0600 25 AUG 2000, Krakow, Poland (Hex 17358)
===================================
"I can't abide by someone pickin' on someone smaller than them. Never could really, since I was often that smaller one. They may have been bigger but wrong is wrong and you need to nip that crap in the bud. That guy up on his high horse was enjoying his job too much and when he hit the girl, I called him out for it. I may not speak Polish but I know enough colorful words to get the point across. Wally was with me and Macron backin' us up so I hoped it would make an impression on him. He decided to change the direction of the conversation by slappin' leather. That was fine by me and he had it comin'."
We can make the assumption that the occupation of the former radio station will take most of the day and the early evening. The following day, the team can then begin the exploration of the city. There are a lot of things to do, so the team will need to split up. To help organize the events, we will switch back to the travel template.
Using the shifts in the travel template, we can segment the action into usable blocks, but there are some ground rules.
- For each group that moves during the shift and the base, we will make an encounter roll. It is a major city and there are a lot of people running around. The encounter tables will use the encounter tables on page 12 of the Free City of Krakow (1985). For encounter purposes, the area inside the city walls (city district of Srodmiescie) will use the same chart as outside the walls, to keep us honest and to make life easier.
- The teams need not roll for navigation or hazards beyond the encounters they roll.
- Radio communication is possible for the teams if members have access to a radio. All radio communication is assumed to be in the same hex.
Morning Shift (0600-1200)
Weather:
The weather rolled on our weather chart is fair.
Light Conditions:
The light conditions are Light for this shift.
Activities:
We have several tasks to accomplish. The first is to visit the market and sell the weapons in order to maintain the appearance of being gun runners. In addition, the team has no food left so it would be great to find something the team can eat and drink and fuel for the vehicles. In addition, the team needs to explore the city and see if they can find anyone that may help them find the CIA contact that may help them find out what happened to the SF team that was supposed to rendezvous with the cav troopers. A security team will also need to need to watch the base in order to run off any potential squatters and riff-raff.
The team will be divided up as follows:
- Team #1 (Market) - Klasha, Harris, Potato, Griff. Team #1 will drive Bad to the market, set up a stall and sell the weapons. Harris will assist Klasha in the sales while Griff and Potato provide security by hulking in the background.
- Team #2 (Exploration) - Wally, Marshall, Macron. Team #2 will explore a bit before moving deeper in the city, check out the bars and restaurants and get the lay of the land.
- Team #3 (Base) - Iov, Logan, Robinson. Iov is on strict bedrest with mother hen Logan making sure the keeps to it. Robinson will assume a position on the roof, patrolling visibly to make sure no one comes knocking. The team does not have any plans for a tea party just yet.
Encounters:
The encounters for each group are as follows:
- Team #1 (Market) - No encounter
- Team #2 (Exploration) - Robotniki
- Team #3 (Base) - No encounter
Resolutions:
Team #1 (Market)
The team has a lot to sell. For some of the weapons that are not in the 4v game, I used the conversion factor of the v2 price with an additional 33% added and rounded up. Small arms ammunition has the price of $1 per round, as the basis for transactions. Magazines sell for $1 per three-rounds of capacity (round up). This gives us the following list, with the totals after modification because of the reliability (-10% for each level below the base) multiplied by the number of items for the total modified price:
|
No. Of Items |
Description |
Base Rel. |
Current Rel. |
Factor |
Base Price |
Modified Price |
Total Mod. Price |
|
1 |
UZI |
5 |
5 |
100% |
$ 350,00 |
$ 350,00 |
$ 350,00 |
|
3 |
32-round 9mm P Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 11,00 |
$ 11,00 |
$ 33,00 |
|
1 |
M231 |
5 |
4 |
90% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 297,00 |
