(Gamma World) This Is Not a Test #0 - Introducing the Explorers from River Bend

As Star Wars d6 goes on hiatus for a bit, the group turns its attention to the next game, GAMMA WORLD!

We're using the 4th Edition of the Gamma World rules (circa 1992)  The pdf is reasonable, the print option from Drivethru is clean (save a low-res cover), and it's the rules we played back in high school.  A lot of the revisions from previous editions turned 4th into a proto-d20 ruleset a decade early, and it's just a fun ruleset and setting.

The game is originally set in the town of River Bend.  A tech-level III (Renaissance tech) community, nestled in the nook of a large river, River Bend is the hub for a number of smaller communities, largely upriver.  It is accepting of most lifeforms and has a noticeable presence from the Restorationists, who have arrived to properly investigate the region.  

As with many stories, this one starts with a plant and his worm buddy.

Sonny Helianthus is a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with Restorationist ties.  An educated plant, Sonny would much prefer to avoid violence, as it does tend to damage artifacts, and damaged artifacts have a tendency to explode.   Sonny's abilities of teleportation and reflection protect him against most mental attackers, but it that fails, his sunflower seeds can be fired with exploding and deadly accuracy.

Sonny

Sonny has a casual symbiotic relationship with Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles), a mutated earthworm scout.  Squiggles has advanced skills in Telekinesis, as well as a hardened carapace which makes him quite a formidable worm.  

"Squiggles"

Squiggle's scout buddy is Sneaky Pete, a mutated weasel.  Pete's telepathy and night vision are quite impressive for a scout, his dual flintlocks intimidate most common folk, but people tend to run when he drops them and and electricity arcs from his paws.

Pete

Joining this trio is a pure-strain human, Lathar Bracken.   His melee ability is beyond reproach, and his long-standing relationship to the Restorationists and smooth talking manner make him a trusted asset.  

Lathar

Next: #1 - Meeting Justinian