We began by taking inventory of the new block and buildings we acquired from the Blood Eagles in our hostile takeover. As the Blood Eagles taxed the small 1 block area in return for protection, we decided that since we are also in need of money and contacts so Cangus can meet techno-mages and so Quintus can acquire research tools, that we would continue as overlords and charge the block for protection. Upon first collecting our "security tax" we received mostly blood eagle script, which was expected since reliable script is hard to come by and the Blood Eagles ran the block much as a mining camp economy. To help enforce our rule we had Esteban hit the local taverns to recruit goons, which he did. We ended up with 5 goons, one of whom appeared to be of middle school age, though clearly didn't have a middle school education (like everyone in the sticks). The local weed dealers also came to find us early on, and asked for explicit protection in return for a 15% cut of their profits. We agreed.
While setting up camp in our new 5 story lair, we decided upon the following allocation of floors: Floor 5: sleeping quarters. High up for security.
Floor 4: Computer room/lab for Quintus. We still need to acquire the relevant technology for the lab/computer
Floor 3: This was the armory previously, so we decide to keep it that way. There are a few pipe guns, which Grant decides he can work on to make usable, at least for the goons. There is also a cache of cheap Russian ammo.
Floor 2: Workshop for Grant's smithing and assorted other projects. Just like the lab, we are lacking in adequate tools. We do find a small motor which allows us to have lights on the 5th floor and run small electrical devices, but certainly is not big enough to run a lab, a computer, and a workshop simultaneously.
Floor 1: Goon hangout. Any hired thug worth his salt loves to get day drunk and gamble. He needs a place to do this, and this will be the first floor.
Adjacent buildings( buildings with bridges that connect to our central 5 story building): For now, these buildings are empty. They are a good place to get away from the hustle and bustle of constructing our new lair and have a smoke.
We make a quick run to Otto's junk yard for supplies. Grant finds nothing of use for the workshop. Cangus grabs Otto's old computer.
In preparation for the assault Quintus builds a drone with a camera and rigged with a Kamikaze- shit bomb. The boat is docked on an artificial island in the sticks. There are 3 bridges leading onto the island. We set up a base camp staking out the island while the drone gathers reconnaissance. We gather that there are 3 hired hands doing manual labor on the deck of the tug-boat, while on top of the command room there is a man standing watch. Quintus seems to notice that he is armed, but the resolution isn't quite good enough to see what kind of gun it is.
We decide to place a shit bomb on the far side of the island as a decoy. With Ben and Cangus hidden in shacks near the dock, and Grant set up on a high vantage point as a sniper, Grant blows the shit bomb and the assault begins.
The sniper on top of the boat immediately takes cover when the bomb blows, and Grant can't get a good shot on him. As planned, Cangus and Ben storm the boat when the bomb blows, while Quintus keep watch on the entire area with the drone from the base camp.
In the confusion of the smoke, the man who blew the smoke grenade escapes into a sealed hatch. We look at the door and determine it will take a long time to break it. The man in the hatch tells us that he is ready to blow the boat. We tell him that he better give up his boat, or we'll blow it up. He doesn't seem scared at all, and pokes fun at the absurdity of our plan. Cangus counters that if he hands over the boat, we will blindfold him and drop him off at an undisclosed location alive. He again scoffs at our plan. It is clear that we do not have the upper hand on him, especially since he still has a sniper on the top of the boat. He is full of jokes.
Sensing that the situation is becoming futile, Quintus decides to bring the Kamikaze drone just above where the sniper is and blow the shit bomb mid-air. He can't be precise with the strike since there is still a lot of smoke, but he does his best. The explosion rocks the boat. Grant can't be certain, but from his vantage point he thinks he sees the sniper drop to the ground from the explosion.
Around the same time Ben gets anxious. He is pissed that this sniper might not be dead. He decides to climb the ladder to the pillbox. He is promptly met with a hail of AK-47 bullets to the dome. He falls to the deck.
Finally, we let the man below the deck know that we are the gang that took over the Blood Eagle's block. We tell him that we need a diesel engine to power our operation. He agrees to turn on the engines and drive us to the graveyard, a place where old ships are abandoned. There, he claims, we can get a diesel engine as long as we have someone in the group who knows how to work on them.
We drive out to the graveyard, which takes a few hours. We continue to have conversations with the man in the hatch. He seems to be not phased at all by the situation at hand. He makes it very clear that he loves banging chicks, doing drugs, and making money. We hear more stories than we want to.
When we finally make it to a worthy boat, Grant and Quintus board the wreck to obtain the motor. After 5 or 6 hours and a lot of pulleys they are able to do so. They re-board the original boat.
While talking with the man in the hatch, Cangus learns that his name is Rico Mas, the emperor's son. It also becomes clear that he is not the closest with his father, and is in fact disavowed just like our crew. Rico agrees to become a new drug runner for us. Oddly enough, the crazy encounter seems to have made us a new friend, of sorts. We also learn that the sniper's name is Gunter. Damn Germans.
Eventually we make it back to the lair with our supplies. Grant starts to hook up the engine, and Cangus hooks up Otto's computer to research pron, I mean crystals. He learns that the only way to obtain the crystals will be to raid a techno-mage school, which clearly will be the gang's next adventure.
We never really decided on a name. Are we really the Raiders?
