73 – The Back Door
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(You’ve all reached cover in the large building with the billboard on top (near Map Area #33). You tried taking a couple pot shots at the psycho-bats, but then were distracted by lights coming from the mongoliant stronghold (Map Area #26). They appear to be using searchlights to search the fungus forest, though you suspect that you’re too far away to be spotted.)
(The scavs amongst your group have done a cursory search of the building’s first storey; it’s a dank mold-infested office or light industrial lab of some sort. At the back of the building is a steel door that opens up to an area with less glowshrooms, and hopefully out of range of the psycho-bat flock.)
The Back Door
“Leetssz Ssseearch thee buuiiling, try tooo hiidee. Iff cannooot, leeave by baack dooor”, states Sikich, reasoning that if the group cannot hole up unseen there, you may be able to get some distance away, with the building shielding us from the mongoliants (assuming there is no fungus their to light your trail).
Soggul replies: “Do not worry about them! If the tormentors come out into the field, they will have the bats to contend with themselves.” Looking out the windows, Soggul gets an idea. “Perhaps we should get them to come. We can ambush them from the buildings. Longshooters up top, guardsman at the doors.”
Sikich contemplates Soggul’s suggestion. “Isss goood plaan, foor lateer. Tooo maany ooof usss woouundeed noow,” says Sikich, approving of the plan but believing that it would be better to spring a trap when we are all in top form and well prepared.
“Then we flee…” says Soggul as he begins to look for a place to hole up, either in this building or another nearby.
(The mold infestation on the first storey of this building makes it a poor spot for an extended stay. Nearby buildings are probably just as bad. The spot you were at before (near Map Area #33) worked well, and there may be other good spots outside the fungus field.)
Thrak likes the idea of leaving by a back door, hopefully avoiding the flying beasties as well as keeping hidden from spying mongo eyes.
“We can go straight out the back of this building,” Thrak says, “and keep heading straight back as far as those train tracks. That should keep us under cover from mongo spies long enough to avoid their notice. After that, we can start to cut over in the direction of that medical building we’ve been aiming for. Rest up and hopefully get some better loot for our efforts.”
Thrak looks back out the entrance of the building where the flyers are still swarming, and he grimaces in frustration. “And I wanna come back here to tag that truck out there. It’s becoming personal. I hate being thwarted like this…”
Vash glances out the window in the direction of the Mongo fortress. “Those lit mushrooms will lead them straight to us. Maybe their lights, though, will send those Bats after them.” He comments. He glances to the others. “I agree. We should fall back. Until we know we are ready to take their fortress.”
(The searchlights indeed seem to be confusing the psycho-bats; the flock is dispersing somewhat and a few of the flyers appear to be heading towards the mongoliant fortress instead. Probably a good time to slip out back…)
Cobb carefully opens the metal door and peeks outside to assess the situation. Seeing no immediate threats, he sticks a piece of debris in the door jamb and steps out enough to look around better. If he sees anything noteworthy he’ll report back.
(The fungus patch is significantly thinner behind the building, but Cobb can still see a few of the glowshrooms between him and the train tracks. The area is clear enough that you won’t have to hack a path through the fungus.)
(Assuming that the mongoliants are using some kind of visual enhancement gear (or mutant powers), you can’t be sure that you won’t be spotted if the glowshrooms light the way, but you figure you can get through the fungus pretty quick and then have the cover of darkness.)
What are your actions?
Scorched Earth RPG 
As we prepare to leave Sikich’s mind is still working.
“Vasssh, shooot gloowssshroomss oover theere.”
Sikich points to a spot outside the front of the building, well away from their location. If Vash can damage the glowshrroms and cause them to glow, he reasons it will distract the mongoliants and fliers both, allowing us a more certain escape.
Having made his suggestion, Sikich waits Vash’s response and prepares to exit out the back of the building.
Following behind Cobb, the three-armed mutant looks at the path ahead. “Thinking we should make a run for it? The sooner we do, the better off we will be.” Ever cautious, Soggul scans the area for any potential danger and makes his mind alert for future surprises.
After Cobb leaves briefly by the back door, Thrakazog follows him outside to assess the relative safety as best he can. Now that everybody seems to have agreed to leave the building to avoid both mongo eyes as well as the psycho bats, Thrak is antsy to get moving.
“We should make a quick trek straight back to the tracks, and then head over to the high-rise buildings like I mentioned earlier,” Thrak says. “Kronic and Sikich should stay in the middle of the group since they’re still hurt the worst, and we should hole up under cover for at least long enough to get us mostly back up to snuff. Even a couple days if we need.”
Thrak looks around and tries to get a sense of what food stores the group has. “We can maybe find cover in that circle-tower building up ahead (map area 35), and even send a party back to the cooler for more seafood if we need while we’re resting up. Then, going from there, head to the medical building.”
Thrak looks around at the rest of the party, trying to get a feel for what everyone wants to do. “Does that work for you guys?”
Thrak has a good plan. “Agreed – let’s make a quick run amid all the chaos here. But we’ll have to be sharp to find cover once we make it to those buildings – there could be worse things than glowing mushrooms hiding amongst the buildings. Obviously you guys have good sight so keep an eye on things. And let’s stay light on our feet.” I silently pray that the gods forgive my allies for their blasphemy and grant us escape from this punishment for toying with the tools of the ancients.
Rest is good. Probably shoulda Holed up at food but never mind that now… Lets see if we can get out of here quick like Thrak says. We should make some diversion of the mushrooms though cuz if we run through them they will just light the way for the enemies to follow us. We need to avoid them if we can… I definately need a rest. And if we are followed I guess I better try out some of those Old world meds as we rest because taking it to the mongo’s might be our only course of action if they know we are here now. They will hunt for us…
Soggul looks eager to leave. “Let us make haste then. I do not want another bat to muddle my head.” He hefted his shield, pike and machete and hopped a few times, in anticipation of a run.