Cepheus Deluxe: The Bounty Hunter - Session 7

 

Inside the abandoned warehouse. Image: Adobe Stock

Introduction

In last time's very short session Arman Doyle entered an abandoned warehouse looking for the bounty target Cameron Lang.

To play Cepheus Deluxe solo we're using Mythic Game Master Emulator 2nd Edition. For the bounty hunting system we're using Bounty Hunter Handbook.

The Adventure

Scene 9 | Krinnai, Siento 1 | 3023.05.08 | Cr44,558 | Chaos Factor: 6
Arman climbs the first flight of stairs, revolver in hand.

Is there anyone on the first floor? (50/50)
71: No.

He keeps climbing. There are 8 (2D6) floors to the building plus the ground floor, so I'll ask the oracle for each floor until it says yes.

Is there anyone on the second floor? (50/50)
37: Yes.

Is it Cameron Lang (odd) or their friend (even)?
100: The friend.

It's pretty clear that Lang's sent their friend downstairs to deal with this intruder, knowing it's probably a cop or someone they've pissed off. Let's find out what kind of weapon this man's got, using the oracle's chaos factor to determine how powerful it is. I know it's called the Fate Chart in Mythic GME, I just can't help calling it an oracle. It sounds more poetic.

The planet Siento 1 has a tech level of 7 which equates to early 21st Century Earth, so I'll go down the list of appropriate common ranged weapons, starting with the most powerful, which will be the least likely. I don't think he'd attack if he wasn't armed, so if we get to the lowest powered weapon we'll go with that. Also I'll generate a name for him using my favourite name generator site Seventh Sanctum.

Claudio Reyes. I like it!

Is Reyes armed with an assault rifle? (Unlikely)
38: Yes.

Claudio will be what I call a grunt NPC - all his stats are 7 giving him no bonuses or penalties, so his Stamina will be 7 and Lifeblood 14. Remember this is Cepheus Deluxe, so he'll lose points from his Stamina first, then get knocked out when it's zero, then lose Lifeblood and eventually die if that goes to zero. His only skill is Gun Combat-0. He's carrying a Caiman 2070 assault rifle with 30 rounds in the magazine and 3 (1D4) spare mags.

There's no surprise roll here, Claudio has heard Arman coming upstairs so he's lying in wait. Arman reaches the top of the stairs and sees Claudio, who has his rifle pointed down at the floor. Not wanting to take any risks, Arman fires at him twice in quick succession. The second bullet slams into the man's side with an explosion of gore. He gasps and looks around the room, but the only way out would be past Arman.

Clutching his wound, Claudio dives behind a large crate then fires a burst of bullets at Arman. A couple of them rip through the flesh of his left arm, splattering blood on the stairs.

Startled and in pain, Arman darts behind a similar crate and pulls himself together. He leans out from behind his cover and fires at Claudio, hitting him in the stomach and making him double up in agony. Claudio winces and makes a break for the staircase that Arman came from. He rushes past Arman, firing another burst from his rifle. Explosions of blood rip across Arman's chest as he is hit by two rounds. They pummel into him, spinning him round and he slams into the concrete floor.

He tries to move but his whole body feels like it's made of lead and his wounds have him in agony. He feels like he's sinking into a deep darkness beneath the floor as he hears distant voices:
"Holy shit, you capped him man! Let's put him out of his misery."
"C'mon Cam, I'm hurt bad... Just leave him and get me patched up downtown."
"Alright man, alright. Let me take a look at it... It's just a scratch!"

The two voices get further and further away, echoing in the large empty building. Will Arman survive? We'll have to find out next time!


Arman rolls initiative:
9 +1 INT +1 Tactics = 11

Reyes rolls initiative:
8

Round 1
Arman fires.
4 +1 DEX +2 Gun Combat = 7. Miss.

Arman fires twice.
7 +1 DEX +2 Gun Combat = 10. Hit.
2D6 Damage:
7 +2 Effect = 9.
Reyes is reduced to 0 Stamina and 12 Lifeblood, suffering a minor wound (-1 DM to all actions).

Reyes gets into cover (DM-2 to hit him)
Reyes fires a burst of 2 rounds.
9 -1 Minor Wound = 8. Hit.
3D6 damage +highest roll of 2D6 from burst fire -2 Arman's AP:
12 +6 -2 = 16.
Arman is reduced to 0 Stamina and 14 Lifeblood, suffering a minor wound.

Round 2
Arman gets into cover (DM-2 to hit him).
Arman fires at Reyes.
8 +1 DEX +2 Gun Combat -1 Minor wound -2 target in cover = 8. Hit.
2D6 damage:
6.
Reyes is reduced to 6 Lifeblood, suffering a major wound.
Reyes makes an endurance check (Difficulty 8):
9. Success. He stays conscious.

Reyes makes a morale check:
7: Fighting withdrawal.
Reyes moves towards the stairs near Arman then fires at him in burst mode.
11 -1 Minor Wound -2 target in cover = 8. Hit.
3D6 damage +highest roll of 2D6 from burst fire -2 Arman's AP:
12 +5 -2 = 15.
Arman is mortally wounded.



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