You think for a moment about Jason's question of whether or not to invite Aph along. It's a pretty dangerous trip, so you'd rather not force her.

"If she wants to." you say, shrugging slightly.

Text appears on the screen of Jason's PDA.

She is fiercely loyal to people she cares about. I would not be surprised if she did. I'll ask her and, if she wants, she can meet you with the others. Head to the car port for now. The scouts can take the rest from there. Be safe.

You nod, thanking Jason before hurrying off to the car port. You can't help but shiver a little with excitement at the thought of seeing your father again. You only hope he and the others are alright.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3.

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>1369870

>>1369921
oh... no...
Someone fix this quick.

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>1369870
Sorry if I mess up.

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>1369870
doodedoodedoo....

>>1370352
Phew!

Also is this going a little slow?

>>1369870
Where is everyone? I had enough time to sleep and binge the entire archive

>>1371416
Just popping in to say I'll be continuing the thread again later tonight! Sorry for the wait!

>>1371417
Thanks! Its not like I waited really, I discovered the quest last night. Only just cought up a few minutes ago

>>1371422
Welcome to the quest! Glad you like it!

File: Erebus map complete.png (20 KB, 951x696)

20 KB PNG

You make it to the car port after asking around for directions a few times. Honestly, this place is kinda hard to navigate. There's not a whole lot of room, so you can only assume they're working with what they have, but still, it's a chore.

Now that you've arrived, the gang's all here; you, Talos, Ares, Aph and four AI you've never seen before. The first is a male form, really uninteresting looking, with no real defining characteristics. Second is a female form, similar to the previous, save for what looks like some kind of shotgun or something in place of her left arm. Third is a short, stocky androgynous type, more blocky than most others you've seen. Probably a construction type like Jefe is. Lastly, the fourth is kind of like some small, spider-legged drone that's up to about your waist, maybe a little less so. The first three are all wearing matching black overcoats, and you stifle a laugh at how ridiculous and "obviously a spy" they look. The spider is just painted black.

The male form approaches you and nods, extending a hand to shake. "I'm One." he says in a hushed, almost comically "sneaky" tone. "She's Two, that's Three and Four. We'll be escorting you through Tartarus today. I only have two rules. First, listen to everything I say without question. If I tell you to roll around on the ground and sing the alphabet, I better hear you get from A to Z. Second, stay quiet and out of sight. The crazies there don't like outsiders and are completely unpredictable. The whole place is dangerous and liable to get you killed if you step out of line. Any questions?"

>Nope, let's go!
>One? Two? You're just numbers?
>How come you talk like you're in a detective movie?
>Other (write in)

>>1373244
>>How come you talk like you're in a detective movie?
>Other than that, nope
Almost worried you weren't going to pick up again

>>1373259
BTW I'm >>1371422

>>1373244
>How come you talk like you're in a detective movie?

>>1373244
>How come you talk like you're in a detective movie?

>>1373259
>>1373280
>>1373291
Straight and to the point, Pandora. Writing!

"How come you talk like you're in a detective movie?" you ask bluntly. The other three are currently trying not to laugh behind him. One doesn't look very amused by this.

"I was designed for what the humans called a 'murder mystery' tour." One says grumpily, "This was what I was designed to sound like. We're done talking about it now."

"...Can I call you detec-" you begin, but are cut off by One.

"No." One gets into the drivers seat of a jeep, followed by Three in the passenger. He waves Talos into the back, which is now entirely filled up with his girth. Two gets into another and she waves you and the others in. She looks like she's still trying not to laugh.

"Don't mind him." Two says, shaking your hand as you enter. Her voice is surprisingly high-pitched. "He gets bent out of shape when people mention the voice. He knows his stuff, though. Been on dozens of scouting and salvage trips with him. Just follow his instructions and you'll be fine."

You here some shuffling around in the back and hushed arguing between Aph and what must be the small spider AI. Possibly due to the cramped space.

You take off, a back gate that requires One to show some kind of permission slip or something to the guards opens slowly and noisily, grinding and scraping as it moves. Obviously not used very much and pretty rusty.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>1373362

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>1373362
>Noisy slow opening gate
This can't be good.

File: l3wd.jpg (52 KB, 500x391)

52 KB JPG

>>1373368

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>1373362

>>1373372
Don't worry, Pandora pretty much never fails rolls.
Except when she REALLY fails.

Writing.

