[Fury] Reunion (Gates 3.2)

Rich

Gates,
You make your way from the end of the market, curious people glance and whisper, as they do when anyone visits ‘the lady’. You walk past stalls and the odd storefront, scavenged junk from decades past and the handiwork of your contemporaries mostly crafted of bits and pieces of yesterday’s castoffs.

You find Jones at the stall, he straightens up as you approach and pays you a respectful nod. Ghost is here, unusually, the youngest member of the congregation has been hard to roust out of bed these days. Staying up late to listen to August’s stories in days past… but August is still missing and Ghost has returned, at least for now, to a more productive lifestyle. And with the illness going around, the flock needs everyone’s contribution.

"Brother Gates…" says Jones quietly. You can tell he’s worried about the others. You haven’t had a good meal for all to sit down to in some time. And the foraged wild edibles and … questionable water have taken their toll on Easy and Utilikit, of course. But it’s becoming a real problem for all.

Jones continues. "I’m afraid we haven’t raised nearly enough… I fear fortune isn’t with the family. Isn’t the Lord looking out for us?" He squeezes Ghost’s shoulder, trying to provide comfort despite rumbling stomachs. "Tell me you bring tidings?"

What do you do?

toddnicholas

There ain't nothin' harder than disappointin' folks, is there.

"Well, friend... 'fraid not, per se. I mean, good things happenin' today, actually, but none o' the kind that fill a belly."

I get down on Ghost's level.

"How about we say a prayer to see if the Lord can give us some guidance, eh?"

Taking Ghost's hands, I begin to speak to the Lord.

"Lord, things are hard right now... and any direction you can point us in would be mighty helpful..."

toddnicholas

Openin' my brain.

(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 4, 3. Total: 9)

scott

Gates,
Ghost smiles at you as you take her hand, a sure sign of closeness and belonging. Jones lowers his eyes and silently joins you in prayer.

---

The sounds and smells of the market fade as you concentrate and reflect. You're right, it has been a good day. You've done right by WotCee and his mother. Maybe helped Vignette take a step towards healing as well. By some measures you've done well....

But the family suffers. Easy and Utilikit weren't well and hunger and time will only continue to take a toll. You follow a narrow path, you hear footsteps, one after the other. A vision of the difficult road you choose to travel. This is your path, but you choose where to take each step. You can walk this side or that, stop to consider or hurry ahead with abandon.

But there are others walking the path with you. Following your footsteps. They look to you, rely on you. Need you. They won't make it without you, will they?

The sound of footsteps on the path turns suddenly louder, faster. From careful steps to a jog and then a run, you hear your own panicked breathing... you feel fear deep within your breast... like judgement looms over you. You know you can't run fast enough, but you run... and hope.

And pray somehow to find your family safe!

---

"Brother Gates!" A panicked shout from across the market loud enough to turn heads wakes you with a jolt. Troll... he was supposed to be out with Forty Four trading for food. He hurries over, lowers his voice as he limps over... his bad leg is always worse when he's upset.

"We got jumped outside-a redhouse... it was bad! I'd be dead if he hadn't-a seen it coming... I wanted to get help but..." He's having trouble putting his words together. "But you know I don't run too fast... it's too late... he's gotta be..."

The redhouse is a tall brick building not too far from Pike. But far enough to be risky... people unknown to you out there.

"I'm sorry brother..." you notice Troll has a fresh scrape on his temple and his clothes are dirty like he's had a fall, or a scuffle.

Ghost's hands slip from yours and she steps around to help troll. A look of nervous determination on her face. “Are you hurt? Anything… uh…” She looks at you, and Jones, kind of for permission to help your injured brother with the knowledge Bon has been trusting to her.

Jones looks to you, his hand rests over his heart, his thumb nervously rubbing along the edge of his cross.

What do you do?

toddnicholas

Not even a moment o' hesitation.

"Tend to him, Ghost. Yer the best fer the job."

I follow her over to Troll and help her get him comfortable. When he's lying down, with Ghost beginning to take a look at him, I take him by the hand and say ""I know yer hurtin' now, friend, but anythin' else you could give us would help. We need to see about takin' care o' this. Any idea who they were? And where's FortyFour?"

scott

Gates,
You settle Troll down behind the stall on the little workbench covered in bits of wood wastings. Ghost clears is with a sweep of her sleeve as you help lower him to sit.

