conversations: human
conversations:  Background 
  
  For generations, the animal mutants lived in fear and
  awe of the Watchers, humankind’s representatives
  on Earth. Occasional attempts to escape Paradise
  Valley and to avoid abductions occurred from time to time, but were crushed brutally and did not spread among the tribes. In the last few years, something has changed. A secret network of animals with dreams of resistance has been forming slowly in Paradise Valley. The center of this network – unknown even to most of its members – is Truffaut 13, Elder of the Bear Tribe.
  A few years back, Truffaut had an experience that came to change his life forever. Like most other bears he was a loner. He roamed Paradise Valley, through the forests and across the moors. One day he saw something astonishing. Outside the Outer Fence, on a mountainside, a group of bipedal creatures walked. They walked upright and wore clothes, but they had no fur. Truffaut recognized them from the yellowing images he had seen in the Lodge.
  Humans. Some of them were strangely deformed, but no matter. The Humans were back. Truffaut rushed up to the fence and called out to the strangers. They heard him and saw him, and approached the Fence. They were armed but did not raise their weapons. Animal and human, together again. Two forms of intelligent life stared at each other through the barbed wire of the Fence. Truffaut heard the Drone too late. A searing energy beam from the hovering Watcher destroyed the face of the human closest to him. The others fled, panicked.
  Truffaut did the same, convinced his life was at an end. The next energy beam hit him in the back. When Truffaut woke up he was back in his tribe’s outpost, wounded but alive. Hunters from his tribe had found him unconscious in the forest. Truffaut told the tribe about his experience, but what could they do? The Outer Fence was as impenetrable as ever, if the others believed him or not made no difference. Life in Paradise Valley carried on.
  Truffaut never stopped thinking about his meeting with humankind. His conviction that the true home for the tribes was out there, beyond the Fence, grew stronger. Humankind had returned, and the Watchers were stopping the animals from leaving Paradise Valley to meet their makers. This had to end. The dream of freedom grew ever more intense in his heart. But, bear as he is, Truffaut was patient.
  He learned the symbols of humankind’s written language and travelled to the Lodge to read every single book he could trade for. He watched the Outer Fence and the Forbidden Zones. He contacted likeminded, in utmost secrecy. Now, his fur gray and with only a few years left to feel freedom, he has set his plan in motion. The Resistance has been born.
  (this info have not been given to anyone outside the leaders of the Resistance, which is basically only Truffaut 13 himself to begin with, although this will quite soon include you all as well)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
   Spring Festival! 
  
  
  It's time for the Spring Festival, an offshoot early festival to prepare for The Wild Dance (an event where all the Animal Mutants of Paradise Valley does not speak, use tools, etc. etc. Doing all the wild partying stuff. It's a way they try to reconnect to their ancestors and enjoy the beginning of the Spring). All of you are present at this neutral-agreed location, which happens to be within the Bear Tribe's Habitat this year. The festival includes Booths set up with food, wares, etc. etc. It's still all very primitive any closer to an imitation of the big Market located at the Dog Tribe's Outpost in their own Habitat.
  The Festival have been a rather recent event as well, having begun only a few years ago after an old magazine showing an Old Age Festival in great picture-quality.
  Ever since then, the Festival had begun to evolve past just a mating-party and have become much more. Most kinds of Animal Mutants are present, although it's nowhere near 'everyone'.
  
  In any case, you're all present at the Festival and it's closing in to the time when food is given out freely to everyone.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Feel free to explore the Festival, meet up with each other, etc. etc. Most of you do not yet know each other in any way, shape or form, unless you're from the same Tribe of course.
  But feel free to Conveniently meet up and at least get to know each other a little bit.
  
  Below is the Resistance Sheet for turn 1. This is basically the prelude to Turn 1, so for now just ignore the sheet or the usual way I explained in the OOC how i turn functions. That part We'll come to later.
   