$ 297,00 |
|
1 |
M231 |
5 |
2 |
70% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 231,00 |
$ 231,00 |
|
1 |
M231 |
5 |
4 |
90% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 297,00 |
$ 297,00 |
|
1 |
PPSh-41 |
5 |
4 |
90% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 297,00 |
$ 297,00 |
|
1 |
PPSh-41 |
5 |
4 |
90% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 297,00 |
$ 297,00 |
|
1 |
PPSh-41 |
5 |
5 |
100% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 330,00 |
$ 330,00 |
|
1 |
PPSh-41 |
5 |
1 |
60% |
$ 330,00 |
$ 198,00 |
$ 198,00 |
|
1 |
71-round 7.62mm T Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 24,00 |
$ 24,00 |
$ 24,00 |
|
1 |
PP-19 |
5 |
3 |
80% |
$ 350,00 |
$ 280,00 |
$ 280,00 |
|
1 |
PP-19 |
5 |
2 |
70% |
$ 350,00 |
$ 245,00 |
$ 245,00 |
|
7 |
64-round 9mm M Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 22,00 |
$ 22,00 |
$ 154,00 |
|
1 |
PM-84 |
5 |
3 |
80% |
$ 300,00 |
$ 240,00 |
$ 240,00 |
|
3 |
25-round 9mm M Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 9,00 |
$ 9,00 |
$ 27,00 |
|
1 |
M40A3 |
5 |
2 |
70% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 350,00 |
$ 350,00 |
|
1 |
Hunting Bow |
5 |
1 |
60% |
$ 150,00 |
$ 90,00 |
$ 90,00 |
|
28 |
Loose rounds of 8mm M |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 28,00 |
|
97 |
Loose rounds 9mm P |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 97,00 |
|
200 |
loose rounds of 7.62mm T |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 200,00 |
|
1.098 |
loose rounds 9mm M |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1.098,00 |
|
1 |
Arrow |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
|
1 |
MG3 |
5 |
3 |
80% |
$ 2.000,00 |
$ 1.600,00 |
$ 1.600,00 |
|
1 |
RPK |
5 |
4 |
90% |
$ 600,00 |
$ 540,00 |
$ 540,00 |
|
1 |
FN-FAL |
5 |
5 |
100% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 500,00 |
$ 500,00 |
|
1 |
FN-FAL |
5 |
3 |
80% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 400,00 |
$ 400,00 |
|
1 |
FN-LAR |
5 |
5 |
100% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 500,00 |
$ 500,00 |
|
1 |
FN-LAR |
5 |
2 |
70% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 350,00 |
$ 350,00 |
|
1 |
L1A1 |
5 |
3 |
80% |
$ 500,00 |
$ 400,00 |
$ 400,00 |
|
1 |
AKM |
5 |
2 |
70% |
$ 300,00 |
$ 210,00 |
$ 210,00 |
|
1 |
AKM |
5 |
5 |
100% |
$ 300,00 |
$ 300,00 |
$ 300,00 |
|
10 |
30-round 7.62mm S Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 10,00 |
$ 10,00 |
$ 100,00 |
|
16 |
20-round 7.62mm N Magazines |
|
|
100% |
$ 7,00 |
$ 7,00 |
$ 112,00 |
|
304 |
loose rounds 7.62mm S |
|
|
100% |
$ 1,00 |
$ 1,00 |
$ 304,00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Totals |
$ 10.480,00 |
Now nobody is going to shell out that amount of money so we will assume a generic merchant with EMP: C (D8) and Persuasion: B (D10), like our friend Metody. The motivations of the merchant are:
- Ten of Diamonds (Very Greedy)
- Nine of Hearts (Very sociable)
The rest will be done using my trade rules from post 0079 - Trade in Twilight: 2000 from Thursday, August 29, 2019. The rules are similar to the rules stated in v4 and I have made adjustments here to accommodate the new rules. For the lot, our merchant contact (call him Konstanty Tomaszewski) will offer us an initial price of 80% - 15% because he is Very Greedy or 65% of the total value. Klasha will attempt to persuade him to raise the price.
|
Task: |
Persuade the Merchant to raise his offer |
|
|
Ability Die: |
Empathy B (D10) |
|
|
Skill Die: |
Persuasion B (D10) |
|
|
Modifiers: |
+1 aided by Harris |
= +1 |
|
Mod. Ability Die: |
Empathy A (D12) |
[+1 Step, total = +1] |
|
Mod. Skill Die: |
Persuasion B (D10) |
[Unmodified] |
|
Ammo Die: |
-- |
|
|
Roll: |
8,9,-- |
|
|
Result: |
2 Successes |
|
The merchant gets the chance to resist the attempt, as this is an opposed roll.
|
Task: |
Stand by his offer |
|
|
Ability Die: |
Empathy C (D8) |
|
|
Skill Die: |
Persuasion B (D10) |
|
|
Modifiers: |
-- |
|
|
Mod. Ability Die: |
Empathy C (D8) |
[Unmodified] |
|
Mod. Skill Die: |
Persuasion B (D10) |
[Unmodified] |
|
Ammo Die: |
-- |
|
|
Roll: |
7,1,-- |
|
|
Result: |
1 Success |
|
After a long session of haggling, in which the matrimonial relationship of the parents of the participants at the time of their birth was often called into question, the merchant raises his offer by 10% or a total of 75%.