"He said some-a the old scavs out there could give us a better deal... avoid the toll and tax... get more for our jingle." Troll leans heavily against the wall near the bench, looking uncomfortable. He looks at your face when you ask, Gates. A moment of regret, or shame. "He's gotta be dead, brother... he was watching my back. I didn't see him come out."

Ghost pauses as he says so, but shakes her head clear and takes a close look at his injury. You can practically see her going through a checklist in her head. She starts checking his body, arms, then his back...

"Brother Troll has been shot." she pulls her hand from his back, her palm smeared with blood.

Adrenaline... fear... he didn't know it. He looks at you with fear in his eyes.

What do you do?

toddnicholas

Seems like a good time to read a sitch...

(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 5. Total: 10)

toddnicholas

Well first off, things seem pretty tense here, so what should I be on the lookout fer?

After that, I want ta' know what my enemy's true position is. Someone's makin' life hard fer us and I want to know where they are.

Finally, I worry that this ain't some sort o' random thing. Oh sure, those things happen, all the time in fact, but things have been comin' to a head lately. I'm worried someone is targetin' us. So who's really in control here?

scott

Gates,
All right, Gates. You know, the enemy isn't standing before you, but you've just been speaking with the Lord, in a way, and that feeling still hangs around you. Brother Troll looks into your eyes and you feel his fear.

He ran for his life, their meeting went bad and he fled... you can sens the shame in him of leaving one of you behind. He left Fortyfour there, caught in an ambush after their deal went bad... lost your jingle, too.

You're right. Things aren't looking so good for the family right now. You've been doing good for those around you, but you need to watch out for the family right now. They're scattered, sick, questioning. You need to mind the flock, Gates.

Your enemy is hunger, desperation. The family hasn't flourished and they are taking risks. Forty four himself walked into this dangerous place... if he's suffered for it then that's his fault, right? Is it? To be fair with you, yeah, there's a nest of scav's out near the redhouse that usually would deal with the market. Fortyfour went to them directly, at great risk... you'd have to ask him why.

You're in control, Gates. There's no person I could name that has it out for you... these things happen. But happen more when your people feel alone. You lead these people, you inspire them... you can make it work or let the harvest lay fallow. Are you a leader to these people? You can probably do great things... each one is smart if not wise... and together, yeah, very strong. Maybe not in the sense of battling. But strong. There's a lot you could accomplish.

Ghost has Troll lean forward, cross his arms and stay still as she raises his shirt to see the wound. She bites the corner of her lip as she sees the blood sticking to the rough fabric. Jones gives her a dish of water and she rinses gently, blood streaks down his back and onto the bench.

Finally she looks up at you again, "It doesn't look too bad... I think I can fix this..."

What do you do?

toddnicholas

I put my hand on Ghost's shoulder. "You do what you need to, sister. I trust you."

After that, I look around to find QuePasa. She's usually not far from where folks are. When I see her, I pull her aside and say "Troll and Forty got jumped out o'er by Redhouse. Troll got tore up but made it back and Ghost is workin' on him. Should be okay, hopefully. We don't know where Forty is. Take two or three o' the family who can throw a punch if they need to and go check fer him. Stay together, be on yer guard, and don't take risks, but bring him back if you can. If you don't see him, come on back and we'll look fer him later. In the meantime, I'mma round up everyone and when y'all get back, we're going to have church. It's been too long since we have."

scott

Gates,
Ghost takes a deep breath, Jones sticks around to help and as you go to find QuePasa they're laying Troll down on his belly so she can get to his wound. As you leave she promises, "I won't let you down, Brother. Bon showed me what do."

She hopes.

---


QuePasa looks serious and nods with each point of warning and she seems concerned about troll. You also know that she'ss not Fortyfour's biggest fan. But she is one of yours.

"Redhouse? That's unclaimed territory, Brother. Going to be walking on eggshells out there... but I'll try. For the family." She hesitates just a moment, looking at you... like she wants you to come. But she doesn't press the issue and bows her head to you for a moment before leaving.

She goes to gather who she can, she can handle herself, at least. Once was pretty good in a fight, right? And a good pathfinder.

