Brotherly Love

Heroes: Jag, Zeke, Keigo, Dust and Balarai Snowe
Enemies: Grizzlor, Pandaro, Gooch/Cooch? and JC

Jag – Officer’s Dispatch 6

Recent Duties: The urban warfare in Stratholme has been raging for hours, with the Spherans having firmly invaded the North Business Section. As a result, you’ve naturally been swamped with work (not that this is unusual). After all, the fighting alone is tough enough, and that’s without all the personal injury claims and war crimes charges that you have to deal with!

Troop Status
- Supplies: PK-33 Handguns, Armored Flak Vests, Deluxe Laywers’ suits, briefcases full of legal documents. You can never have too many legal documents, after all.
- Morale: Your men are stressed and overworked. Which means, of course, that they’re enjoying themselves greatly. After all, the LSAT is ten times the deep-fry pressure cooker that an embattled city is.
- Health: You were shocked and amazed to discover that the Colonel’s KFC is in fact some form of health food. If this were to get out, it could ruin his whole chicken empire. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem likely to ruin their health, as you had originally feared.

Military Communiques
- With the raging battle sweeping into Stratholme itself, Republic command lines are in chaos. However, you did manage to overhear a dispatch stating that even more Republic reinforcements have been converging on the city. Commander Kilant himself may even be at their head. However, the current civilian evacuations taking place would seem to undermine these rumors of Republic forces ready to re-take the city.

Personal Notes
- It has come to your attention that those crooked Auxiliaries may still be involved in illegal activity. You’ve heard rumors that Fats Dynamo might be involved in illicit substance dealing, and that Funky has been offering deals on equipment he seems to have pilfered off the battlefield. While there isn’t much you can do with the city thus embattled, these activities could result in serious repercussions once you get back to base!
- The city of Stratholme may have all but fallen, but you don’t intend its laws to fall with it! In particular, you’ve learned from Moran and Kufta that most of the city’s legal documents were kept in the City Court and Attorney-General’s office. As part of the legal heritage of the city, you can’t allow them to be destroyed. Unfortunately, the Attorney-General’s office lies on the very southern edge of the North Business Sector; and getting past the Spheran lines is no easy task.

Mini-Objective
- Recover Stratholme’s legal documents from the Attorney-General’s Office.

Balarai Snowe – Officer’s Report 5

Recent Duties: The urban warfare in Stratholme has been raging for hours, with the Spherans having firmly invaded the North Business Section. Quite frankly, you liked sitting behind a wall with your cannons a whole lot better. With so many of the Republic’s men packed into tight, city buildings, it’s even been a lot harder to avoid doing work – though of course certainly not impossible for a man of your expertise.

Troop Status
- Supplies: Heavy Field Mortars, 2 Remote Mines, Combat Daggers, ratched-up winter parkas and snowshoes, and a broken copy of Risk, the game of global domination. - Morale: Although most of your men are new recruits, the attitude of dissent has quickly spread among them. Apparently, those drakkhaans appearing on the walls have made a lot of your men more than a bit dubious at remaining in the city.
- Health: Thanks to the abundance of KFC that you acquired, your men are eating well. In fact, this may well be the only reason they haven’t abandoned the city entirely yet. However, even the Colonel’s buckets are only so big, and the root of this problem needs to be addressed.

Military Communiques
- Naturally, you haven’t been able to hear anything of use from Auxiliaries command lines. With Rodric MIA, you’re not even sure who the ranking Auxiliaries officer is in the city.

Personal Notes
- The dissent among your troops is of major concern to you. After all, all you’ve done for them, you just wanted a little respect, eh? From what you’ve heard, the dissidents must have a ring-leader of some sort, and you suspect it’s one of those three who survived the mountain battle at the ford. Clearly, this miscreant must be found so he can be sorted out.
- With the city of Stratholme on the verge of collapse, you’ve got a gut feeling that the rogue Auxiliary, JC, will put his plan (whatever it is) into action soon.

Mini-Objective
- Put an end to the talk of dissent among the Avalanche.

