>>43201176

Cars on autopilot swerve out of your way as you plow through traffic. Maybe you should have left earlier… No, you definitely should have. The absolute best case scenario is that a serial killer now knows you were in his “special place” and if he has half a brain, he’ll know it was you.

Oh god, what if it was really Mrs. Shan? It seems so unlikely, considering that she was the one who invited you over to work on the property in the first place but… people like you are disposable. She might pop you by remote control as soon as she wakes up.

Best not to think like that. You need to track down Jeremy and make sure he’s safe.

>roll 3d6+5 for driving skillz. Modifier is from coffee enhanced awareness, driver bonus, and Jeremy bonus. Boost with nerves if necessary.

Rolled 2, 6, 5 + 5 = 18 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201213
jeremyyy

Rolled 2, 3, 5 + 5 = 15 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201213
yoooo, my man.

Rolled 2, 3, 5 + 5 = 15 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201213

Rolled 3, 4, 2 + 5 = 14 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201305
twins

Rolled 5, 3, 3 + 5 = 16 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201213

File: wowstopposting.png (172 KB, 361x691)

172 KB PNG

>>43201249
>>43201311

>>43201249
>>43201244
>>43201305
>>43201311
>>43201324

>18,15, 15

The mid-day traffic is merciful and the address Crusty gave you turns out not to be that far away. Keeping an eye out behind you, you spot your tail struggling to keep up with your pace before falling behind entirely. It's probably only a matter of time before "they" find you again (whoever they are) but for the moment you're out of sight.

You pull up in front of a two story tall house that seems to have been converted into a vetinary office. A Scyth patrol car has already been parked out front but it's empty. Zheng's minivan is a little further down the block.

It's a little past noon as you consider your equipment options.

>pastebin with suggested loadouts
>http://pastebin.com/rdaKxjJQ

>Alternately, use a custom load out based on what you have in the inventory. Take two medium size items and two “small” items. Small items can be stacked to differing degrees- the two pistols count as small but are one medium item when stacked. Try to use common sense based on what you could fit into a medium size duffel bag.

Rolled 6, 3, 1 + 5 = 15 (3d6 + 5)

>>43201470
>Heavily Armed:
>Sniper Rifle (Silenced, 16 shots remaining)
>Dual Chinese Specs (Silenced, cartons of ammo)
>Bag of Taser Grids
>Nano-mesh net (incredibly strong and capable of cutting flesh)
but trank gun instead of net if that's allowed

>>43201470
>The Mixer:
>Tranquilizer gun (56 shots)
>Dual Chinese Specs (Silenced, cartons of ammo)
>Bag of Taser Grids
>1 Frag Grenade, 1 smoke grenade

But drop the bag of bait for two grenades

>>43201470
Wear helmet, armor, thermal goggles. Scan the building.


>2 smoke grenades, 1 trank
>trank gun
>taser grids
>Dual Chinese Specs

>>43201565
Two as in add another frag.

>>43201565
>>43201579
K.

>>43201559
There's no way we're bringing in the giant sniper rifle that has only 16 bullets.

>>43201565
Actually gonna switch to this one, sniper is p useless here and those grenades could come in handy

>>43201559
nope, you've already got two medium items there (the rifle and two specs). Also the net is so small that dropping it doesn't really make much difference (it's a palm sized disc).

>>43201565
>>43201579
>>43201653


So pretty much the mixer and
>2 frags, 1 smoke

Writing.

>>43201685

You don your military vest and helmet for safety and give the building a quick scan while you get kitted out.

There are three humanoid forms on the first floor. Two seem to be huddled over something while the last is just wandering around. A mantis is not very far away and must be either unable to see them or actively hunting them.

On the second floor you can see at least five mantises prowling about. Two of them are actively attacking something not far from another humanoid. Another two seem to be standing still on the east side of the building. There might be another human in there but the heat signature is faint.

How do you want to make your entry?

>kick down the door, guns ablazing
>try and climb up to the second floor
>see if there's a back entrance
>write-in

>>43201812
>>see if there's a back entrance


>Another two seem to be standing still on the east side of the building. There might be another human in there but the heat signature is faint.

Jeremy. So it is the mantises 'protecting' their king!

>>43201812
>see if there's a back entrance

Well Zheng might be dead. But at least the kid's okay.

...if Zheng is dead we will owe them a lot more favors for this whole healing Jeremy thing.

>>43201858
>>43201900

You make your way around the building, keeping tabs on everything inside using your thermal vision.

