Session Two - Accidents In The Workplace

It's important to note that the events of the game as a whole are either the result of the players actions or the result of failed dice rolls, be these rolls skill tests or just tests of luck. Remember that ...

Our "heroes" are at a loss as to what to do with themselves and in a search for honest work join a recruitment bus for the mines on the other side of the county. The armour plated bus travel the length of the county to reach it's destination, what is laughable called a town, 'The Burrow'. It's a large shack with the rudimentary amenities of a small town enclosed inside. Just north of this shack are the workers living quarters, a circle of six long thing army barracks style buildings filled wit bunk beds and surly miners. The mine has an open door policy, they're desperate for labour and will accept anyone prepared to do the work. The pay is pathetic but it does come with a free bed and all the gruel you can eat.

'The Burrow' is technically run by a man named Benny, a happy fellow who is greets everyone cheerfully and has all the authority of a wet sponge attempting to turn the tide. In reality 'The Burrow' is really run by it's self appointed sheriff, Ramirez, as mysterious character who is always accompanied by a small band of rowdy youths that seem t be his deputies. Ramirez is not actually a sheriff, his authority is not recognised by the county, but without him 'The Burrow' would be a much more chaotic place.

Our players arrive and are shown to the living quarter, six huts one of which is half burnt down and another of which is crumbling to pieces due to what is clearly an array or bullets and laser fire from both inside and out, so only four that are actually inhabitable. The journey has taken most of the day so they are led immediately to their bunks to settle in and the only chance they have to socialise with the other miners is a brief conversation with a nearby bunkmate who offers to sell them something to "help them relax". They politely decline his offer whilst Andy drinks himself to sleep instead.

Day 1

Alan, Andy, Ian and Liam proceed to work. Unfortunately David disagreed with the previous nights meal and is unable to leave with them. Boarding the workers bus they are led up to mineshaft one (of three) and let out. Mineshaft one is a fairly open structure, aside from a single checkpoint that the bus had to pass through there is little security and it seems the workers take full advantage of that, many of them lounging around outside playing cards or just basking in the heat. There also seems to be little in the way of training, in fact there is no training. If you're strong you pick up some tools, if you're smart you man a machine and everyone heads down their designated tunnel to hack at the walls around them. It's extremely slapdash but our players aren't complaining, it seems easy money.

Having dislodged as much of the wall as possible the workers are then required to simply load the rock into a conveyor piping system that is fed down every tunnel for it to be sorted in the factory at the mines entrance. Andy chooses his own magical weaponry for the task, Alan grabs a pickaxe from the supplies but bring up the rear of the group Ian decides to make use of a less conventional set of skills and manages to find a big bag of dynamite he can take down with him. Liam decides to stay up top and see if he can make friends with some of the slackers hanging around up there.

Andy proceeds to use his mighty strength and mighty weapons to hammer the wall into submission, Alan proceeds to strain several muscles attempting to do the same and Ian, not being entirely sure what he is doing, proceeds to jam sticks of dynamite into any cracks in the rock, lighting them and running like hell, much to the surprise of the others. Before too long they have a couple of visitors, a full conversion borg and a native American who seems to be comprised mostly of muscle. Neither of them seem particularly friendly as they explain that they are the welcoming commission come to give the new guys their initiation.

At least this is what they were probably saying, they don't actually get the chance to explain themselves as without putting too much thought into it Ian lights a stick of dynamite and chucks it at them endangering friend and foe alike. Everybody dives for cover as the dynamite blows. As the only one not inside the blast area Ian remains standing draws his gun as the rest of the group groggily drag themselves up. Andy manages to right himself first and jumps on the borg engaging him in hand-to-hand whilst Alan summons a fireball and throws it at the native American (note they have no names as they didn't even have the chance to introduce themselves). The native American morphs into a mountain lion and charges Alan with Ian firing wildly after him. Fortunately Alan was quick thinking and summoned a magic net which the native American failed to dodge and became entangled in.

Meanwhile Andy and the borg fight, both pretty well matched in strength and skill the borg produces a retractable blade from his forearm whilst Andy wields his magical sledgehammer. The borg gets it a few good cuts before Andy strikes him in the head massively disorienting him. The borg swings wildly but Andy takes the hit, the forearm blade lodging itself in his stomach, Andy swings the hammer down severing the arm and with one last swing caves in the borgs chest killing him.

