THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 4

THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013

Index

RUINED

The Setup

A somewhat out-of-place gated community exists in the White Desert. Even when it was inhabited, it must have been sorely incongruous with the desert. It was not directly hit during the war, but its residents didn’t survive anyway due to radiation poisoning. The white sands have encroached, but not swallowed it whole. The elements have taken their toll, but streets and houses are relatively intact. People might have tried moving in were it not for the multitude of hazards currently nesting here.


Minefield:

Minefield and unexploded ordinance signs, along with a more practical warning of bunch of dead bodies and skeletons surround this fenced off area. Entry only requires opening the broken gate to the dirt road.

The rough road to the neighborhood is heavily mined with improvised, buried explosives. Vampire star swarms lie to either side of the road. The only safe path is known by Driver and Bounce through the desert. Even that’s not safe, as mines, unexploded ordinance, and even more Vampire stars dot the area.

The worst threat is the occasional Purple Worms patrolling the area. They seem to have a knack for dodging mines, so their above ground paths are safe for travel, though Vampire stars will stake out their trails.

The trip takes two hours. Roll once every 30 minutes or anytime they leave the trail if the party is unguided or once an hour if guided (Driver and Bounce are on their own hoverbike): 1-5 nothing, 6-7 mine (detection chance), 8-9 10 Vampire Stars, 10 Purple Worm (can be driven off)

There is one oasis in the area near the gate. It is actually a Puddle Worm trap. Driver and Bounce will think it’s funny when it attacks, a sort of newbie prank.

Flame Plant fields surround the burbs. It refills in any gaps made fairly quickly, defeating any easy passage. One gets set off and two more will go off. The guides will be careful in this area, either suggesting sneaking past or remote detonating one. Driver cuts the stalk off a dud and says it’ll work like a Molotov Cocktail if lit and thrown.


The Burbs:

A typical neighborhood suburb, though badly dilapidated and nearly swallowed by the sands, but houses and streets are still easily discernable. There is probably a multitude of pre-war loot filling the houses, but the entire area is a deathtrap for scavengers.

The spaceship is clearly visible hovering over the school in the center of the neighborhood. It will only take five minutes to get there. However, the streets are swarming with White Giant Ants. They attack from surprise as they are well camouflaged by their coloration. Four attack the first round and then two more every other round up to a total of eight reinforcements, or until the group reaches the bunker. Trying to run up on the lawns of the houses, brings a surprise attack by a White Giant Scorpion. Entering any house brings a surprise attack by two White Cockroachoids, the first round and one more each round, up to four.