The two humanoids on the bottom floor finish with whatever they were working on and move back to start prowling like the other. The mantis moves in and... it looks like it's eating whatever they were working on.

There's a back door here but the humanoids are now moving actively around the floor. One moves upstairs... it looks like you might be able to get to the second floor without going through his comrades from here but you'll still have to deal with everything on the second floor.

>try to clear this floor of two humanoids and a mantis first
>make a beeline for the second floor
>screw it, try to climb up
>write-in

>>43201812
>>see if there's a back entrance
Jeremy!

>>43201977
>>try to clear this floor of two humanoids and a mantis first

>>43201977
>try to clear this floor of two humanoids and a mantis first
>set up the grid around the rear so we don't get ambushed

>>43201977
>>try to clear this floor of two humanoids and a mantis first

>>43201977
>>try to clear this floor of two humanoids and a mantis first

Since clearing the two, we're assuming they're Scyths.

Since the one that's alone is logically Zheng.

And the lone humanoid on the second floor would be the doctor hiding out from the mantis pounding on the door?

Now do we kill the Scyths so they can't report back describing a guy with a fucked-up ear?

>>43202042
>>43202023
>>43202020
>>43201994
>try and clear this floor first

You move in cautiously with one of your Chinese Specs drawn, trying to locate exactly where the mantis is. One of the humanoids has vanished into some sort of a side room while another has slumped down in what you can only assume is the lobby.

Finally, you figure out which side office the mantis is in. The door is open just a crack; you can tell from its bloody mandibles and the wet noises that it's definitely eating something.

>open fire with your silenced guns
>toss a frag grenade in
>try and shoot it with your trank gun
>use a taser grid
>write-in

>>43202144
>open fire with your silenced guns

>>43202144
>>open fire with your silenced guns

>>43202144
>try and shoot it with your trank gun

>>43202212
>>43202257
>>43202260

You push open the door and the mantis looks up from Zheng's badly mangled but still recognizable corpse. Your initial volley catches it off guard and riddles its abdomen with holes but the thorax goes untouched.

Likely mortally wounded, the mantis still tries to go on the attack and lunges toward you as you struggle to reload.

>3d6+2 to dodge and finish it, boost with STR/STA up to two times.

Rolled 2, 1, 1 + 2 = 6 (3d6 + 2)

>>43202293
Get fucked.

Rolled 5, 4, 3 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>43202293
>>43202300
you fool!

>>43202300
Or fuck me.

Rolled 1, 3, 3 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>43202293
Frick.

We owe Crusty a lottt.

Let's blame the Scyths.

>>43202321
>>43202314
>>43202300
>6,14,9

Well anons, your enemy is in bad shape but your rolls could be worse. Boost to try and make it better or no?

BOOOOOOSTO

>>43202340

Remember strength is at 7/11 and boosting requires two points per boost.

>>43202351
Then nah, we're good.

>>43202360

Writing for no boost then.

>>43202393
yes no boost

>>43202393

You're caught off-guard by the speed of the mantis' attack. You narrowly manage to avoid getting your head directly impaled on a claw, though it rips open the side of your helmet. A little closer and it might have swiped the thermal goggles from your face.

Having put all of its strength into that final blow, the mantis teeters and collapses on its side. You empty a fresh magazine into it, then stomp the head a few times for good measure.

>examine Zheng's corpse
>hunt the other two humanoids
>see if there's anything you can use in this room
>write-in

>>43202460
>>see if there's anything you can use in this room
Maybe mantises will take out the Scyths?

>>43202460
>>examine Zheng's corpse
I'll miss Zheng. Scope out the room first, nobody knows what else could be here that is useful or threatening.

>>43202460
>see if there's anything you can use in this room
>examine Zheng's corpse

>>43202522
>>43202523
>>43202492
>see if there's anything you can use
then
>examine Zheng

Writing.

File: Zhengimage.jpg (97 KB, 614x614)

97 KB JPG

>>43202536

As the heat of the moment dissipates, you're doing what you can to scrape the mantis muck from your boots when Zheng catches your eye.

He's been partly decapitated and his head hangs off at an odd angle, eyes still open and mouth slightly ajar. He looks mildly surprised, as though having his chest cavity torn open and plundered was just a slight deviation from what he expected.

>Nerves- [9/13] You're anxious but in control.

