FTS: Bear Down, Session One

As noted in the preceding post, I'm exceptionally fond of Mellonbread's Fallout: Two Sun module, which is probably why I'm running it for a fifth time. The two games have different sets of players and are already playing out quite differently, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing how they approach these things.

People don't realize how much life is out here.

As always, we begin with a group of ragtag exiles -

• Ayrie Fisher, gruff and violent, former Vault technician, charged with murdering her husband, a member of Vault Security who treated her the same way most cops treat their spouses. Looking forward to the opportunity to meet people who aren't white-fences, subterranean Americana.
• Dr. Valencia Romero, charming and prodigal, a former Vault doctor, charged with medical malpractice after failing to save a VaultSec sergeant with half a head. Taking her exile with something less than absolute grace for likely obvious reasons.
• Tancy Valdez, weird and waifish, formerly a junior member of Vault Security, exiled after stealing an armful of Fancy Lads from the commissary, eating more than a few, before promptly publicly confessing. It might have had something to do with her adoptive mother being exiled a month or two before.

There is a distinctly awkward silence in the vestibule of the Vault, as is often the case - those being faced with the prospect of banishment from the only home they've ever known are rarely terribly chipper, though the tear-stained faces are largely absent this time around. While Dr. Romero hyperventilates, Tancy is quite excited to see what the surface is like, and Ayrie muses about what kind of gang she might be able to join up there, clearly liking the idea of continuing her rebellion against the rather strict norms of the Vault. Dr. Romero and her squabble for a bit longer, the good doctor evidently less than pleased to be exiled over Ayrie's murder, but the line of discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Old Dan Watanabe, the Vault's most experienced scout, whose come to provide some advice before they go.

The group is quite thankful, but doesn't have many questions for the old man as he loads up their pip-boys with what little mapping data he has from his own expeditions up there. The mildly buzzed man explains that the city up above was being conquered by some group called the Legion the last time he was there, about six months before, cautioning that they tend to crucify people over ownership of chems, and that scavenging without a permit is liable to get your legs broken by their soldiers. Dr. Romero is, of course, scandalized by the thought of crucifixion, to which Dan notes they're also rather prone to slavery. The exiles are quite surprised to learn that there's a permitting authority aboveground, having expected it to be little more than barren wasteland filled with savages, but Dan simply shrugs and explains that the Legion seems to plan on being here to stay.

Any further conversation is promptly cut short by the arrival of Overseer Abelardo Barnabas, the stout, sturdy, and endlessly petty Overseer of Vault 24. He is flanked by two armored members of Vault Security, both of whom seem distinctly rather awkward to be exiling one of their own, even if she is the runt of the pack - Tancy, for her part, just greets them happily, eager to go out into the Great Beyond to find her destiny and adoptive mother, Sgt. Angela Hills, another member of Vault Security who had been exiled after [crime]. The others get no such consideration, Barnabas quickly reading off their charges, explaining that they'll need to find something valuable enough to justify their readmission, and wishing them good luck as the door opens.

Half-jokingly, Ayrie offers to off Dr. Romero if they're willing to give her a bit more equipment, an offer which mostly just serves to make the guards uncomfortable and Dr. Romero even more nervous than she already is.

And then they're off!

It's a cool place!

 

Arriving on the surface, they bicker some more about the particulars of their exile, their plans going forward, and the wonderful world spreading out before them; Dr. Romero is concerned about the dangers of the wasteland, Ayrie is looking forward to meeting people, and Tancy is surprised by just how much bigger the world outside is compared to the Vault. They manage to decipher an encrypted distress signal from the north, learning that Vault 25 is apparently in need of technical assistance, deciding that providing aid to their sister-dwellers should be their first priority up here in this new world. To that end, they opt to set off down the I-10, making their way towards the city proper in the hopes of taking the most direct path up to the other Vault.

They travel down the main road without too much event, soon spotting a sizable power planet in the distance - with a little bit of discussion, they decide that they've probably already been spotted before making their way towards it to greet whoever is there. The soldiers at the gate were less than friendly at first, but their attitude quickly changed when Tancy greeted them in Latin (I did not know the player spoke it!), and they had a short but mostly pleasant conversation where they explained that this is the solar plant that provides power for much of the city. The exiles are surprised that the city has power, to which the senior legionary explains that the plant is tended to by a group he calls the 'Whitecoats,' noting that they are scholars of some prodigious skill, even if they're less than cooperative at the best of times.

Intrigued by the opportunity to speak with these learned men and women, the exiles manage to talk their way inside, but not before noting that the majority of the workers on the field seem to be some manner of slaves, guarded by legionaries but managed by those scholars in white coats. Inside, they are greeted by Dr. Yvette Dobel, who introduces herself as a member of the Followers of the Apocalypse, a humanitarian group from out west - the group hits it off with her pretty easily, and she provides them with some practical, common sense advice for survival on the surface.

