Detroit Suck City: Episode 9

The crew scrambles to find positions in the train and load their unconscious people from they rescued from the lab and started to head down the tracks as the facility exploded behind them. Sometime up the road they entered until switching yard and slowed their pace to try to make the best directional decisions possible. During this time, the only one of the three to be semi conscious gained full consciousness and stated to explain how he was taken from his settlement towards the east from a hunting expedition and was in line to be experimented on. This person introduces himself as Kamanji and is willing to accompany the crew on their mission to investigate the red light and bring an end to the cult of the Star People. The crew scrounges up some gear and clothes for Kamanji as Kamanji confirms what the crew has already suspected - that star people are not born, they are made. Kamanji said he could take over the horrible driving as he knew how the controls worked and the crew let him. 

 

The train finally exits the switches of the yard and ends up heading in the direction of the glowing light. Even though they were away from the yard, the sides of the railroad tracks are still littered with rail cars of all shapes, sizes, and conditions. As the crew traveled further they decided it would be a good idea to find somewhere to lay low for awhile, lick their wounds, and figure out exactly where the Rail City is. It was agreed that it would be a good place to pick up some intelligence and resupply. During this conversation Parrot notices a person riding a very large cat with six legs barring down on the train and keeping pace with it. Parrot announces this to the crew and Auron looks over and spots this bounding giant cat easily. As Auron opens his mail to hail the rider that same rider fires off a bolt of energy from a strange glowing rod that misses Auron by a few inches. 

 

Auron then spins around in the turret and fires the laser cannon which makes contact with the mount but it did not slow the mount down. Kamanji then starts to slow the train down as he realizes combat with a moving train could be dangerous. Wilhelm opens up with the .50 cal and Parrot fires a off a mental blast but regardless of their successes, these attacks still do not appear to be slow the mount down. The rider fires another energy bolt at Auron which hits as Lladmar notices some shapes moving along the rail cars that are scattered on the sides of the tracks. Before he could even issue a warning multiple humanoids with tails and other cat like features leap on the rail and Velotank. 

The crew not involved in melee with the cat people take aim at the mount of the Cat Lord with varying degrees of success. As Auron is about to blast of some of the cat people from the Velotank he catches the mount with the Cat Lord make a great leap which was headed right for the Rail Tank. Auron was able to spin the turret around and blow off one of the mounts six legs before it collides into the turret. As Auron struggles to try to free himself from the mounts jaws, Auron meets his end as the Cat Lord beings down what Auron now sees as a sword made of light onto his head. 

Before the Cat Lord can regain its bearings, Wilhelm opens up with the .50 cal again but misses but Parrot moves down the Velotank and fires a sonic blast at everyone within range. After the near miss with the .50 call and the sonic blast, the mount of the Cat Lord is able to untangle itself from the turret and Auron's body just in time to see the last of its cat people fall. The Cat Lord then decides to make a run for it and leaps from the train. During this leap Parrot's mind blast is rattles both the mount and it's rider as Lladmar's mental blast goes wide. Just as the Cat Lord and its mount is about to touch the ground Wilhelm opens fire with the .50 and the mount explodes in the hail of bullets which sends the Cat Lord tumbling to the ground. The crew jumps at this chance and makes quick work of the stunned and dazed Cat Lord. 

After the danger dies down crew divides up the gear of their enemies, dumps their bodies unceremoniously off of the train, and gives Auron a quick shallow grave. The remaining crew then decides to head backward to take one of the less used tracks in the hope to find a place to hunker down to rest and find out where Rail City is located. 

Just another day in Detroit Suck City...

___________________________________________________________________________________

PLAYER THOUGHTS: These last 9 episodes we have been  moving forward and tackling at break neck speed. It has been a lot of fun but it is just our luck when the characters finally decide it is time for some rest and to find Rail City (the few deaths and a lot of injuries probably helped) they get ambushed! I was hoping Auron would have a chance to hail the Cat Lord and maybe parley with it but it decided to fire first so, initiative was rolled and chaos ensued. As for Auron's death, he went out after an amazing critical - it was a good death. Speaking of crits, the other players rolled a three others for a total four crits in one combat! Looking back over my character sheet I realized that I was not adding some bonuses to my AC the entire campaign (which would have helped me survive a lot longer I am sure) but I am also really excited about my next character so it is all good. I am looking forward to getting to Rail Town.