Sleke – Officer’s Report 10

Recent Duties: The urban warfare in Stratholme has been raging for hours, with the Spherans having firmly invaded the North Business Section. Frankly, though, the Spheran advance isn’t nearly so worrisome as the continual mangling of your name. Besides, in your opinion, you’ve done all you can and it’s time for the Republic to cut its losses and get out of this city.

Troop Status
- Supplies: Hacksaw Shotguns, Combat Helms, Republic Sabres which you have no idea how to use, a shiny new motorbike, and Zeke’s famous Haunted Tent of Horror.
- Morale: Unfortunately, you and your men haven’t had much time recently to operate your Haunted Tent, but the exuberation from the recent profits should last for a little while, anyway. All the more reason to get out of this city as quickly as you can, so that business can resume.
- Health: You’re still a little concerned about the health implications of the ‘ectoplasm’ found in your tent. After all, it may be only maple syrup, but it also belonged to Kal Meecham, and was part of the Top Secret Government Waffle project – both of which are rather disconcerting facts.

Military Communiques
- Naturally, you haven’t been able to hear anything of use from Auxiliaries command lines. With Rodric MIA, you’re not even sure who the ranking Auxiliaries officer is in the city.
- You did, however, receive yet another transmission (courtesy of Gooch) from the man known only as JC. The main purpose of this call seemed to be to mangle your name as many times as possible. However, he also said something about making his ‘move’ soon, and that with the Republic tied up with the Spherans, there was nothing to stop him from taking what he wanted...

Personal Notes
- You’ve found yet more mysterious substances in your Haunted Tent, on the rare occasions you have time to visit it. But rather than being brown and gooey, these small, cylindrical objects are white and puffy. You’re worried that Kal Meecham might be performing yet more experiments in your tent; but frankly, given his eccentricity, you’re rather worried about confronting him directly, not to mention you’d have to find his latest hiding spot first.
- JC has mispronounced your name for the last time! No one knows better than you that it’s all on the wheel, and no one crosses you and gets away with it. Besides, now that you actually know how to drive, there’s no way he can even escape either.

Mini-Objective
- Make sure you’re the one to personally take down JC, and prove once and for all just what your name is.

Atobe Keigo – Officer’s Report 5

Recent Duties: The urban warfare in Stratholme has been raging for hours, with the Spherans having firmly invaded the North Business Section. Personally, you’re still enraged at being forced to fall back from the city walls to begin with. Surely, their collapse can only be attributed to horribly shoddy worksmanship. If you ever meet the architect responsible, you’re sure to have him fried alive.

Troop Status
- Supplies: FLAME-THROWERS, Deluxe uniforms and food rations consisting exclusively of so-called ‘health’ food. Fortunately, you should be able to convince Stenda that the Colonel’s KFC actually counts as such.
- Morale: Many of the soldiers garrisoned in the city are petrified by the appearance of the Dragon of Sphere and his legendary drakkhaan. Seishuen Gakuen, on the other hand, couldn’t be more thrilled. You have to admit you were even rather enthralled yourself. You hope you get a chance to face the beasts again in the near future and examine them close up!
- Health: In spite of Stenda’s awful health food, a bucket of the Colonel’s secret recipe of 11 different herbs and spices has restored your strength. You’ve been hoping to convince her to incorporate some into your rations, but as a matter of fact, you haven’t seen her around recently…

Military Communiques
- Getting any sort of news from the chaotic Republic command lines has been difficult of late. However, you have learned that the city’s important oil caravan is just about ready to roll. It should be leaving any time now from the city’s Refinery Sector, if only the Republic lines can hold long enough. You bet with all that oil, the Colonel sure could deep fry a lot of chicken…

Personal Notes - Strangely, you haven’t seen your second-in-command, Stenda, around ever since your withdrawal from the city walls. Another man from your unit is unaccounted for as well, and you’re not quite sure what has happened to either. The only possible clue is a sticky, white substance you’ve found smeared in various corners of your tent. It’s hard to tell what it might once have been, since it seems to have been melted by the heat of your new flame-throwers (which your men just can't stop practicing with in your tent).
- While you’re very excited to have seen a drakkhaan first hand, you’re somewhat less pleased that Captain Rodric managed to upstage you with that silly little display of his, taking on the Dragon. You’re sure that you’re more than ready to take on the Spheran leader yourself! After all, he may be the Dragon of Sphere, but just how many years of tennis experience does he have?

