In the mid nineteen-sixties, a nuclear detonation under the desert in Nevada blew a hole in the world. The government put a door over it, then slammed the lock; ninety tons of titanium and steel hiding it away from everything. They kept what was behind that door secret, too - the place it opened onto was just too weird and lethal for people to handle.
It's called a lot of things. Downstairs. The Basement. Wonderland, though that's mostly the Brits. Some even call it the Dungeon, though the term is officially verboten in governmental circles. The people in charge tend to call it the 'Subterrestrial Operations Theater', but nobody who actually deals with it uses that name except on official reports. Whatever you call it, it's a world of magic and monsters, and people keep on going down in there to see what they can find. Mostly as a result of - prettied up though it may be - greed; they want the magical gear that can be pulled out.
Thing is, that hole is just one of many; the Russians had three (as far as is known), the Americans made at least one more. It's suspected the Japanese have several, though they only officially admit one. The French and British have got them too. Most of those are official clearance only. But after the Soviet Union collapsed, not only did a shitload of stuff they'd dredged up spread across the black market, one of their access points got more open. In a sense. It's run by the Russian mob, of all people - though if you've got the cash, you can get in there.
And then there are the ones that are only rumors, at least officially. Treasure hunters head down into them, the ones made by failed states with suitcase nukes when they were looking for an edge, or torn open intermittently by nuclear disasters - Chernobyl, for instance, is known to be a weak point. You're getting in through one of those, because - whether you served or not - you're out of the military and working privately.
You are:
>Simone Jameson (Medic, pistol specialist)
>Sarah Winters (Sniper)
>Blake Cartwright (Demolitions/infiltration; also covers general trapfinding)
>James Starling (Close combat; favors a shotgun.)
>Terrence Drake (Heavy weapons)
You're getting in by way of...
>...Ashdale/Steinbrenner, a British-German company that's rumored to have a very private access point.
>...South Africa. There's a hole to the Dungeon there that anyone can get in. Though getting to it might be dangerous in itself.
>...Romania. The Russian mob runs this one, but you do have enough saved up to pay for a trip.
>...Chernobyl. You know quite well that there's a weak spot there, and how to get in, but it might not be full Basement access.
How much experience do you have with Weird Things by this point; is this your first run into the Basement, or are you more familiar with the hazards (which may come at the cost of having been hurt by them)?
>Sarah
>Romania
She's seen some shit before, but none of the weirder stuff.
>>47036515
Right-o. If there are no other votes, I'll be calling for that in about ten minutes; ideally there'll be more activity, but I don't want to let the thread die waiting on it.
> Simone Jameson
> Ashdale/Steinbrenner
>Sarah
>Romania
sounds good.
hmm.sniper again?
Okay then. Vote was extended given new votes, but it's died down again, so vote called. Sarah and Romania it is.
>>47036786Sure looking that way. Guess /tg/ likes snipers.
>>47036477
>Blake Cartwright (Demolitions/infiltration; also covers general trapfinding)
>...Ashdale/Steinbrenner, a British-German company that's rumored to have a very private access point.
You are Sarah Winters, former police sniper. Which makes your working with the Russian mob even more questionable, but hey. You don't have any jurisdiction here, so they don't much give a shit. And you're retired anyway, since your dad died and his friends on the force left. Turns out saying that the new chief of police is a tasteless arrogant asshole isn't the best way to keep your job; who knew?
You tried private security, after that, but it just wasn't for you - too much tedium, too little risk. It was /boring/. But it did get you in touch with some of the more intriguing people you've met, hence your knowing about this place to start with.
Having successfully negotiated a price - which, not being able to get weapons through international customs, included a set of gear for you - you're here now hoping for a good score, if nothing else.
The people who greet you at the airport are professional, but quiet; they get your bags and bustle you into a non-descript sedan without a word.
>Hey, uh. Who else is on this trip?
>What can I expect over there?
>Stay quiet and let the drive wrap up in peace. You'll find out soon enough.
A d3 from someone for how many people will be meeting you there, please.
>>47036974
You're about fifteen minutes late, anon. But I'll bear that in mind if you run into anyone from A/S.
>Hey, uh. Who else is on this trip?
Obviously it's a professional atmosphere. Take that into mind.
>>47036987
>Hey, uh. Who else is on this trip?
Rolled 3 (1d3)
>>47036999
Remind me whose bright idea it was to run at 5:00 AM without verifying the existence of coffee? Vote'll be called in fiveish minutes.
>>47036987
>What can I expect over there?
Vote called, writing.
>>47036999
>if you run into anyone from A/S.
AS=Ashdale/Steinbrenner?
I just wanted demolitions.
>>47037235
A/S is indeed Ashdale/Steinbrenner. [spoilerBecause why not name your firm 'Ashen woods and stone burner', right?[/spoiler]
"So. Who am I meeting up with and what can we expect to encounter?", you ask quietly. It's been a while, but you're pretty sure you got the tone of voice and the phrasing right. It's not too different from meetings when you were still a cop, except for the part where you're talking to gangsters and on your way to visit anther world.
...Okay, so maybe it is pretty different. But not in the important ways, when you're talking about this sort of thing. The same strategies still apply, overall. And, lo and behold, that seems to be the case - the taller of the two men, who's dressed in a dark blue suit with a silver and has brown hair - reaches back to hand you three different folders on your companions.
Cracking open the first, you see a large printout of a pale man, but that's all you get the chance to examine before the other guy speaks up.
"It changes. Could be a swarm of harmless things one day, then something massive the next," he explains with a shrug. "Right now? Ask again hen we get there."
>Read through the files.
>Eh, you can do that later.
>Just let it be.
>>47037354
>Read through the files.
>>47037354
I... Was going to put something else on the second option but now I don't remember what because I'm a dumbass. Probably more questions. Feel free to write in stuff to say, though.
Vote called. Writing now. Not a terribly unexpected outcome.
>>47037354
>Read through the files.
sorry passing out at computer.