The team now have some extra cash on hand ($10.480 * 0,75 = $7.860). Those who have been reading for a while may remember the discussion on portable wealth. As I mentioned, I use a modified version of Hacksilber to support the trade in my environment, with a gram of gold priced at $50 and a gram of silver at $1. (See 0080 - Labor, Wealth and Slavery for more information). Using this system, the team walks away with 150g of gold and 360g of silver. That is portable wealth.
Team #2 (Exploration)
The second team has an encounter with Robotniki. For those that are unfamiliar with the term, these are refugees "who do not have needed skills (such as distilling, hand crafts, chemistry, masonry, explosives, or bicycle making, to name a few) are offered the opportunity to purchase citizenship by working for one year in the city farms or industries as indentured laborers (robotniki)" (Free City of Krakow, pg. 33). Groups of them can be met around the out edge of the city under armed guard but never in the city proper.
The group probably walks past one city farms where the group would be working. August is a traditional harvest time in Poland, so they are probably busy bringing in the crops. It could be a simple encounter or we could make a scene of it. Who am I kidding? Off to the scene we go
Scene K4 - The Robotniki (CF 6)
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Scene Setup
The team passes one of the official city farms and observes a group of Robotniki working hard to bring in the crops.
[GME: Are the Robotniki under guard? - Chaos Rank 6 - Very Likely (90%) - 48% - Yes]
A group of ORMO minders are doing their best to make sure their pledges work hard and are still there in the evening. The group will observe the Robotniki for a bit and then move on.
Scene Resolution
The scene resolution roll is a 5 (Altered Scene). Being characters, nothing can ever go smoothly. Now to figure out what was altered. Something may have happened while the team was watching the group or as they were leaving. The GME can help us here, I think.
[GME: Does something happen while the group is watching the Robotniki? - Chaos Rank 6 - 50/50 (65%) - 59% - Yes]
Robotniki have a pretty hard lot in life. They may be maltreated by the guards on a regular basis and not have a lot to say about it. This might be the problem at the moment.
[GME: Does the group observe the guards maltreating the Robotniki? - Chaos Rank 6 - Likely (85%) - 59% - Yes]
We at least know where the problem is. Marshall may have added her impression in her journal.
"It was a basket of turnips. Just a basket of turnips. The girl had a the green band on her arm, marking her as Robotniki, which is apparently a nice word for slave. Theoretically one could work a year and gain citizenship but the trick was to survive that year. They are worked mercilessly under terrible conditions for that year. You really have to think which is worse, the world out there or the life of a Robotniki. I know which one I would choose and it would be the open road. It cannot be worse than how she was living.
She dropped the basket because she was probably just plain exhausted. The basket fell, turnips scattering across the field, and the guard whipped his horse around and came trotting over, cudgel already raised to punish the waif for dropping the basket. She let out a hoarse scream as the weapon descended but it lacked any power. She was that done for. The first hit put her on the ground but the guy did not seem content with that."
The characters (Wally, Marshall and Macron) observe the guard beating the girl. How would the characters react? The moral codes and such of the characters can help if you do not have a long, drawn out psychological profile of your characters. Wally is a Mad Max fan and dreams of a free and independent Poland. The sight of the girl slave being beaten will probably disturb him.
Marshall has proven to be a little more than willing to use violence to get the job done and a fan of the underdog. This situation is probably going to call her to action. Macron may be disturbed by the treatment of the girl but probably not enough to get involved directly. He would, however, back the team up as he is used to being the hammer if they find a nail.
With this in mind, we can assume that Wally and Marshall will give the guard an ear full. How will he react? He probably will not be happy with someone questioning his authority in front of the Robotniki. Still, we can ask the GME.
[GME: Does the guard object to the team's interference? - Chaos Rank 6 - Likely (85%) - 80% - Yes]
We can assume there is some exchange of words and obscenities but will the guard take it further?
[GME: Is the guard willing to resort to violence because of the team's interference? - Chaos Rank 6 - Unlikely (50% - fighting inside the city can have serious consequences after all) - 2% - Exceptional Yes]
Now that was unexpected. I had assumed, when I started this scene, that there may have been some bad blood or maybe even a bit of melee but an Exceptional Yes would probably mean that not only is the guard willing to use violence but it would probably be deadly and not just blow up side someone's head.
Looks like we are going to need a battle map.