Mini-Objective
- Recover both Stenda and your missing soldier from their current predicament, whatever it may be.

Dust – Officer’s Report 4

Recent Duties: After a gruelling and rather humiliating battle with those ridiculous clowns, you were told that the nearby city of Stratholme was under serious Spheran threat. You and your Boyos were dispatched to the beleaguered city with all haste in an attempt to halt the Spheran force.
After a day’s worth of hit-and-run sniping attacks on the Spheran supply lines, you and the Boyo Scouts eventually made your way into the city proper. It was hardly a moment too soon, either: the attack came mere hours later. You and your men were stationed at the city’s East gate, sniping down many a Spheran attacker from the city’s battlements. Before long, however, the attacking host withdrew, and word came that the city’s North gate had fallen. You and your Boyos were immediately redeployed to a rooftop in the city’s North sector, to take up a sniping position and hopefully at least take a dent out of the advancing Spheran invaders as they penetrated the city…

Troop Status
- Supplies: SIR Rifles, Republic Sabres, Deluxe Scout Uniforms. - Morale: As usual, the Boyos are in rather shaky straits. Along with the fall of the north wall came news that the Spherans had brought forth their drakkhaan, legendary winged monsters, to bring the wall down – lead, no less, than by the Dragon of Sphere himself. There’s not much doubt about what the Boyos’ reaction would be should one of these mythical creatures make an appearance anywhere near them.
- Health: The march from Front Base to the city was gruelling, but nothing yoru tough Denchulli Boyos couldn’t handle.

Military Communiques
- You’ve heard that the man in charge of the city is none other than the Colonel, the most enigmatic of Conventionals officers. He’s supposed to be a master of strategy and in fact is said to be cooking one up at this very moment. You don’t know anything about the Colonel’s current battle plans, other than the fact it’s been code-named Operation Deep-Fry.

Personal Notes
- You’ve noted that the Spherans seem to be using weapons with which you’re not familiar. As a firearms enthusiast and expert sharp-shooter, you believe it would be in your best interest to familiarize yourself with the enemies’ arms. You’ve heard that the Spheran light infantry primarily use a rifle dubbed the ‘Highwind,’ and you plan for this to be your first acquistion.

Mini-Objective
- Obtain a Spheran ‘Highwind’ Light Infantry rifle.