Taking a look around the room, it seems fairly typical. There's a small than average operating or examining table for use with animals and cabinets stocked with various minor medical supplies: bandages, q-tips, tongue depressors. In a small fridge you find jars of pills with different medical names that you don't recognize. Maybe someone else you know would... but you also find the scapels, which are kept alongside the pills for some reason in sterile packages.

>take bandages
>take pills
>take scapels
>take none

>>43202667
>>take bandages
>take pills
>take scapels

>>43202667
>take pills
>take bandages

>>43202667
>>take bandages

>>43202788
>>43202725
>>43202717
You take the bandages, squeezing as many as you can into your bag alongside everything else you’ve brought with you.

Swallowing your revulsion, you approach Zheng’s corpse and rifle through what’s left of him. There’s a wallet with $200 in cash, some cigarettes, a set of brass knuckles, and a few shotgun shells. You note the conspicuous lack of a shotgun to go with them however.
You’re running out of room in your bag, so you can probably take the money and maybe two of these items.

>take just the money
>take two items (choose which)
>leave it all, it’s just wrong to rob a dead man

>>43202827
>>take two items (choose which)
>take just the money
brass knuckles and shells

>>43202827
>>leave it all, it’s just wrong to rob a dead man
More importantly, we have to actually stay on good terms with Crusty.

>>43202827
>take two items (choose which)
Just the knuckles. After all,
>it’s just wrong to rob a dead man

>>43202998
Second

>>43202866
>>43202919
>>43202998
>>43203015

You take the brass knuckles from his pocket and leave the rest. Hopefully he doesn't need the knuckles in the Confucian afterlife or something.

>Acquired: brass knucks, bandages

You do a quick reassessment of where the other two humanoids on the floor have gone and find they're exactly where you saw them last: one is pawing through a side office a little ways away from where you are now and one is in a large room near the entrance.

Upstairs however, the mantises that were attacking something on the top floor have backed off and are now moving slowly towards the stairwell. If they come down here, you'll want to be ready.

>stay in this room, stand your ground with loaded guns
>move to investigate/take out the humanoid in the side office
>move to investigate/take out the humanoid in the lobby
>meet the mantises at the stairs
>move to an empty room
>write-in

>>43203127
>move to an empty room
Probably heard the mantis Vince shot in hypersonic frequencies or whatever.

They'll come in here.

>>43203164
>>43203127
This. Make sure to prime guns towards the door of the room.

>>43201977
>The two humanoids on the bottom floor finish with whatever they were working on and move back to start prowling like the other.

>>43203127
>You do a quick reassessment of where the other two humanoids on the floor have gone

...Aren't there three humans on this floor?

Plus a fourth upstairs.

>>43203333

One moved upstairs when you walked around the building, which helped you locate the stairs from the outside.

There are now 2-3 humanoids on the upper floor.

>>43203164
>>43203246

>move to an empty room

You move to the next available examination room. The mantises make an odd tapping noise as they come down the stairs; you're not sure if it's just their legs touching the wood or they're communicating somehow.

There's no question that they came down to inspect their comrade and they move straight for the room you previously occupied. Observing them via your thermal goggles, you watch them stand over the corpse and waggle their antennae. No clacking/tapping this time, so maybe it was just the sound of them coming down the stairs...

Eventually they move away from their fallen peer and over to the corpse of Zheng, who they immediately start consuming.

Suppressing a morbid joke about chinese food, you check on the other two humanoids once again and notice that the one who was in the side office is now travelling down the hallway towards your hiding place. If they spot you and make a sound, they could alert the mantises to your presence.

To prevent this you ready your:

>trank gun
>Chinese Specs
>taser grids

>>43201977
>There's a back door here but the humanoids are now moving actively around the floor. One moves upstairs...
Oh right.

>>43203362
>taser grids
He might be wearing armor, which is troublesome for the trank gun or..gun guns.

>>43203362
>>taser grids

>>43203428
>>43203440

You move closer to the door and ready a taser grid.

As the humanoid comes into view he reveals himself to be a doctor in a labcoat. He seems alert and normal enough until he turns his head towards you to reveal a young face with clouded eyes. His mouth opens to make a noise and you instantly fire the taser grid onto him, which envelops his upper body and sends him spasming and thrashing to the ground.

There's a clattering from the room where Zheng was and you barely have time to get the door closed before the mantises get to it. A huge claw punches through it just as you step away from it, leaving a hole several inches wide. Another quickly follows and one of the mantises pokes its mandibles through, screeching.

>Shoot it!
>Toss a frag grenade through the damaged door and take cover behind the examining table
>toss a smoke grenade through
>Write-in/Other

>>43203597
>>Shoot it!