Whilst this is going on Ian has picked up his big bag of dynamite and wandered over to the trapped mountain lion and decided the best way to deal with this is to light as many sticks as possible and jam them in the holes of the net. With little time to decide what to do before the net is dispelled and with nobody stopping him he does this and Alan decides since it's going to happen he might as well help. Being a character of high morals Andy wants nothing to do with this and walks away. As Andy walks up the tunnel the explosion erupts behind him and the brief distraction means he bumps into Ramirez and his goons coming down the tunnel towards him.

Ramirez asks him what's going on as he followed the workers bus up here to keep an eye on the new recruits and heard that a few known troublemakers had been heading your way. Andy has no choice but to lead Ramirez and his gang back down the tunnel to the carnage below where the group attempt to awkwardly explain themselves. Ramirez says nothing whilst his men poke around the remains of the bodies. Once our trios story is finished all he says is for them to get back to work and he leaves.

Having made little progress socialising Liam decides to join the others and enters the tunnel to find the crushed body of a cyborg and an assortment of mountain lion pieces sprayed all over the floor and walls. The other just smile and wave.

Day Two

Still aggrieved by the cuisine of 'The Burrow' David remains in the toilet, however, he is joined now by Liam. Not in the same toilet obviously but they can keep each other company between violent expulsions.

Ian, Alan and Andy proceed back down the tunnel to continue mining. Curious about the undisciplined nature of the job Andy attempts to devise what minerals it is they are mining for by examining the rock but aside from what you would expect to find he can't deduce anything. Whilst he is busy doing this Alan and Ian are loading up the conveyor pipe and simultaneously chuck in large lump of rock which collide. The pipe system makes a horrifying of gears breaking and pistons popping and a quick glance up the pipe reveals that the rocks are jammed inside. The conveyor pipe shakes in it's somewhat flimsy holdings and starts to come loose, steam projecting from a number of broken pistons.

Ian jumps into action and runs away, fleeing up the tunnel. Alan dives for cover. Hearing the commotion Andy comes over the see the pipe break free of its supports and begin writhing around the tunnel floor like and angry snake. Sighing at his cowardly teammates he runs at the pipe, skillfully jumps aboard and begins riding it around the tunnel. As things get worse and the pipe begins to crack up he fearlessly reaches inside in an attempt to dislodge the blockage. Ignoring the pain in his arm as it pushes against the grinders inside the pipe he takes a hold of the rocks and manages to pull one of them out. The pipe calms down but is no longer functioning.

The mineshaft forum sees the disturbance in the monitoring station up top and comes running. He demands an explanation but Ian and Alan's lies confuse the situation and he simple sends them all home, docking all three of their wages for the day.

Day Three

Ian, Andy and Alan soldier on. Alan unintentionally uncovers a poisonous plant whilst digging. It spits acid in his face and using his total lack of medical knowledge Ian chucks a bucket of water over him in an attempt the help. Alan leaves for medical attention but he permanently scarred.

Day Four

Alan raises his pickaxe high above his head, the blade comes loose and falls on him knocking him unconscious. Andy laughs so hard he is not paying attention to what he is doing and dislodges a rock which crushes his foot.

It is at this point that with a face full of scar tissue and a head wound for Alan, and with a minor stomach wound, a slightly mangled arm and a broken foot for Andy the two of them decide mining might not be for them.

Day Five

Andy stays behind to see if he can make some magical tools he might be able to sell to the workers, Ian and Alan proceed to the mine but only Ian goes inside, Alan instead searches the nearby area for anything of interest and much to his delight finds a graveyard not too far from the mines entrance where deceased employees are laid to rest if nobody comes forth to claim them. He makes a note of it's location and spends the rest of the day basking in the sun. In the tunnel Ian seems to have no trouble now that he is by himself.

Day Six

Andy builds a small workshop in the living quarters hut that was half burnt down and gains himself a couple of clients interested in some unbreakable equipment. Alan inquires at the mess hall to see if he can work in the kitchen instead of the mine. He is not a bad cook and they are happy enough for him to work for free which he is happy to do as in reality all he wants is the opportunity to steal animal bones from the food stores. Once again, now that he is alone, Ian has no trouble down the mine, however, he is getting restless and strikes up a conversation with some of the other workers that it would cool if there was an organised race around here.

This snowballs surprisingly quickly into one of the group declaring that he could smuggle them into mineshaft two one night and they could race there, no one would ever know and perhaps more importantly (to most of the listeners anyway) it would offer the opportunity for a big gambling racket, though all that Ian is really interested in is the opportunity to drive like a lunatic.

More to come ... Session Three - Road Trip!