Your drive is, for the most part, fairly uneventful. You do notice things go from being "a little rundown" to "literal garbage" after a while, and you're on less of a road and more of a "slightly less destroyed stretch of ground". The bumps are sending you bouncing around in your seat as you go. It'd be fun if it weren't so jarring.

"We're close." Two speaks up, "Keep your head down and if you see anything, let me know. Things are going to get more choppy from here on out. Everybody keep your eyes open and weapons at the ready. We're not stopping for anything."

You nod and slide down into your seat a little, making sure to watch the horizon carefully. Flashbacks of what happened when you visited the Facility before and you shiver a little.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3. (There's going to be more rolls than usual right now. Dangerous territory.)

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>1373468
Bet you can't wait for the crit-fail

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>1373468
>>1373484
We'll be fine.

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>1373468

File: binary.png (302 KB, 1381x956)

302 KB PNG

>>1373484
Why would you say that?

Writing!

File: pandora.png (154 KB, 790x805)

154 KB PNG

>>1373488
>>1373368

You find yourself jumping at every little noise or shadow. A tumbling can, a falling bit of glass, dead tree limbs in the wind. You see Two rolling her eyes at you, but she smirks, patting you on the leg. You were this close to feeling better until you see your first instance of synthetics; android bodies literally pinned to a building wall by large pieces of metal. They're falling apart, but each of them has the same defining red splotch of paint on their faces...like the "messenger" that blew itself up at the BC camp. Then you notice one of them drop, stand, watch you and run away into the darkness of the scrap piles and trash. You violently tug at Two's shoulder and point to where it was.

"See something?" she asks in a hushed tone. You nod furiously. "Red dot on it's face or no?" You nod again. "Shit." She produces a walkie talkie and speaks into it quickly. "Reds know we're here."

"Shit." the crackling voice of One can be heard from the speaker. "Taking a detour. Follow close, pick up speed."

The engine revs louder and you start gunning it over the rough terrain. You're beginning to wonder if coming here was the right idea. You hear the "chack" of Ares' gun arming itself. You hug your knees and hope they go away.

Roll one more 1d100, best of 3. Good luck.

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>1373563

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>1373563
Uh oh.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>1373563

>>1373583
I'm sure it'll be fine. Writing!

You hit a particularly violent bump and are jostled heavily in your seat. Then another. The road is getting especially difficult. You're not even really on dirt anymore. Ahead of you is almost nothing but hills of trash and scraps, and both vehicles are only barely holding together as they go. Turning sharply is almost impossible now and you notice why; ahead of you are more figures silhouetted in front of the morning sun, perched atop small mountains of rubble and they're all holding various improvised weapons. No guns, thankfully, but plenty of makeshift spears and rocks. They begin hurling their implements at your jeeps, though luckily they're not terribly accurate. Chunks of metal clang on the ground around you and off the sides of the car, answered with the far more accurate gunfire of your brother and the others. Talos is fiddling with something on his arm up ahead of you, but he doesn't seem to be in much of a rush.

The "Reds", as Two called them, are falling rapidly, but every one of them is replaced by two more, each brandishing more weapons. A sudden "crack" and a heavy rock hits the windshield, not quite shattering it, but it's not going to take another hit like that. Two drives on, her face resolute.

Roll oooone last 1d100, best of 3.

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>1373683
Dice don't fail me now!

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>1373683

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>1373683

>>1373735
You guys keep skirting the abyss and I just can't help but get a little tingly.

Writing!

You see a tower of rubble begin to tip over in front of you, being ridden by more Reds waving their weapons wildly, with no real care for their own lives. One punches the gas and manages to make it past them with inches to spare, but Two isn't quite as lucky. The collapsing tower cuts her off from One and she's forced to make a sudden turn, nearly tipping the car over, but she saves it. She drives through the even rougher terrain and through several of your attackers, some of which manage to grab onto the jeep, but are quickly detached by the others. You hear them screaming, but they don't appear to be speaking any actual words. Just yelling and making wild swings at whatever gets into their range.

You make it to a small clearing and have several paths ahead of you and to the side. Straight forward goes deeper into the junkyard and all you can see is more trash and shadows, to the right is a path that looks like it could take you back the way you came. You might be able to get back home from there, though you'd have to get through the remainder of the Reds and you'd be leaving One, Three and Talos to fend for themselves. To the left is two paths, one that looks full of overhanging trash in a sort of mock tunnel, but it's in the general direction of where One and the others went. And next to that actually looks like it's lit up, like something is actually powering some lights there and is a little more open than the other ways.

"If anyone has any ideas as to which way to go, I'm all ears!" Two shouts, taking a few pot shots at a few figures running through the trash. "This whole place looks unfamiliar to me. These fucks love changing up their territory. Makes it easier to screw with intruders."

>Head straight, deeper into the junkyard
>Head right, we need to get out of here
>Head left (hopefully) toward the road
>Head left to the lit section

>>1373901
>>Head straight, deeper into the junkyard
They'll never see it coming!

>>1373901
>Head left (hopefully) toward the road

>>1373901
>Head left (hopefully) toward the road

>>1373908
But Anon, it'd end up being Pandora's Last Surprise.

>>1373901
>>Head left to the lit section
... The red's don't have a society do they? Like... a creepy warcult?

>>1373914
>>1373925
To the road it is, then! Writing!
>>1373951
Oh, you know, they live, they die, they live again.

File: file.png (510 KB, 2138x1120)

510 KB PNG

>>1373244
One and Four already sound like my favorites. One just for the tone alone. And 4... because he sounds like he'd be precious. little spider robot in a coat... with no arms.
and guess what. having lost my soul crushing dead end job I might be able to draw more often!

File: yeah guy.jpg (210 KB, 620x412)

210 KB JPG

>>1374054
Great job! Thanks!

File: file.png (86 KB, 525x576)

86 KB PNG

>>1374061
its my pleasure anon.
seriously, i missed this.

File: cute.png (17 KB, 208x200)

17 KB PNG

>>1374072

"There!" you shout, pointing toward what looks like it could lead back to the "road" you were on.

"Good enough for me!" Two replies, turning hard and putting pedal to metal. "Eyes sharp, guns up!"

The path zig-zags heavily, with more bumps and holes than before. The Reds jump at your vehicle, but most are either turned into temporary hood ornaments or blown out of the air by a hail of gunfire. In a more gruesome turn, one of their heads gets stuck on the passenger side mirror and you're forced to stare at the frozen, twisted look on it's face. It's beaten up, dirty and missing chunks of itself. The red paint on it's face isn't so much applied as it is smashed on by something. It's mouth hangs open in a silent scream, but the lights in it's eyes are out. It's dead, but you don't think you'll be forgetting this any time soon.

You make it through the path and hit the road once more. One's jeep is further down the road, swerving to avoid synthetics and thrown weapons, but it doesn't look like it's helping much. They keep coming and coming, like a swarm of bees attacking a hapless cricket. You're slowly gaining on them, but you're not sure if you'll make it in time. However, something odd happens. There's...what you can only call an explosion from the jeep, but there's no fire or shrapnel. It's...like a puff of what kind of looks like confetti and a loud popping, crackling sound. Looking at it makes you sort of...uneasy? Or...kind of like how the humans described being sick was, is your best guess. One's jeep shudders, jerking for a second before slowing to a stop. Then every single one of the Reds, what must've been dozens of them around it just...drop. They hit the pavement and don't move. Some even fall apart when they hit the ground, tumbling apart like broken toys.

Two is just as confused as you are. "...The fuck?"

Talos gets out of the jeep, hefting One and Three over his shoulders, stomping up to your car. Two actually stops...and so have the Reds. They appear to be sitting at a distance, watching you carefully. They hold their spears and rocks, but make no moves to attack. They just...watch silently.

"Hey, big guy, uh...what the hell was that?" Two asks, staring at the dead jeep ahead of them. "They...okay?"

"Ey...em...Sparkly bomb." Talos says flatly, placing the two into the back seat with the others, "Mama gave. Makes them go to sleep, but not me." His low, rumbling voice is just as intimidating as the rest of him.

"...A what?" Two asks, trying to make heads or tails of what he just said.

"It's a fucking EMP..." Ares says after a second, eyes wide and a little terrified, "In that backpack...Mouse gave him EMP grenades or something..."

"Woahshit!" Two screams, pushing back into her seat, terrified. "What the hell for!? Why is he packing something like that?! Did...did you kill One and Three?!"

Talos shakes his head. "Little one. Sleep, not kill. Big one kills. Keep going?" Talos points ahead, wanting to proceed.

(cont...)

>>1374072
HELLO, MY BABY! HELLO, MY HONEY! HELLO MY RAGTIME GAL!

"I immediately don't want to be here." Aph speaks up, shifting nervously with the limp bodies of One and Three crushing them all in the back.

"Then maybe you shouldn't have come in the first place..." Four grumbles quietly, his voice somewhat more synthetic and "mechanical" than others', "We'd have more room if your squishy ass wasn't-"

"Not the fuckin' time, Four." Two snaps, "I...I mean I...shit...we're down a car and the mad bomber here won't fit in with the rest of us..."

"Walk." Talos says, turning to trudge down the road. The Reds are still keeping their distance, but only from Talos. If you stick near him, it looks like they might leave you alone...but you're gonna be moving pretty slow.

>Take it slow and move with Talos
>He'll be safe if they keep away from him, punch it and promise to come back for him
>Other (write in)

>>1374054
>>1374072
Oh my god I love them. Thanks!

>>1373951
>>1373983
Oh! So it's a cloud dealio!
>>1374105
Take it slow and move with Talos

>>1374105
>>Take it slow and move with Talos

>>1374105
>Take it slow and move with Talos

>>1374143
>>1374116
>>1374112
Cruisin' speed. Writing!

You decide that going slow and keeping near the safety bubble of Talos is the best course of action. He's...not a very speedy android. More plodding and heavy. The heavy "clump, clump" sound of his feet hitting the ground are pretty much all you hear. The quiet engine of the electric vehicle you're riding in is nearly silent and the distant clattering of the Reds as they follow you is a little unnerving, but you take solace knowing you're safe for now.

The journey is long and a little boring, if you're being totally honest. The Reds don't appear to have anything really in common, save the red dots on their faces. No uniforms or clothing matches, no fancy hats, no real leadership you can see. In fact, if one of them falls and breaks itself, they don't even seem to really care. It's kinda sad, when you think about it. They look like they're not really sure what they're doing. Just...doing it.

You make it to the end of this road and end up at another fork in the road. Only this one's a little more interesting. The right way, which goes astride a lake, is full of more of the same trash and desolation and it just kind of keeps going.

The other way, however, is more of that cleared and lit area like you saw before. The difference is almost literally night and day. The left way seems like a civilization is beyond, like maybe this is where they live? But...you also notice you don't see any of them there. What's more, they appear to be keeping on the right side, closer to the junky, ruined area. Are they afraid of the lit area like they are of Talos' bombs?

"The hell?" Four says, "This...was this always here? Did One ever talk about this?"

"Not that I remember..." Two says, shaking her head, "But they're afraid of it. So whatever's in there is most likely more dangerous than they are...

>Head left, into the lit area
>Head right, further into junkyard

>>1374208
>Head left, into the lit area

>>1374208
>>Head left, into the lit area

>>1374208
>Head left, into the lit area

>>1374237
>>1374216
>>1374211
We can light up the night! Writing!

Honestly, if they're scared of it, you'd be foolish not to head that way. The enemy of your enemy, as the saying goes. If they're not friendly, well...you hope Talos has more of his "sparkle bombs".

You turn the jeep and begin heading towards the lights and...whatever lies beyond, Talos stamping along with you. As you pass over the perceived threshold, the Reds begin to screech their awful sounds again. Banging their weapons against things or eachother, flailing around and generally being upset at this turn of events. Safe to say they're not happy about this, but they're not going to pursue you, at least. Good.

The area is still comprised of scrap and junk, that much is true, but it's more organized. There are neater piles kept separated from eachother. The road is cleared, little to no debris littering it, which makes the ride far more comfortable. There are lights, strung up pretty much everywhere. Some are even street lamps, though they've seen better days. It's a hodgepodge, but a neat hodgepodge. Whoever did this certainly has more sense about them than the Reds do. Some of the buildings are even still intact...for the most part. There's some patchwork done to keep them intact, but they're buildings. Sort of reminds you of the BC's territory, but much, much bigger.

The further in you go, the more civilized it seems to look. There are some flowers planted here and there, a little park, all of it going up a gently-sloping hill with paved streets and signs denoting their names. It's...kinda nice, actually.

Save for the one little problem you just realized. You're currently surrounded by androids. Completely and utterly surrounded. There's a lot of them, and they're all armed with guns, not crudely-made, primitive spears. Guns being pointed at you.

"Oh shit..." Two says, slowly raising her arms. "We...we uh...come in peace?"

I've gotta end it here, guys, but thanks so much for participating! If you liked it, please remember to follow me on Twitter for updates and vote on the archive! I need to scoot for now, but if you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask them and I'll try to get back to them asap! If not, thanks for playing and have a good night!

>>1374294
Night, APM. Any idea when the next game might be?

>>1374294
Thanks for running AM!

>>1374352
Next Saturday provided work doesn't get in the way.