The slaves outside are drawn from smarter wastelanders captured by the Legion - when questioned on the particulars of this, she wryly shows them the slave brand on her wrist, explaining with no small amount of bitterness that while she used to be the head of the operation here, the Legion's arrival meant that the whole of the Followers expedition is now formally owned by Barry Wurst, formerly their head engineer, as he was the highest ranking man among them. Ayrie quietly offers to see about killing the guards to facilitate some kind of escape, but Dr. Dobel is somewhat pessimistic about the feasibility of that, both in terms of her chances and the lack of anywhere to go.

Dr. Romero provides some much-needed medical assistance in the infirmary, treating slaves suffering from beatings and heat exhaustion, while the others question Dobel further about the wasteland and explore the plant. They see Wurst flinging himself between a slave and the Legionary about to beat them, raising their estimation of the man somewhat, before settling in for the night, Dr. Romero's volunteer work having assured them a simple dinner and beds to sleep in. In the morning, Dr. Dobel wishes them luck, advising them to seek out the Followers Clinic in the city proper if they ever need medical treatment - if they mention her name, they can probably swing a discount.

When they leave, Ayrie and Dr. Romero decide that they'd like to help the Followers more in the future, but they're not sure how they'd go about doing that quite yet.

Those who help others.

They continue traveling, passing by the old aviation boneyard; Ayrie splits off to scavenge for a bit while the others stay on the road, complaining about her wandering off. She meanders through the old wrecks for a time before eventually realizing that they are increasingly riddled with bullet holes the closer she gets to the main facility, and wisely decides to turn back before testing her luck any further. Tancy scolds her for attempting to scavenge without a permit, but Ayrie evidently doesn't take that too seriously. They continue traveling on, reaching the main city without too much delay.

Lounging comfortably on the road is a middle-aged man in fine clothes; he greets the travelers in a friendly manner, and, assuming that it is simply the language of these lands, Tancy greets him in Latin by way of reply. It's about this time that the others realize they are surrounded, suspecting this is some kind of trap, but Tancy's conversation with the fellow continues quite pleasantly. He inquires about their reason for visiting the city, probing carefully for a few more details before providing them with some useful instructions as to the location of key offices and the laws of the city.

The group affirms that they can manage 'no killing, no stealing, no raping,' as well as the various proscriptions on drugs and alcohol, and he ultimately waves them through without any further problems. Before they leave, Tancy asks his name - he introduces himself as Caeso, and wishes them safe travels, tipping his hat as they leave.

The city itself is much more impressive than they expected - the streets are choked with legionaries, freemen, and slaves alike, though they typically stay off of the pavement, which almost visibly radiates heat at this time in the day. Still, they have a goal in mind, and while Tancy wants to stop by the permitting office to secure a proper scavenging license, they ultimately make fairly quick time through the city proper, remaining focused on the Vault up north. They hear the blast of a horn, marching feet, and marching songs, as a sizable column of troops passes by - they are unlike the young recruits seen, seasoned and well armed, and Tancy wonders if they're Evocati or Triarii.

Chatting with a nearby legionary, who indulges their curiosity somewhat musingly, they learn that the unit is from Flagstaff proper, the capital of the fledgling empire, and is apparently under the personal command of one of Caesar's tribunes, a senior administrative official. He doesn't know why they're here, and the group ultimately opts to move on without further information, deciding that it isn't important right now.

They pass through the city proper, as well as the farms and agricultural estates to the north, ignoring the temple complexes and focusing on reaching Pima Canyon, the source of the distress signal. They find that the canyon is surprisingly verdant, the water flowing down from it reading as fairly pure on their pip-boys, but they're not left wondering for long - a polite but firm voice orders them to stop, as they realize that they've been surrounded. They opt to oblige, realizing that they're outnumbered and outgunned, and are surprised to see a variety of hooded men in Vault Suits emblazoned proudly with the number 25.

They quickly identify themselves as Vault Dwellers, answering a few pointed questions to verify the truth of their claims, before things get a lot less tense as the local security lowers their weapons and apologizes profusely for all of the fuss. Their leader, a pleasant but professional man by the name of Marcel, explains that they very much value their secrecy up here in Pima Canyon, as the Legion would almost certainly try to seize their home if they were allowed to know about it. They've built something of a paradise here thanks to their GECK, and he explains that while they'll have to speak with the Overseer, he can't imagine there will be any major objections to providing them safe harbor here.

With some trepidation, they ask them about the hoods, to which Marcel just laughs - there was apparently a bureaucratic kerfuffle back before the war which led to there not being any lightbulbs installed in Vault 25. Fortunately, thanks to another kerfuffle, the entire place had been designed to be disability accessible, with even their pip-boys having been specially designed for the blind. It was a real point of good luck!

They wear the blue hoods to avoid sunburning - their skin is quite sensitive after a century-and-a-half in the dark.

