Session 52: Enemies Abound
General Summary
The Session began with the rangers and the Liberators being flown back to the Commonwealth. In the lead vertibird, Akira spoke with the players. He told them that Vincent was in charge of the southern rangers before the war, and it's said he fought admirably when the war broke out. Akira figured Vincent was turned a few years ago when he and his men were allegedly captured by cannibals, and he was the only survivor. Akira proposed that in truth, he was captured by The Red Tide, and he had been using his post as commander of the southern frontier to obscure their presence ever since. The players returned to Vantage, where Jenkins greeted them. It became clear, based on the reactions of the vertibird pilot and the staff coming to greet them, that the Liberators stank to high hell after a week in the desert with nonstop combat. Jenkins splashed Kutter with water and ordered him to take a bath. He, Kenny, and Cecile did so, turning the pool into a massive bubble bath.
Meanwhile, in the med bay, Jason slowly came to. He awoke to see Blair asleep at his side. He struggled to speak, feeling massive pain in his chest and neck. He managed a raspy gasp, which woke Blair. Blair asked if he remembered any details about the battle. The last thing he remembered was fixing the autocannon in the trunk. Blair told him they mounted it, but the first shot he fired massively backfired and put him and Ellie out of the fight. Jason said he must've made a mistake. Blair said she's worried about how many times they'll end up like this or worse. She showed him the X-ray, a piece of shrapnel in his neck, woven in between his esophagus, carotid artery, and spine. A half inch in any direction and he'd be dead or paralyzed. She asked him to rest as long as he could, and he went back to sleep.
Kenny returned to his room to find a figure in a chair in the corner. He turned on a lamp, revealing himself to be Harry. He asked Kenny for the tome to complete their master's plan, but Kenny refused, trying to talk Harry out of his dark path. Harry was deadset, insisting that Kenny was spitting on their master's grave by refusing to complete the ritual he died for. Kenny refused to help him, but Harry relented, telling him if he needed the tome, then he'd return for it. He returned to the chair and turned off the lamp, disappearing into the shadow.
The next morning, Kutter went downstairs and saw Grug making a huge skillet of eggs. Kutter grabbed it and poured the entire dozen down his gullet. Jenkins gathered all the directors for a meeting, allied commanders were there to see them. All reported in, even Jason, who was wheeled up from the medbay. Jimbob also returned from the Fringe Division at long last, using his new magical abilities to make a suitably clumsy entrance. He returned in pursuit of Harry after he escaped his clutches but arrived too late.
Inside, ADA, Alexander, and Tony were waiting, but when the meeting was called to order, Jenkins spoke first. He relayed Gramps's report from the southern front. It was getting worse day by day; every platoon they wiped out was replaced with stronger and more troops. Eight men had died already, and Gramps predicted the state of Hollis would be overrun in two months maximum. Kutter was ready to back them up right then now that the western front was secured.
ADA confirmed this report by telling the players that when she heard of The Sigilites death, she had hoped The Red Tide would be thrown into disarray, which they were for roughly six hours before recoordinating. She had thought The Sigilite and the heralds were the masterminds behind the red tide, but they seemed to be doing just fine without their leader. But she tempered Kutter's eagerness with new orders from the General, they had some cleaning up to do at home.
Tony then informed the players that just as it was getting worse down south, the Commonwealth wasn't doing much better. Supply lines were being raided, espionage acts were becoming more common, and The Crimson Hand was making a big comeback.
Alexander said that, based on their reports, they should be worried about spies too. The rangers were a tight-knit bunch. If the red tide could turn one of them, then the Liberators, with all their ex-red tide recruits, wouldn't even be a challenge. On that note, ADA then cleared the room of all nonessential personnel.
ADA informed them that their mission was to help facilitate a secret minutemen weapons project by any means necessary. They had to clear these disturbances at all costs as the project could decide the war. However, she told them their troops would be reinforced. The penal force Kutter had requested was approved, and a new platoon-sized force was at the ready.
The players still had worries about traitors in their organization, compounded by Tony's reports of spies at home, so they began with their prime suspect. All the personnel returned, and Ellie was brought to the stand and tried before her peers. Jimbob asked permission to probe her mind, but she refused, so they began conventional questioning.
They asked why she had not informed them of the autocannon, and she said it was her prerogative as commander of the mechanized forces to outfit the vehicles. Blair threw more of her observations Ellie's way. She had conveniently forgotten about the smuggling route until the super mutants had already escaped. She pulled all the cavalry away allowing Gork to swoop in and grab Mork, then nearly gotten them all killed with her speech at the river bed, they only survived thanks to Gork and Morks betrayal. However Alexander presented even more damning evidence, traces nitroglycerin had been found inside the shell casing, it was definitively sabotage. They asked Ellie who had access to the ammunition. She said she had pursued the proper channels, requesting it through Barry, who had ordered it from their supplier in Starlight. Additionally, Alexander would have access as he approved the expenditure. But in truth, anyone on the convoy could have tampered with it en route.