  
  
  
  
  --------------------------
    Resistance Sheet  
   
   Spoiler 
  
   Turn 1 
  
  ---------------------
    Dog Tribe  
  Population: 200
  Insurgency: 5
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Ape Tribe  
  Population: 180
  Insurgency: 45
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Cat Tribe  
  Population: 100
  Insurgency: 10
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Rat Tribe  
  Population: 220
  Insurgency: 25
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Rabbit Tribe  
  Population: 300
  Insurgency: 65
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Reptile Tribe  
  Population: 160
  Insurgency: 25
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    BearTribe  
  Population: 80
  Insurgency: 10
  Cells: 0
  Operation:
  
    Badger Tribe  
  Population: 100
  Insurgency: 25
  Cells: 1
  Operation:
   
conversations: Hemnon:
conversations: human
conversations:  Aldren 10 walks around the festival grounds taking in the sights around him. The festival is one of the few times that he will allow humself to relax and actually smile once or twice.
  
  Looking the various booths over, Aldren speaks with the various merchants, about their wares and other mundane subjects. Aldren asks how their various habitats are doing with a genuine concern in his replies.
  
  As he walks around, Aldren greets his fellow warriors in a typical warrior way. The usual sizing each other up, compliments on the various weaponry, and the usual friendly insults that follow.
  
   Not a bad turnout this year, it should be decent celebration this year. Can't wait until the food is served though.  Aldren whispers to himself as he continues to walk around.
conversations: Squadfather42:
conversations: human
conversations:  Piaf 13 was partying like it was his first party. He really loved these things and, he was going to milk it all for what it was worth. Besides the more energy he burnt the more food he could eat. He didn't really care about anything besides the partying part of party and the food. This was one of the few nights of the year where he didn't want to help anyone besides himself.
conversations: Extrail:
conversations: human
conversations:  One inevitable part of the Spring Festival is what's come to be called The Cauldron. Most of the food in the stalls now and on platters in the near future comes from a sprawling landscape of cook fires and clay pots that appeared in a nearby valley almost overnight. Several figures pass between the Cauldron and the gathering proper, including a tall, thin figure who carries a steaming wooden plank of assorted meats like a tribal priest carrying a ceremonial headdress.
  
  Byron 09 started helping out in the Cauldron years ago for two main reasons. First, he does his part to collect the meat and plants that go to the Cauldron so he may as well help with the cooking. Second, he can be trusted to A: not take offense to transporting meat for consumption and B: not eat a percentage of the meat entrusted to his care. He doesn't mind at all, save for the strange looks he gets from the odd cat who seems tempted to mug him for his steaks.
  
  Once he's made his delivery, Byron 09 leans against the appreciative vendor's stall and scans the festival grounds, taking in the scene. There's a mastiff elder lecturing a rat, not realizing  the rat may be relatively older than himself. There a group of Cat and Ape children playing tag, under the lazy supervision of chit-chatting elders. And over there...   Huh. There's Hemingway 02. I ain't seen her since... well, since last rutting season actually. She's got a faun now. ...She and I got some catchin' up to do, looks like.  
conversations: Toric:
conversations: human
conversations:  The festival went on as usual, simplistic as it still were.
  Mutant Animals were everywhere... or rather, there were a far bigger showing than ever, numbering somewhere in the 100s, which for an area having only around 1200~ish total Mutant Animals, 1-12th of the grand population is a big turn-out.
  
  As the evening began encroaching and the food were dealt out to everyone, a sudden ruckus began to disturb the peace on northward.
  From the treelines they came, Watchers... a regular squad of them, not just a single Flyer Drone or Sentinel.
  A Sentinel with a more flashy outlook stepped forward from the Squad of watchers and a synthetic voice (like always) came from it.
  " Halt there everyone, Do not resist and you will not be harmed. Selection in progress. " It said and then the other Watchers began walking from Mutant Animal to Mutant Animal, their robotic lense-eyes scanning each Mutant Animal they passed.
  
  Aldren 10 spots his Pup, Sheperd 04 being amongst a group that the Watchers seems to be singling out for further investigation.
  What if they took little Sheperd? What would Aldren 10 do then? As per tradition, no one, EVER, resisted the Abductions. to do so would bring shame and the retribution of the Watchers. It's been seen before. But those rumours, that the Chosen never returning and possibly being killed off, could they be true?
  
