shallowesoul]

after nearly getting hit Hudson tumbles back a few feet in order to regain balance. Hudson then shoots the same infected as before.

[spoiler]range check-1d20+6=12+1(pointblank shot)=13
attack damage(if hit): 2d6+4=12
tumble check: 1d20+10=19[/spoiler]

after shooting Hudson says "Chuck get the cleaver off the table."

[ragincajun2288]

Hudson doesn't know if he can fend the claws off a second time and so decides to try something different. Very deftly he somersaults to the let, past Chuck and the other infected.

Both infected swing at him but misjudge their attacks and miss.

Hudson rolls up to a crouching position and spins to fire at the infected he wounded earlier. He strikes again, only this time the entire infected's head explodes into a colorful animation of gore. The shot echoes in the bar once more, hurting everyone's ears.

As Hudson roars more orders to Chuck the man must still wondering how he is supposed to do anything while holding Bob down. The other infected are closer to moving in as well.

[spoiler]Map updated. Very nice tumble Hudson. Chuck your up...umm good luck. We're pretty loose here, if you want to try something you can't find in the rules just let me know and we'll work something out perhaps. You guys have had good luck so far, hopefully it'll continue if you decide to keep fighting.[/spoiler]

[Gnomeo]

"Because fighting these things up close sounds like a good idea to you?  If you had shot..."  Chuck thumps Bob's head against the floor.  "...this one, this would have been a lot easier."

Having given up on wrestling with the thing that used to be Bob, Chuck reaches over to the chair next to him, on which he placed the cleaver and turnout gear before laying down.  He grabs the cleaver and slashes at Not-Bob, putting all the force he can behind the attack.

[spoiler]Actions
Release Bob from grapple. (free)
Pick up the cleaver. (move)
Activate Power Attack for full Base Attack Bonus (+3) (free)
Attack Not-Bob (1d20+4=11) (penalty to hit offsets Not-Bob's penalty to AC for being Prone)
If it hits: Damage Not-Bob (1d6+7=12)

Status
HP 22
Prone
AC 9 vs. melee, 13 vs. ranged[/spoiler]