Cecile probed her mind, but she noticed and sent a massive wave of psychic backlash in retaliation, to Jimbob's amusement. Jimbob preached the benefit of the doubt, they should wait for the mole to make their next move. Throwing around unprovable accusations will do nothing but tear the Liberators apart. But the chaos continued. RM stood up, stating she'd been with the team longer than anyone and Ellie was her sister. RM vouching for her should be enough in her mind. Blair retorted that RM was a spy for half that time.
Jimbob used a spell to amplify his voice, grabbing the attention of the entire room. He declared this trial was useless and they did not have sufficient evidence to convict Ellie, so she would be freed and reinstated. Once more, Alexander clears the room and makes a suggestion to the players. He says they should keep their enemies close and bring him along too; he'll watch their back, and when the mole makes a move, they'll catch them. The players agreed.
The players were ready to set off, but they decided to extract what information they could from The Sigilite and Hercules, using RM's speak with dead ability. They exited the war room, and the two guards at the door asked Kenny to train with them. Before they finish, Kenny slams their heads together, knocking them out cold, before picking them up and dusting them off. They thanked him, and then the players proceeded.
Down in the lab, Benjamin was listening to Elton John and working when the player came in. He wheeled his way across the room and told them that Hercules was actually still alive; he detected faint brain activity and now as on life support. Kutter expressed interest in the phoenix device apparently keeping him alive for so long after being decapitated, but Benjamin said disassembling it would likely kill him. Jimbob used his mind-reading abilities to observe Hercules's mind in the coma.
He succeeded, seeing Hercules's life in bits and pieces: Him growing up in Nebraska with an abusive veteran father, joining the military to escape, excelling in the war in China, then being critically wounded and sent to the FEV vats. Miraculously, Hercules turned out better than before, regrowing his limbs and maintaining his intelligence. After the war, he broke out of the facility with other vets-turned-super-mutants and formed 1st Vanguard, becoming an elite mercenary. They never stood for heroism, peace, or justice, but in the beginning, they stood for honor and glory. However, over the years, the endless bloodshed and prolonged life wore down on Hercules, and he embraced war to the fullest extent, caring not from where the blood flowed. Eventually, 1st Vanguard was hired by The Red Tide, but Hercules, in particular, excelled to the degree that he was inducted into the organization itself.
Eventually, with Cecile's help, he penetrated deeper into recent events. Hercules received so many honors that he was brought far out into the ocean to the Red Tides' apparent flagship, a massive pre-war aircraft carrier. Aboard, he met a mysterious massive figure clad in dark metal armor with a plume. However, something blocked Jimbob from seeing his face or hearing his words; some sort of mental block had been set up in his Hercules's mind. What Jimbob could see was a piercing purple eye shining out of the darkness, instantly reminding him of The Sigilite's occasionally purple eyes.
Jimbob had magically relayed this to the other players. Kutter was still convinced the Red Tide had gotten into his head.
RM then worked her magic (not literal this time) on The Sigilites head and brought it to life they could ask five questions before his brain would be burnt out. Ellie charmed him to make him cooperative, and Jimbob empowered her. The players first asked what the name of the spies in their organization was, but he did not know. They then asked about the strategic objectives of The Red Tide, but he did not know. Kutter got suspicious, touching the cloak to the severe head, believing it somehow possessed the soul of the Sigilite. They asked what his goals were. He said that once he sought to cure his friends who turned into feral ghouls, but his beloved Rachel died and left him a note telling him there was no cure. After that, he wandered the wasteland meaninglessly. Jason correctly deduces that the head they had was not the Sigilites, some other guy who the Sigilite possessed, or puppeted. Jason asks what his last memory is, the man describes being captured by a ramshackle band of super mutants led by a big one with a purple eye. They asked for any identifying signatures of the gang who captured him. He remarked on the Red Axe emblem on their armor and the matching axe wielded by the big one. With that, the false life finally drained from him, and the players were left to process this information about the Sigilites' true nature. The players had heard of Oswald the Outragous and wanted to see if General Miller could ID him.
With that, the players wanted to go through a few more suspects for the mole. They brought in Jeremy. Jimbob said he knew it was not fair, but he wanted to probe his mind. Jeremy was resistant, not wanting to share details about his time with the Crimson Hand, but with some convincing, he agreed. The players began interrogating him while Jimbob read his mind. They asked if he knew who had tampered with the ammo. The usual suspects flashed through his mind, but he said no. Then, Cecile asked what had happened during the ambush with the rangers. He said Vincent went ahead and then came back with the Red Tide forces. In his mind, Jimbob saw that Jeremy was nervous but reassured the other rangers out of respect for Vincent or trying to cover his tracks. Cecile asked about his trust of Vinvent. Jeremy thought of all the stories he'd heard of him from rangers in his time as an army marksman. Jeremy said he can't speak to Vincent's character, as he hasn't met him much. What also flashed through his mind is that though Vincent is a legend but he's pessimistic and self-centered. Jimbob asked about any rangers loyal to Vincent, but Jeremy didn't know, and Akira would've already been all over that. Cecile, as much as he wanted to break Jeremy's shins, told him to keep up the good work. Jeremy told him to go fuck himself, saying Sharos would have his back. He warned them that the boss of the Crimson Hand, the Duchess, had a silver tongue like Cecile and Ellie.