  One of Piaf 13's younger Clutch-siblings (by a few minutes of hatching between them) is also present in that group of corden'd off Mutant Animals. How's Piaf 13 reacting to this? He knows the same as Aldren 10 about the Abductions, and possibly having experienced them much harsher and more Frequent than Aldren 10 would have (being of the Dog Tribe and all, He would have received preferential treatment, no matter how much it is denied).
  
  Byron 09 (being from a rather big breed-group to have such a high number), did not recognize anyone as family or tribe in that fashion. He might have met one or two of the Mutant Animals grouped into the small collection that the Watchers seem to be Cordoning off for further investigation.
  
  ---------------------------
  
  Watchers usually take only 1 or 2 Animals per Abduction and they happen regularly (but not often, as such). It is sort of a ritual that's been going on ever since time immemorial. Something storied by the elders, who's parents' parents might have known a bit about the true history of the Mutant Animals.
  
  Lately tho, some have begun to resist the abductions (most got killed or pacified)... But it's still a great Taboo to do so, especially for the Dog Tribe and Bear Tribe (Rabbit Tribe dun give a fuk, and blow to bits every damn watcher that gets near their Habitat Outpost).
conversations: Hemnon:
conversations: human
conversations:  Aldren 10 reflexively takes a step towards the group of animals and watchers.
  
    What is the deal here? We've done nothing wrong, how many subjects do they need? No.....not Sheperd, not my pup.  
  
  Without thinking and moving on instinct, Aldrin moves through the gatheted animals. Heading ever closer to the cordoned off group. His hand slowly reaching for the handle of his sledgehammer.
  
    Stay calm, they may not choose him. After all he's just a cub...why would they need one so young. If they leave him alone, it'll all be good. They try to take him and it's game on.  
conversations: Squadfather42:
conversations: human
conversations:  Well Slytherin. It looks like a fellow sibling was selected. Let's get back to the dancing just be glad that it wasn't someone i cared about. He continued dancing and pretending nothing was wrong. Trying to look like it was usual. He wasn't exactly going to try to stop them after all. He wasn't suicidal, and He was sadly kind of used to it by now.
conversations: Extrail:
conversations: human
conversations:  Byron 09 was indeed the tail end of a truly legendary deer rutting season, one that saw twin births in unprecedented numbers. He was the second of his own pair, and he's locked horns with his twin often since then.
  
  Upon hearing the scratchy voice, Byron 09 freezes like the prey he is. He stands rigid, unmoving but for his darting eyes. The Watchers are certainly a normal aspect of society, but Byron ain't the society type. He lives in a world of predator and prey, and the Watchers are an apex predator if he ever saw one.
  
  The mutant deer's nostrils flare as a Sentinel pauses a yard from him. His legs tense, ready to bolt. He's seen the corpses of those who run. Charred, disfigured, put up as shameful examples of how self-destructive anything less than total compliance can be. Known death and eternal shame, or a completely unknown fate - that's the choice.
  
  ...The Sentinel resumes its walk. Muscles relax. Breathing slows. Fear gives way to quiet elation at having eluded a hunter, tinged with dread for those who aren't so lucky.
conversations: Toric:
conversations: human
conversations:  The Sentinels slowly cordoned off the chosen grouping a little more before doing something that looked like a very deep stare at each of the Mutant Animals individually.
  The first few subjects were let go and rejoined their friends/family/mate with a sigh of happiness for being not chosen.
  
  Suddenly the Staring Sentinel froze in front of Aldren 10's pup, a red light flashing out from it's mechanical eyes (scanning the young pup more deeply) and it uttered "Subject 'Sheperd 04', do not move.".
  Then a sort of 'clink' noise inside the Sentinel. "Subject, you have been chosen. do not resist and you will not be hurt." The Sentinel said in it's mechanical voice and one of it's fellow Sentinels wheeled up near young Sheperd 04 and clamped a sealed wristcuff around the Pup's wrist, the chain on it attached to the Sentinel itself.
  
