Random highlights: Cool and Weird
Lifestyle move: Since Farley's been kidnapped, he effectively has zero barter, I guess? But he's also being kept by his gaolers. I'm thinking that Fillet and Bone provide the 1-barter, with the strings being that he's their prisoner.
Then again, maybe not? They don't really care about him. I decide to consult the CRGE.
I don't know if I'm supposed to reset the surge count or not, so I don't. I didn't get any use out of it last time, anyway. It's at 6. I roll 21. With a -6 that comes to 15, and a "No, but..," result. The surge count resets to 0.
So Bone, Fillet and Thrice (the one with the SMG who was thrown clear of the ute), make no attempt to look after Farley, but this has been mitigated somehow. Perhaps Farley has some cornbread and a canteen (or hipflask?) stowed on his person that he is able to use on the sly, so he pays for himself and is down to 2-barter. 2-barter that he cannot really access at the moment, and is functionally under the stewardship of these three bushwacking desperados.
After d6 days on the road (4), they come to a hold. I use the Apocalypse Fuel website to generate a random one. I must make about 6 or 7 before I get one I like (is that cheating?). It's called Rope Blood Tower. It's of regular size, about 75-100 souls. It's a cluster of rough huts and tents (with one or two exceptions I have in mind) and has a reputation as cannibals (Farley's heart sinks when he realises where they've come to). It is a tyranny, currently under the rule of Drivebelt Tyra, which is whom Bone takes him to.
Bone talks up Farley's skill as a driver, which very obviously piques Drivebelt's interest. She has an actual drive belt for a bandoleer, is well-armed and surrounded by a serious looking entourage of toughs. She has long, black hair and carries a blood-stained machete.
Drivebelt approaches Farley and asks his name. Farley gives it freely. Now I roll the Reputation move from the Driver playbook. I roll Cool (which is highlighted, so +1 xp for a running total of 2) and gets a 9 total. So they've heard of Farley, my choice what. I'm hell of a wheel man, especially in battle. They pay off Bone, Fillet and Thrice (after some haggling).
I decide to consult the CRGE on two questions: Did Drivebelt buy my car? I get a "No" That truly sucks. The second question was about my barter/odds and ends, but I think we can safely say that's gone. Add to the surge count for a total of 2.
Bone, Fillet and Thrice are members of the Read Mantis gang (thank you, Apocalypse Fuel). They are a small, nomadic gang, on the run from the Wildcats. They are officially on the shit list.
Farley is put in a cell, but is well looked after. he even has a medic come and give him the once over to make sure he's fighting fit. His shoulder wound didn't heal in the four days of bouncing around the tray of the ute, and getting slapped around by Thrice, who's not looking that good herself after being thrown off the back of the truck.
The medic's name is Rolfball. They have two prosthetic legs which appear to cause pain and discomfit with every step. Rolfball is highlty irritable, a cantankerous old bastard.
Farley tries to engage Rolfball in conversation, which Rolfball is reluctant to do. Farley rolls to manipulate Rolfy into opening up. He's trying to get R-Ball to tell him what he can expect to happen to him, saying that there's little point in being patched up if they're just going to kill him.
I get a 7, which means that R-Ball will go along and tell Farley what's coming for him, but he needs something in return. This moves doesn't really seem to work. I've given Rolfball no real reason to help him. What can Farley give evidence or assurance of?
I use Read a Person instead. I get a 5, a miss. I get to ask 1 question, which is "How could I get Rolfball to tell me what's going to happen to me?" To be honest, I think that Farley would have to threaten him, and I can't see him doing that at this stage. Rolfball gets extra irritable and narcostabs Farley, putting him unconscious. That'll shut him up.
While he's out, Farley opens up his mind to the psychic maelstrom. He pictures himself careening down a highway in the desert, people, road signs and other vehicles flashing by fast as he speeds past them. After a time, he moves off road, into broken lands, then launches off a rise into the sky, into the clouds...
Farley focuses on the question: how do I get my ute back? Not how do I escape from here, or what's going to happen to me, he just wants his V8. I roll weird (+1 xp, now at 3). I get 3. Back to his vision, as Farley glides through the clouds, he's repeatedly struck by lightning, pain surging through his nervous system. He falls through the sky, landing roughly on the dirt road. As he pulls himself up on his knees, he sees all manner of vehicles go whizzing past him, while he is left alone, utterly grounded. Farley lifts hits arms and suddenly finds himself gripping iron bars in his hands. He comes to, finding himself standing at the door of his cell, utterly trapped, holding onto the bars.