They brought in Gug to interrogate. Kenny asked how the Vim business was going, and Gug happily reported they'd sold it all off. Half went into the upgrades of the 3rd Founding, half was taken by Gerrek. Jimbob said he's going to probe his mind, but anything he did under Red Tide's command was not admissible; they're only looking to see if he's a traitor. They asked him if he'd sent any communication to any Red Tide affiliates. Gug said no one outside of The Liberators, and his thoughts confirmed this. Cecile asked him if he steals his sandwiches. Gug said he does every night and raved about the quality of his cream cheese. Cecile asked him if he touched the ammunition. Gug said no, but he admits to stealing ammo from his comrades when he needed it, which his memories confirmed. Cecile demanded he stay out of his fridge; Gug said no.
They went to leave the lab, and Benjamin pulled Jason aside. He asked Jason to stay and help with some research. Jason noticed Blair watching from the corner and noticed Benjamin seemed kinda stiff. Jason figured that Blair put Benjamin up to this to try and keep him safe. He politely declined, saying the mission ahead was too important.
Kenny pulled Benjamin aside and asked him to build him a grappling hook for his robot arm. He tounged two mentats and immediately got to work, saying it would take two days to complete.
The team proceeded as ordered, walking through the thick snow coating Boston. At the end of the convoy, Blair and Jason walked. Jason asked if she had a reason for pulling that stunt. She says even with his armor, he's almost died so many times. She says he can't blame her for worrying. He says he understands and appreciates it. She said she's not saying he doesn't know what he's doing out here, but he's not a supermutant anymore, he doesn't have ninja powers, and he's not a great shot either. She said he might be more help back in the lab than out here. Jason says perhaps, and it's hard to accept not being a super mutant anymore. She says he's not weaker; he's as smart as he ever was, and he just needs to find his place. Jason said he's trying. She apologizes for putting Benjamin up to this saying it was shitty. Jason spots tears welling up, and Blair says she doesn't want to end up burying him. He wipes the tears from her eyes, and he says, "As long as we stick together, we won't have to." She leans into his hand, and they kiss.
They arrived in Diamond City and entered Tony's office, happy for the warmth. He informed them the Duchess had been outed to the public, so The Crimson Hands' growth had been stunted. Tony said he's glad to work with them again, but he can't go in. The Crimson Hand would recognize him and know their cover is blown, but the players are welcome wherever they go as heroes of Diamond City. They needed to infiltrate a nightclub and gather evidence of illegal activity. The players agreed, and before they went in, they all took a pregame shot of Jimbob's moonshine and miraculously transformed into their ideal selves in that moment.
Kenny got back his original arm, Jimbob turned back to his human self sporting a classy suit, Jason simply gained a dapper outfit, as did Cecile, Ellie got a dress and a fancy hair style, Gug became himself but human so an 8ft. tall hunk of muscle. Blair went up a cup size and got an inch off her waist. Seeing the effects, they invited Tony to take a swig so he could join, and he completely transformed, gaining a disguise.
They entered, Jason and Blair got onto the floor, and Jason saw Todd DJing and came up to him, asking him why he DJ's at a Red Tide place. Todd was confused, and then Jason got suspicious and pretended to be drunk. Todd thought he was having PTSD from the front and yelled, reassuring him there's no Red Tide there and he's safe. Meanwhile, Jimbob scouted the establishment with his spiders, immediately finding drugs in the back room. Kenny went and bought a drink, grabbing David then pretending to eavesdrop.
Kenny saw something weird in the corner and narrowly dodged as the Old Man jumped out to grab him. The monster fully emerged and ripped out two people's spines. The music died, and the crowd panicked. Todd yelled and asked what was going on. Jimbob and Jason yelled at him to get out, but Kenny told him to drop a beat, and he did the latter. The heroes jumped into combat and their companions went to evacuate the crowd. Kenny noticed the old man is noticeably disoriented by the loud lights and music. Jason threw a firebolt at him, then the Old Man phased through the wall across the room and nearly snatched Blair, but Jimbob protected her with a temporal shunt. The Old Man instead destroyed the wires for the lights, casting all of them into darkness. Kenny retaliated with a Molotov cocktail.
Report Date
03 Mar 2025
Primary Location
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