(Gamma World) Not a Test #106 - The Burning Troglodytes

The De Facto Explorers have found a tribe of Hoppers, right next to an underground facility in the Glow Zone wilderness across the Big River. They've entered an area that was once a mine.  An area populated by hostile bestial primitives.

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Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.  Recently married Thunnelda Haycock.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with four arms, and trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  Recently gave birth to a pile of baby worms. 

Luna of the Restorationists:  Recent recruit of the Restorationists, who had uncovered artifacts across the River.  

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The Explorers had a reprieve, back tracking a bit.  The troglodytes could withstand light, but definitely lurked within the shadows and darkness.  Sonny realized that they seemed to stay a distance away based on his proximity to them and his bioluminescence.  

Another wave of of the sub-humans came down from both passageways.  The small horde were wounded by the assort of weapons of the Ancients, but soon swords, maces, and most importantly shields were brought out to stop the rush. 

The Mine Troglodytes

Squiggles and Lathar held back the onslaught with their shields.  Luckily there were more gouges on the fronts of the shields than on the explorers themselves. 

Sonny was the most useful in this bottleneck.  A nine-foot tall sunflower could almost reach over the fray and slam a lit oil flask behind the Troglodytes, torching one, sending rending screams of agony, but not dispatching any of the humanoids.  He turned to an assault rifle, firing overhead to whittle away the Troglodytes pushing forward.  

Lathar and Squiggles decided that pushing back would be preferred.   They tried to advance forward, meeting full resistance.  They tried a second time to no avail.  On the third attempt, Luna and Pete help push from behind and they moved the horde backwards, into the remaining oil fire. The shield-less assistants spun out from behind and pull out pistols to kill more Troglodytes.  

Sonny smiled in satisfaction, "I much prefer these Burning Trogs"

Finally repelling the attack, Luna fell back behind Sonny to reload her flintlock. 

The Explorers pushed the Trogs down the one passageway, forcing them to flee faster.  

Lathar ran back, grabbing the mine cart, and put it back on the track.  Ancient Pistol in hand, he offered a suggestion.

"Push me down the track in the other direction.  I'll scout out and eliminate the ones who fled.  Pete and Squiggles pushed the cart and it slid downhills in to the darkness.  Its sounds stopped after a few second, into the darkness.  The weasel and worm followed forward.  

AGAIN, the cart crashed when the track ran out AGAIN.  This time it send Lathar flying, and while he was on his stomach, two the Mine-Man jumped out from the greater darkness and attacked.  

Lathar:  "Shoot them! Just shoot!  Shooooot them!!!"

Squiggles and Pete responded with weapons fire, even if Lathar could get him.  

Luna was prepping to assist, when she saw figures coming from the opposite passageway.  It was another Mine-Man, with a massive, hulking Mine-Man leading the way.  

"Sonnnnnnnnnyyyyyy!!!!!"

The giant glowing sunflower adjusted one of two backpacks he carried, pulling out a long wand attached to the bag. He took a moment to set a dial on the machine inside the backpack. 

"Move aside Luna, I'm going to liquify him."

The blast from the Children's Alchemical Laser hit the gargantuan Mine-Man, obscuring everyone's vision.  Once things cleared up, a different, horrible monstrosity stood before them.  

The Chaos of the Children's Alchemical Laser Strikes Again...

GM Notes:  I'm very sad I missed Sonny's meta joke "I much prefer these Burning Trogs" until I reviewed the recording for the Actual Play.  The Burning Trogs were are second group for our Hackmaster campaign, of which Hoyce (Sonny) and Steve (Squiggles) were players.  

Next: #107 -