The next day, Farley can hear the sounds of a crowd and festivities, growing more pronounced as the day wears on. Late in the afternoon, Farley is taken, chained at the wrists, by a couple of of Drivebelt's goons (Blues & AT). They lead him outside, into a throng of cheering people. He can hear the sounds of motorcycles revving their engines (dirtbikes, by the sound of them). In the centre of the crowd, surrounded by stands with seats, there is a large round structure, like a giant ball shaped cage. It looks a bit like this:
On either side of the cage there are motorcycles ("Yep, dirtbikes, about 250cc" thinks Farley) being held ready. One is being sat on by crazed looking man in leathers, who is hamming up to the crowd, pointing at Farley and screaming that he will kill him. Drivebelt and her bodyguard, Kickskirt, are on the other side with an identical motorcycle. Drivebelt is holding a chainsaw.
Drivebelt motions to Blues and AT to unshackle Farley (another roar from the drunken crowd!), whom she then indicates to get on the bike.
"Win this," she says, "and it's decent food and a comfy bed for a week. I'll even throw in some beers. Lose, and, well, it won't matter anyway."
Blues and AT have both drawn guns, levelling them straight at Farley. Drivebelt start up the chainsaw and hands it over to him. Two doors open down from the sides of the cage, one in front of each motorcycle, as the crowd let loose with a deafening roar.
"Welcome to the Globe of Death." says Drivebelt. "GO!" she yells and slaps Farley on the back.
Both bikes ride into the globe, Farley pulling to the left and the other rider coming straight at him, hoping to end this quickly.
I judge that Farley is trying to Outdistance the other vehicle, as per the Road War moves, to buy themselves some time. That's a Cool roll, so one more XP for a running total of 4. Farley rolls 14, the best he can do.
Farley easily evades the other biker, who chases them around the globe to no avail.
Farley is now going to try and change direction, going up and over the top of the Globe of Death, so he can use his speed to bear down on his opponent and attack them across their back. I judge that to be a use of the Overtake road war move.
Farley hits it with an 11. It's another Cool roll, so Farley makes his 5th XP first advance. He ups his Sharp to +2.
Farley sets up the perfect strafing run and slashes at his opponent with the chainsaw. Since he has manouvred himself behind his opponent, I judge this to be Go Aggro. Farley rolls a straight 2d6 (his Hard is 0). My luck appears to be with me, as I get 11.
I want the other rider to fall off and quit, but he sucks it up. That's 3-harm, messy. -1 harm for their leathers, so they take 2-harm total.
They come straight off their bike as the saw cuts into their flesh and bone. It gets wedged in the shoulder blade, only coming loose while they tumble on the cage floor. Their left arm hangs uselessly as most of the back of their shoulder seems to have been pried open.
The other rider lies twitching on the floor. They will certainly die, but it may take a while. The crowd takes up the chant: "FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!" Farley catches Drivebelts eye, who nods, a smile on her face.
Farley is thinking cold-blooded murder on some helpless schmuck who was probably shanghaied into this crap is for shit. He tries to get a Read on the Situation to see if he can find a way out. He rolls his Sharp and gets an 8. I get 1 question - What's my best escape route?
It's difficult to see a real escape route here. The best bet is to work towards safety by winning over the crowd. And that means giving them what they want. Farley hoists up his chainsaw and finishes the job, to deafening applause.
The door is lowered and Farley leaves the Globe of Death. Drivebelt strides forward, looking very chuffed, takes Farley in their arms and hands them a VB.
As Farley takes a pull from his brew, Drivebelt talks about how well they can do together, how Farley will live like a king. Rolfball walks by Farley back into the globe, dressed in a blood-stained stained apron, holding a bonesaw in one hand a a butchers knife in the other. Farley remembers Rope Blood Towers reputation with a chill. In the corner of his eye, he sees Blues & AT keeping lockstep with him, their eyes on his every move.
End session 2.
Thoughts
The CRGE and its Loom of Fate made its presence felt a bit more this time around. Again though, it was important early on in the session and tended to fall by the wayside as the moves began to snowball. It turns out that Apocalypse World practically MC's itself at times.
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