Upon entering the main settlement, they can see that there is a clear delineation between the Dwellers and the workers; whilst those in vault suits seem to live lives of leisure, working only in guard or managerial positions, most menial labor seems to be handled by hard-worn but not unhappy workers. The Overseer is quick to meet with the new arrivals, greeting them eagerly and offering his regards to Vault 24 - he's met other exiles before, a few of them having even settled locally, and he's quite sympathetic to their present circumstances. There's a place for them here in Vault 25, he says, but they'll have to do a few things first, just to prove that they're citizen material.

Unfortunately, their GECK wasn't designed to work with the accessibility technology that they use, and thus they aren't able to use it to its full potential. While the canyon itself has been made into a verdant and green paradise, there's so much more that can be done with it if they were able to get the proper computing technology. Fortunately, their technology specialist, Ron, has figured out that the necessary computers can be found in the Boneyard that Ayrie investigated earlier in their travels.

The party goes to speak with Ron from there, and is quite startled to find that he's a ghoul - the former-Follower takes their reactions with exasperated grace, explaining the nature of his existence before awkwardly moving on, evidently as used to Vault Dwellers gawking at him as he is tired of it. They get some more information on the particulars of the GECK repairs that the Overseer wants done, before questioning why a Follower is here of all places - much to their disappointment and dismay, he explains that the Vault 25ers are also slavers, even if they're a bit nicer about it. They kidnap people from the wasteland, mainly Legion slaves, to do manual labor - of course, for a lot of people, access to three tasty meals a day, clean water, air conditioning, and a safe place to sleep are a good enough deal that they don't complain.

Hell, the guards don't even beat them!

The main downside is that you can't leave - Ron has managed to earn his citizenship by virtue of being an educated man, something that they much appreciate, especially because he's able to help them with their GECK. He has no particular desire to leave anymore - the Legion is out there, and this is the safest and most comfortable he's ever been. Still, he's happy to help them if they can bring any science problems to him - it's not like he's got too much going on here in the absence of those computer parts.

In the meantime, he asks a small favor of the exiles - apparently, about a month and a half ago, the 'scouts' accidentally abducted a young Legion priestess while raiding on the outskirts. She's been uncooperative to say the least, refusing to meaningfully engage with the dwellers in the slightest - they're hesitant to simply kill her, as she's clearly educated and 'civilized' compared to most wastelanders, but they're evidently working their way up to it given her lack of cooperation. If they could help figure things out there, preferably without a young woman dying, he'd be pretty grateful.

Dr. Romero and Ayrie decide that Tancy, the little weirdo of the group, is best equipped to handle the religious fanatic, and go to have dinner; fortunately, Tancy is more than eager to speak with the imprisoned priestess. Dr. Romero and Ayrie enjoy roasted tilapia alongside grilled tomatoes and peppers, a tastier meal than either of them has had in a long time, given the degradation of Vault 24's systems; they have a good evening speaking with the dwellers, and grow increasingly conflicted about the long-term potential of remaining at Vault 25.

Food to die for.

Tancy, on the other hand, brings some dinner to the priestess; when she enters, the room is in darkness, as the blind dwellers haven't bothered to install any lights. Flicking on her pip-boy's lights, she sees that the young priestess is rather disheveled and less than enthused to be receiving company; hoping to bridge that gap, she offers her the food and introduces herself in Latin. Offered the first consistent light she's had in months and greeted in the tongue of the gods, the priestess cautiously introduces herself as Junea, a daughter of Caesar.

The two of them eat and talk for an extended period of time - Tancy questions Junea as to the nature of her imprisonment and defiance, but the conversation soon drifts to matters of theology and faith. Tancy is quite fascinated by Legion theology, listening raptly as the priestess explains the particulars of the faith, eagerly answering her questions at every turn - the two of them have built a fairly sturdy rapport by the time that Tancy finally begins to explain her own beliefs. Whilst initially skeptical about the prospect of 'eternal souls,' the priestess finds herself increasingly attentive as Tancy speaks of a place in her dreams, a place beneath a sea of stars and between a thousand evergreens.

Junea remarks that it sounds like Flagstaff, and Tancy is immediately enraptured by the possibility.

It is then that Tancy shares her deepest suspicion - that Caesar might be one of those eternal souls, a resurrection of another great conqueror of the same name from ages past; knowing not of the original Caesar, Junea is fascinated by the idea, and they speak of it at length, the junior priestess ultimately conceding that it's certainly possible. When the two of them are finished cooking one another, Junea makes a request - her father is Tribune Messala, a powerful official from the court in Flagstaff, and she suspects he will be interested in knowing that she yet lives; impressed by her bravery in not asking for rescue, just that her father be informed, Tancy agrees, taking the priestess' ring as proof of her claims.

Tancy leaves, and the priestess is left wondering whether or not she just had a divine experience.

Caesar endured through a captivity of his own...