Riding full throttle away from Live Oak, the 10,000 Maniacs split up into smaller groups, so as not to attract the attention of the bandits that they know to be roaming this region. Want, Lithium, Maple, Toadstool, and the truly indispensable Taint ride together toward the Mill.
Shortly into the journey, a giant tree unexpectedly fell across the path, crushing Taint and his motorcycle. Taint lay on the path screaming obscenities and crying for his mother, while the others gathered to examine his injuries. Lithium went to examine the base of the tree, only to find that it was not cut, but only rotten in a very localized region. She opened her mind to the Maelstrom and learned that the Overgrowth was attacking them.
Want and Lithium stepped to the side to discuss what was to be done with Taint. Want bade Lithium to do shuffle him loose the mortal coil, as they had no way to transport him or even remove him from under the tree. Want wandered off to gather flowers while Lithium approached Taint and tried to guide him into a restless sleep, from which he would never wake. Her humane approach did not work, since too much adrenaline coursed through his veins, so she shot him in the head. Toadstool took it pretty rough. Want returned with special flowers and performed a ceremony for Taint, helping Toadstool more than anyone else.
Want alerted the group, that while gathering flowers, she/he had stumbled upon a small hut that she had seen in a vision. The small hut was resting high on pilings over a strange dodecahedron, connected by many wires and humming of electricity. Their curious silence was broken as an old man wearing a colander hat, stepped forth and demanded an explanation for their presence. Through much dialogue, they learned that the man was Chips and that he was worried about robots in the woods and that perhaps he was a little out of his mind. He tried to bargain for some food to lead us around the woods, but Want learned from the Maelstrom that Chips really wanted to lure them to a put to test out a transporter on them. Want pressed for more information, but received little from the crazy old man. Maple drew a shotgun and forced him to the ground, demanding more answers, while Lithium grew bored and headed back to the convoy.
Lithium returned to the car to find that Toadstool was missing, so she grabbed her bike and followed some fresh pigoon tracks into the woods.
Want asked Maple to borrow his shotgun, in order to extract more information, but instead immediately emptied a shell into the back of Chips head before handing it back to Maple. She explained that no good would come of Chips, and if they left him, he may be able to tip off the bandits to their route. They searched his hut and retrieved some hand made maps.
Lithium stumbled across Toadstool just as her bike began to run out of gas. He was in the clutches of a 15 ft robotic monstrosity that seemed to ooze organic material from the seams. She engaged in a game of chicken with the robot, but was forced to ditch her bike at the last minute as it smashed into the robot’s shins. Maple and Want arrived on the scene as the smoke cleared, just in time to see the robot snatch up Lithium and run off into the forest. With Toadstool now safe, Maple suggested that they chalk it up as a win and head back. Want had to explain to her that perhaps Piss would not be the kind to listen to reason when they showed up without his second in command, and so he reluctantly sped off to save Lithium.
Lithium freed herself from the robot’s claw just as Want approached, and she hurriedly jumped on the back of the scooter. Want sped back to the camp, but not before gifting Lithium the rest of the flowers she had gathered, while there was no one to see. They returned to a slightly disappointed Maple and a relieved Toadstool, before driving on through the night.
Want and Lithium stepped to the side to discuss what was to be done with Taint. Want bade Lithium to do shuffle him loose the mortal coil, as they had no way to transport him or even remove him from under the tree. Want wandered off to gather flowers while Lithium approached Taint and tried to guide him into a restless sleep, from which he would never wake. Her humane approach did not work, since too much adrenaline coursed through his veins, so she shot him in the head. Toadstool took it pretty rough. Want returned with special flowers and performed a ceremony for Taint, helping Toadstool more than anyone else.
Want alerted the group, that while gathering flowers, she/he had stumbled upon a small hut that she had seen in a vision. The small hut was resting high on pilings over a strange dodecahedron, connected by many wires and humming of electricity. Their curious silence was broken as an old man wearing a colander hat, stepped forth and demanded an explanation for their presence. Through much dialogue, they learned that the man was Chips and that he was worried about robots in the woods and that perhaps he was a little out of his mind. He tried to bargain for some food to lead us around the woods, but Want learned from the Maelstrom that Chips really wanted to lure them to a put to test out a transporter on them. Want pressed for more information, but received little from the crazy old man. Maple drew a shotgun and forced him to the ground, demanding more answers, while Lithium grew bored and headed back to the convoy.
Lithium returned to the car to find that Toadstool was missing, so she grabbed her bike and followed some fresh pigoon tracks into the woods.
Want asked Maple to borrow his shotgun, in order to extract more information, but instead immediately emptied a shell into the back of Chips head before handing it back to Maple. She explained that no good would come of Chips, and if they left him, he may be able to tip off the bandits to their route. They searched his hut and retrieved some hand made maps.
Lithium stumbled across Toadstool just as her bike began to run out of gas. He was in the clutches of a 15 ft robotic monstrosity that seemed to ooze organic material from the seams. She engaged in a game of chicken with the robot, but was forced to ditch her bike at the last minute as it smashed into the robot’s shins. Maple and Want arrived on the scene as the smoke cleared, just in time to see the robot snatch up Lithium and run off into the forest. With Toadstool now safe, Maple suggested that they chalk it up as a win and head back. Want had to explain to her that perhaps Piss would not be the kind to listen to reason when they showed up without his second in command, and so he reluctantly sped off to save Lithium.
Lithium freed herself from the robot’s claw just as Want approached, and she hurriedly jumped on the back of the scooter. Want sped back to the camp, but not before gifting Lithium the rest of the flowers she had gathered, while there was no one to see. They returned to a slightly disappointed Maple and a relieved Toadstool, before driving on through the night.
[Want]