Adventure Summary

  • Our scene opens with our heroes fleeing through the streets of Stratholme, with Spheran troops in hot pursuit. They are cut off by a rubble-blocked street, but saved by the sudden appearance of Dust's snipers, who lay down cover-fire to keep the Spherans at bay.
  • A sewer hole is discovered and Zeke and Snowe's troops begin evacuation. Keigo and Seigaku, however, refuse to descend into the festering waterways, and instead begin climbing ropes dropped by Dust's men.
  • With only the commanding officers remaining, a massive foot stomps down on the sewer hole: GRIZZLOR!! Pandaro appears atop the nearby rubble and informs our heroes that it's time to pay their tab. A fierce battle against the two Ursan warriors ensues, that leaves only Zeke and Dust standing in victory.
  • Our heroes manage to return to the Republic command centre in the embattled city, where they find that the Spherans have seized the entire North Business Sector. Heavy civilian evacuations are taking place at the East gate while the Republic soldiers desperately try to hold the city core.
  • Jag and Keigo search for a 'nutritious' breakfast of KFC, but find that the base is all out, allegedly due to making big sales to the Spherans.
  • Keigo is insensed by the apparent disappearance of her sergeant, and scours the command building to no avail.
  • Dust heads to the frontline in search of a rifle, but finds a large 'dead zone' across a central city street, with anyone going across bound to get shot.
  • Jag proposes that both Stenda and a rifle might be found in the North business sector, and proposes that the three of them find a way in.
  • Snowe searches for the source of dissent among his troops, and learns that the ring-leader is a man by the name of Jack Frost.
  • Jag and Keigo devise operation 'Trojan Bucket,' which involves 'disguising' themselves as a chicken delivery to the Spheran lines. They trick Dust into participating, and together begin rolling towards the North sector inside a greasy chicken barrel.
  • Meanwhile, Zeke begins making advertisements for his Haunted Tent on other empty KFC delivery barrels.
  • The Trojan Bucket reaches the Attorney's Office in the Business sector. Jag and Keigo scramble inside, and Dust does the same, after shooting a Spheran bullet right out of the air and spending a moment gaping in amazement. When the three step out of the office, they mysteriously find themselves back behind Republic lines, in what can only be attributed to a case of very poor Adventure editing.
  • Snowe catches Frost in a conversation with Desrae, with the two officers plotting a desertion of the embattled city. Snowe entices them to stay with promises that Republic reinforcements will soon be distracting the Spherans and they can then get out with some good 'bonus' loot.
  • Keigo and Jag pay a visit to the Real Ghostbusters, where Stenda and one of Keigo's men are being through a series of 'psychic experiments' by Peter Venckman. Keigo flames Venckman and threatens him never to come near her troops again. Ray, meanwhile, has a marshmellow roast over the newly started fire.
  • Back at HQ, Zeke discovers that Major Rommel is missing, and his aides de campe are in a panic - apparently, the Major was the only one besides the Colonel to know the details of top secret 'Operation Deep-Fry.'
  • Dust discovers Funky scrounging weapons from the battlefield and purchases a Highwind rifle off of him.
  • Snowe discovers Rommel's girlfriend, Hilda, dead in her tent, and receives word from Gooch that JC is waiting to get him and 'Sleke' out in the Southwest Industrial Sector.
  • Without Rommel, the city's command lines are in chaos. As 'ranking' Auxiliaries officers, Zeke and Snowe declare that JC is their only lead to Rommel's disappearance and take their men down to the Industrial Sector. Keigo, Jag and Dust refuse to abandon the city's frontlines and stay to lead the defenses there.
  • Snowe and Zeke discover both a dying Rommel (having apparently been shot) and JC loading up the city's oil reserves in a convoy of trucks. Rommel gasps that the oil must be recovered for Operation Deep Fry. After several moments of expressing their 'Brotherly Love' to JC, Snowe and Zeke secretly call in Jag, Keigo and Dust.
  • The troops arrive and a race against time begins as the Republic soldiers try to take down JC's 'Gang of Brothers' before the oil trucks escape. In the end, they are successful, but the enemy leaders, JC and Gooch, hole up in a nearby bunker.
  • Zeke, Sleke or whoever he is rams his bike into the biker, loudly declaring both his real name and his intention to take down JC. Despite a sudden punch from JC and several Identity Crises on the part of Gooch (often resulting in Dust firing on Jag instead), our heroes are victorious in taking down the nefarious villains, in spite of their brotherly treatment.
  • Emerging outside, they find themselves surrounded by Spheran troops. However, their capture does not last long, as the city's Southwest gates are flung open by Kilant himself, leading a brigade of reinforcements that quickly dispatch the Spherans.
  • The recovered oil is quickly carted off to the airfield, and used to turn the city into a blazing inferno. Kilant, an enthralled Keigo and the rest of our heroes watch from the walls as Stratholme begins to burn, and any Spherans trapped within the walls with it...

    • Major Characters this Session

    Jack Frost
    Race: ??
    Rank: Private
    Affiliation: Electran Auxiliaries, the Avalanche
    Without doubt, Jack Frost is a decidedly sinister figure. Dressed in a dark winter parka with the furry hood always pulled up, he has a frosty, angular face and constant white stubble. Frost is a soldier in Balarai Snowe's Auxiliaries unit The Avalanche, and a ring-leader of dissent amongst the troops. He is never without a bag of crunchy carrots, on which he is constantly snacking, nor is he ever without some kind of slippery scheme of some sort or another.

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