>>43203597
>Shoot it!
Maybe yell "Shoot her!" Like Muldoon?

>>43203597
>>Shoot it!

>>43203621
>>43203676
>>43203781

You whip out both of your guns and shoot through the door, send bullets ripping through the exposed insides of the mantis' mandibles and it's eyes. It immediately recoils to get away and its partner presumably does as well, as there are no further attempts to bring the door down.

Using your thermal goggles, you can see that the unwounded mantis has taken up position just to the side of the door and, hoping that the walls are thin enough, you shoot through them.

There's an exchange of alien wailing between the two mantises and they drop dead. Their compatriots upstairs move about nervously but aside from going to high alert they seem unwilling to leave the room they're in.

>go upstairs
>investigate the humanoid in the lobby
>investigate the tasered doctor
>go back outside, get stuff from the van

>>43203888
>investigate the humanoid in the lobby
>investigate the tasered doctor

>>43203888
>>investigate the tasered doctor
Don't go to the lobby yet.

By 'cloudy' you mean he seemed out of it? Drugged or in a fugue state?

>>43203920
>>43203937
>investigate the taser doctor

Stepping over one of the dead mantises to reach him, you examine the tasered doctor. His eyes are still wide open and both they and the veins in his neck are bulging...

>roll 3d6+3 to realize what's occurring and react in time, boost with Nerves

Rolled 2, 1, 2 + 3 = 8 (3d6 + 3)

>>43204001
It is fungus-fu.

It's the teacher all over again.

Rolled 6, 6, 2 + 3 = 17 (3d6 + 3)

>>43204001
Well this could end the quest.

Rolled 6, 6, 2 + 3 = 17 (3d6 + 3)

>>43204001
Shit shit shit

Rolled 6, 5, 3 + 3 = 17 (3d6 + 3)

>>43204001
Time to get Catholic

>>43204114
>>43204149
>>43204150
>>43204001
Simmons, can we count this as trips for xtra boost pls?

>>43204064
>>43204114
>>43204149
>>43204150
>8,17,17

Dem seventeens. Your desperation seems to please the dice gods, anons.

>>43204177

I want to but two is more than good enough for this roll. Maybe I'll have something nice happen to Vince later to reward your incredible fortune.

>>43204208
That's generous enough I suppose.

File: andrei-riabovitchev-i-t2-(...).jpg (255 KB, 1250x950)

255 KB JPG

>>43204208

You realize what's happening in the nick of time and step away from the body with your mouth covered just as the man's eyeballs burst open, releasing a mix of blood and spores.

You feel the strangest mix of panic and relief as you step backwards over a bleeding mantis corpse. On one hand, you need to get out of here and into your hazmat suit before you become infected yourself. On the other Jeremy is definitely still here.

>END THREAD

I'm ending early tonight because they're breaking ground on a salt mine in Chicago tonight and I want to watch.

Before I go, I've got a few announcements to make.

1. Awakening Quest is coming back on Friday on Anon-kun. It's not going to be live updates so much anymore, more of an extended play by post kind of affair. That's not to say there won't be live sessions but I want it to be something both I and the players can pop in and out of casually.
2. We're reaching the end of October and I'm planning on participating in Nanowrimo when it ends. I'm going to continue to run both quests but Exterminator may get cut back to one day a week. If so, I'm going to try and do time skips to keep the plot moving. I'll also try and release the novel in serial fragments on a blog that I'll link to on my Twitter at the start of November, so you can follow that if the lack of extra Exterminator Quest leaves a hole in your life.

>>43204473
Zheng did tell the doctor Jeremy wore that mask for a reason right.

>>43204473
Well, this settles it.

Before we leave we rob the corpses and purge this place in purifying flames.

Or at least torch the bodies so they're only recognizable by their teeth.

>>43204780
>tell me about the patient. why does he wear the mask?

>if i take that off will he die?

>>43204473
What're you planning on writing about?

>>43204947

I have a few ideas preexisting that I might try. An android that plays host to seven of the world's wealthiest people in a post-apocalyptic waste, a cyberpunk coroner, and a romance set in the wind-down of the second punic war. Or I may go with something completely original. I'm not totally sure yet.

>>43204903

Well, you have quite a bit of plastic explosive still.

>>43204780

You were delusional and punched out when you handed over a kid badly in need of a blood transfusion and probably oxygen. This was a pretty inevitable outcome if the doctor was really going to try and save his life.