---

So Gates. Church. When was the last time you had the whole family together for church? Do you have a particular place you meet up?

toddnicholas

I head down to Golden Age, where we have church, to see what kind of shape it's in. It's been a minute since we've all gotten together. Folks have just been busy. A few weeks, at least. In the world before, it looks like Golden Age was some kind o' bookshop or somethin'. There's some old shelves against one wall that give it away. Now, though, it's just another room no one much uses. Nothin' too wrong with it, but it's under the main area o' Pike Place so it ain't good for sellin' anythin'. Every once and a while we find a few drifters down there, but mostly it's just an empty room where we can congregate and be together.

scott

Gates,
It's a short walk to Golden Age. The place is empty as you left it, but a load of rotted lumber and rubbish has been discarded outside the doorways, leaving you to clamber over or spend some time clearing the way.

It's pleasantly quiet here, the sounds of the market reduced to a somewhat distant chatter. The polished wooden floor squeaks quietly under your feet as you walk the familiar space.

Is this how it usually is, Gates? You seem to be alone quite a lot for someone ostensibly surrounded by followers. Is that how you like it?

toddnicholas

My mind wanders a bit as I clear some room so folks can get in and out with ease. I slide my pack off my shoulder and begin to set up what we need for church. Nothin' fancy, just a cup, some crackers, and a little blanket I spread out. Iff'n we're lucky, someone brings a candle we can light.

I enjoy the solitude. I always enjoy bein' alone. I feel the presence of the Lord with me at all times, but in different ways. When we get together and do church, I feel Him laughin' with joy. When I talk quietly with friends, I hear Him listenin' intently. But when I'm alone, that's when I hear Him talkin' in His quiet voice.

My back aches a lil' from runnin' around all day. I sit down on the blanket and wait quietly for the family. I'm enjoyin' the solitude, but it'll be nice to do church with folks. We need to join together.

scott

Gates,
You begin to straighten out the place, lay out your blanket. It's quiet here, except for the distant sounds of the market and it's a good time to reflect.

Some time passes by your lonesome. Quietly listening, perhaps for his voice.

But a tap-tap on the doorframe gets your attention instead, "brother Gates..." It's Rei. Her arm all but healed up from her accident. She has a look of concern on her face. "You're sending QuePasa out to find him? Brother... I want to go. But I need your blessing... to carry a weapon. To fight if I need to. I'm not afraid."

She looks at you earnestly, you've seen her close to Forty Four many times. He himself was teaching her to handle a weapon... maybe just his excuse to be near her. But she seems to have taken it to heart.

What do you do?

toddnicholas

I think on it for a second, then I ask Rei the question I know I'd want someone to ask me.

"Friend, it might be dangerous and yer hurt. You know as well as I do what that means, but I'll spell it out just in case so we're bein' all clear and open with each other. If things go down, you got a better n' most chance o' gettin hurt worse or not comin' back. I told 'em to be careful, just look for Forty then come back iff'n they don't see 'em. But there's still a danger, Lord help us.

So now that I've said that out loud and we're all crystal, iff'n you didn't go, would you regret it, even knowin' all I just said?

scott

Gates,
Are you trying to convince her to stay? If so we can roll to manipulate her, but I suspect you're just trying to make her think and be certain of her feelings.

"I would regret it if our good sister doesn't come home. If my brothers and sisters are hurt and I wasn't there... I would. But..." Her gaze casts down for a moment and you can see the doubt she's feeling. But then Rei looks up at you with those big eyes. "Is he truly one of us? Brother Gates? If he is then we should bring him home."

What do you do?

toddnicholas

"I agree with you halfway, friend. We should bring Forty home, iff'n we can without anyone else gettin' hurt, but we should do that not just because he's one o' us, which I do hope he is, but because it's what you do for a livin', breathin' person. So if you want to go help find him, you got my blessin', so long as yer extra careful and stick close to everyone else on account o' yer arm. No risks, just a quick patrol lookin' fer any sign o' him, then head back. Iffn' you don't find him, we can give a harder look later with a bigger group after some folks have healed up a bit in a day or two. Sound good, friend?

scott

Gates,
"That sounds good, Brother. We'll be careful."

Rei bows her head, and you notice she can't quite hide a twinkle of excitement in her eyes as she hurries to join QuePasa and the others.

One way or another. The family will come together again. Here.

-- End Scene --