  "Subject have been obtained, return to base." It said to the others and then they began wheeling out, leaving everyone else behind with a shocked 'but that was just a youngling.... The Watchers don't normally take the young.' sort of mutterings and shocked stares from amongst the rest of the Mutant Animals.
  A few more besides Sheperd 04 have been taken as well, some are older and there's one other youngling besides the Pup who was taken along by the Watchers.
  
  --------------------------------
  
  The watchers are about to leave.
  What do you all do? 🙂
conversations: Hemnon:
conversations: human
conversations:  Apophis, It looks like a youngling was selected instead at least my sibling was let go. Let's get back to the dancing just be glad that it wasn't someone i cared about. He continued dancing and pretending nothing was wrong. Trying to look like it was usual. He wasn't exactly going to try to stop them after all. He wasn't suicidal, and even though he wasn't used to it he wasn't going to stop them for a kid he didn't know. Heck, maybe the kid would be let go now or soon after. Watchers are the apex predator after all and he wasn't going to test that theory right now. Now later maybe. but definitely not when it could provide no benefit if he acted at this second. (he wasn't able to tell aldren 10's kid and he would react the exact same way).
conversations: Extrail:
conversations: human
conversations:  This is... They ain't stoppin' at just one youngling!   Byron 09 thinks, staring at the scene in shock. This isn't fair! There are rules! The mutants follow the rules as prey, and the Watchers follow the rules as predators! That's just how it works, it's what allows things like this festival to even happen! The festiv- they couldn't even respect the festival!
  
  Without quite realizing what he's doing, Byron 09 starts moving. He drifts behind stalls. Gently pushes his way into and out of crowds. Carefully and gradually making his way toward the space between the captured mutants and the crushed fauna where the Watchers entered from, stopping and hunkering down behind the very stall he delivered some meat to back when his actions made sense.
  
    Fine. If they gon' change the rules they live by, we just gotta change things too.  
  
  He's just going to follow them. That's what he keeps telling himself. He'll just track them to wherever they take the younglings so he'll know they're safe. The spear is just a walking stick in case he loses his balance.
  
   
   Spoiler: Sneak roll 
  Let's see... this will be   Agility  - (4d6)[ 5 ][ 6 ][ 5 ][ 6 ](22)  plus   Sneak  - (2d6)[ 3 ][ 5 ](8) , and I can push/reroll the Agility at the risk of taking 1 Agility damage for every 1 result I get on the reroll. Edit: I have 2 successes on my Ability roll and 0 on my Skill roll. I also have no 1's on my Agility, so I'm in a decent position to Push which I will do in the OOC... and gain 0 successes and 1 Agility damage. Welp. :/
  
  Byron 09 is attempting to set up for a sneak attack at Short distance.
   
conversations: Toric:
conversations: human
conversations:  Aldren 10 watches as his world falls apart.  His only cub...selected. The Watchers never take younglings...never.
  
  Slowly moving forward and shadowing the Watchers, Aldren 10 moves between the rows of booths. Moving on an intercept course, he steps out in front of the group as they moved to enter the woods.
  
  Looking into the eyes of his son, emotion consumed Aldren 10. "  This is how you reward loyalty...so be it.  "
  
  With a sudden snarl, and howl Aldren 10 launches into a powerful swing of his sledgehammer.
  
   
   Spoiler: Attack roll 
  
  Attribute-
   (4d6)[ 5 ][ 1 ][ 6 ][ 2 ](14) 
  
  Skill-
   (3d6)[ 6 ][ 6 ][ 2 ](14) 
  
  Gear-
   (5d6)[ 3 ][ 2 ][ 6 ][ 6 ][ 5 ](22) 
  
  Damage-
  3
   
conversations: Squadfather42:
conversations: human
conversations:  The group of Sentinels had not noticed Aldren 10's approach and the rearmost one got clubbed with that sledgehammer hard enough to dent it's  shoulder plating and knock it over so it's tracks no longer had contact to the ground.
  They had not expected an attack. It had never happened before after all.
  
  " Hostile action! Activate Defensive Protocol! " All the Sentinels called out in unison and turned towards Aldren 10 (except for the one that got a good Sledgehammering to it's shoulder-servos.
  
  
  -----------------------------------
  
  We are now in initiative time.
conversations: Hemnon: