Hunter or Hunted? [Atom, Bad Karma]

The blazing Hawaiian sun scorched the ancient sand and metal of the brass coast. Alana and her hunters silently trekked through the sand, weary but alert. They had been following this monster for the better part of two days, and the woman grimaced as she saw the sun begin to dip in the sky. She didn't want this hunt to go into another night, especially since she had a hunter so green he could have been a pre-war leaf. Her crew wore leather armor with some personal modifications. Alana's own armor had Mutalligator bones and scales incorporated into it. Around her neck hung the razor sharp teeth of the Mutalligator.

She had gained a reputation in the past 7 years as an expert against aquatic mutants, though she wasn't a rookie when it came to ghouls and super mutants. As they walked, she rolled her shoulders back to alleviate the familiar ache of road fatigue. Her pump action shotgun, her baby, glistened black in the sun. Her hunters, John and Kai, carried 9mm machine guns. John was the rookie, he had only a few hunts under his belt. Kai was a veteran, 8 years. He was Alana's cousin, acted as her mentor. But leadership never really agreed with him and Alana just sort of fell into it.

They walked for another hour, the cliffs rose above them, the sun gleaming off their deposits of quartz. Alana sighed. This ghoul they were hunting had a bit of a reputation. He was a bizarre case, something people called Nearly-Feral. Not that it mattered, he was a raider. He was a nearly feral ghoul raider, but he's not stupid. Alana was quite sure he was well over 250 years old and that was no mean feat. Alana was just about to signal to camp when...foot prints.

Her heart started to beat faster. It always did when she was close to her prey. She motioned to the others, the prints went up a cliff side. A small grassy path to a cave at the top of the cliff. They began to stalk up it, their expert feet making no sound.

It was go time.

Atom's rotten arms twitched involuntarily as he crushed the old, rusted tin can in his fist, casting aside. He found it difficult to focus..why was he in this cave? Shelter, most likely, though the answer proved fleeting as he felt a surge of annoyance. He hoped to find others using the cave as shelter...easy caps. And food. Instead? Nothing...he let's out an outraged shriek, his cry loud and long, echoing off the walls, his decaying body shaking with rage before he suddenly..stops. His expression unreadable as he stares blankly at the cave wall. Why was he in this cave...?

His thought are a jumble. Is he in the darkness still? Atom quickly turns towards the entrance of the cave...no, no, not the prison...he twitches. Did he just hear something outside the cave?

(I'm not sure if he is aware or not of the hunters outside the cave, or if he would have to roll for that. Lemme know, been some years since I did PbP!)

(//I think it depends on what level your perception is. You can can do a perception roll just in case. Since these are skilled hunters, but one of them is green, you can do 50. If it's below 50, Atom doesn't notice them, if it's above 50, Atom does notice them. Be sure to add the points you have from perception after you roll.)

Atom's eyes had never been the most reliable, dammed old age. He squints, grumbling to himself as he does so...

The member 'Atom' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 7

Alana gave the signal to halt at the edge of the cave and pressed herself up against the stony cliff face. She could hear the ghoul shuffling around, grumbling to himself. Alana nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard him screech but kept it together. John, however, did not. He yelped and stumbled backwards along the grassy path. No matter how dulled the ghoul's sense might have been, he definitely heard that.

Damn! She thought, preparing her weapon as Kai helped John to his feet. There was no time to be angry. They couldn't lose their composure out on a hunt, especially with the target so close. Alana motioned to the others and they moved in wedge formation to the mouth of the cave, guns raised. To Alana's surprise, the ghoul wasn't there. No. He was, but it looked like he was in the very back. The darkness encompassed him but there was a very faint glow to his figure. Then, he turned to look at them.

Atom let out a throaty growl of annoyance as he looked out upon the hunters as they advanced, his entire body slumped and hunched over. His mind was a dull haze, flashes of ideas sped through his mind, one after another, only to be lost in the glow.

He slowly turned his gaze behind him. Somewhere in his addled mind, Atom knew that facing such a prepared group would be...unwise. Perhaps he could use his environment...

(Is he at the very back of the cave, Or does it extend further beyond?)

(//We'll say it extends further beyond, a small little system of tunnels.)

Atom turned back towards the hunters after noting the cave extending further out. His body twitched, before he let loose another cry, a challenging screech that echoed off the cavern walls before he suddenly turned on his heel, loping away from the hunters and further into the cave tunnels. Flashes of red and green filled his mind, his desire to rend and tear the fools who dared intrude upon him warring with his instincts to survive.

The ghoul looks around, trying to find a place where he might be able to keep himself hidden, at least for the moment...

(Gonna try a stealth roll. +10 bonus from my agility stat I guess? If I'm wrong, lemme know)

The member 'Atom' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 74

(// If you look at your sheet, it says you have +20 to any agility roll, meaning your total for that roll is 94.)

(94 Sounds like a good roll to me! So, yea, he's hiding)

"Open up!" shouted Alana and a quick hail of gunfire followed her command. The flash of their muzzles illuminated the cavern but in the blink of an eye, the ghoul was gone. Deeper into the cavern, Alana figured. She motioned for them to move forward, their experienced feet making hardly any sound. But the deeper they went, the more Alana didn't like it.

"Kai, watch our six." she whispered. Kai nodded and turned around, moving with them but making sure nothing took them from behind. Alana didn't trust John to keep them covered. The team slowly combed what little there was of the cavern, waiting tensely for the moment the ghoul would appear. Alana stopped. She had an idea. A bad one.

She turned to the other two.

"Here's what we're gonna do. I'm going to go back to the entrance of the cavern. You two will flush him out. If he stands his ground and fights, I'll be able to flank him. If he runs, I'll be waiting for him."

Kai looked like he was about to protest but stopped himself and grudgingly nodded. John nodded as well. Alana turned on her heel and quickly but quietly made her way to the entrance, half expecting the ghoul to pounce on her. But he didn't and she saw light before she knew it. Alana took cover behind a rock, looking into the dark maw of the cave. Now all that was left to do was wait.

Atom watched from the shadows as the woman departed, running back to the entrance of the cave. His body twitched. Fear, he thought to himself...why else would the woman be running scared? He felt the first stirrings of his red rage as he continued lurking in the shadows, watching the two hunters as they searched for him. One was older then the other, perhaps experienced...the other? Young, nervous, almost trembling as his head darted left and right. Young flesh...so tender...Atom was hardly choosy with his meals, eating whatever he came across, or was unlucky enough to stumble in his way.

Atom slowly worked his way around the young hunter, his body silently twitching all the while. If he was lucky, he would be able to do his work swiftly..if not? Well, the glow was fading, his vision beginning to swim with red as he though of the sudden violence about to take place...

(I'm gonna roll for a sneak attack, and see what happens! Not sure how that will work. I believe I get a +20 to the roll, since I think sneak is based off agility. Lemme know!)

The member 'Atom' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 37

(//Yeah, your agility and luck give you a +20 to all agility rolls and stealth falls under agility. So since you rolled 57 in total you have the drop on them, though not for long. You're gonna want to roll to see how much damage you do to John.)

Atom let's out a keening wail as he leaps at the young hunter, his innate rage unable to be contained as he strikes in a flurry of claws!

(Rolling to attack, +26 on all melee and unarmed rolls )

The member 'Atom' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 37

One moment was silent darkness. John couldn't help but shake. It was freezing in the cavern and this was the most dangerous thing he had ever been up against. Still, this was his chance to impress Alana & Kai, the two were respected in the Hunter faction and if he could hunt with them he could learn a lot.

All of a sudden the air was filled with a bone-chilling shriek and the ghoul was on top of him. John screamed and felt his sharp nails rip through his armor and scratch his chest. He stumbled backward, trying to find the trigger on his gun. The ghoul took advantage of his momentary confusion and swung viciously at his head. John felt a eruption of both dull and sharp pain and fell backwards into the cave wall. His finger found the trigger and fired blindly at the ceiling.

Kai could hardly believe his eyes. He blinked and the ghoul was on top of the kid. He whipped around and he opened fire, the tunnel being illuminated from the righteous flash of the muzzle. This ghoul was the fastest he'd ever seen!

It all happened so fast that Alana wasn't even sure she heard it. Several screams and then a torrent of machine gun fire. She was now sprinting to their aide, taking each corner perilously regardless of the threat of the ghoul. Even as she ran, she cursed herself. That was a bad plan, she thought. Not even 4 minutes after she left, the ghoul attacked.

(//John took 58 points of damage. I will roll for Kai's attack. You should roll for a dodge, which is agility. Alana won't arrive until a turn or so.)

Kai whips around and let's loose a torrent of machine gun fire!

(//+23 to all ranged attack rolls.)

The member 'Bad Karma' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 80

(//Holy shit, okay, so, Kai just rolled a 103. Usually, this means instant death. BUT, if you roll at least a 60 for agility, I will let Atom evade death.)

The ghoul was in a frenzy, tearing into the young hunter with savage glee, his visioned filled with red. He raised his head, quickly glancing over at the other hunter watching as the muzzle flashes lit up the darkness. Atom released his prey, twisting his body as he attempts to prevent himself from being shot by the experienced hunter...

(Rolling to dodge, +23 to any roll relating to dodge)

The member 'Atom' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'1d100' : 63

(//Atom receives 36 hit points of damage but can escape the encounter.)