Rifts - DMH - Journey to Rifle Ridge

[Norgarth]

Brad blinks at Syn's disappearing act, then shakes his head and helps with the clean up.

"We'll have to keep an eye out for someplace to resupply of water. I'll check the map to see if there's any streams or rivers ahead."

Looking at the relatively small load Syn's carrying, he says "Oh, that won't take much space. We can fit those easy." helping to load stuff into the trailer.

Glancing over at his Mountaineer, and then at Syn, he adds, "I don't know how big you are in your normal form, but if you decide to land on my truck, try not to lean on that," he points to the 'missile turret' atop the forward section. "It's hollow and not super strong, structurally speaking."

[Chaser1]

Brad blinks at Syn's disappearing act, then shakes his head and helps with the clean up, "We'll have to keep an eye out for someplace to resupply of water. I'll check the map to see if there's any streams or rivers ahead." Looking at the relatively small load Sin's carrying, he says "Oh, that won't take much space. We can fit those easy." helping to load stuff into the trailer.

Glancing over at his Mountaineer, and then at Sin, he adds, "I don't know how big you are in your normal form, but if you decide to land on my truck, try not to lean on that," he points to the 'missile turret' atop the forward section. "It's hollow and not super strong, structurally speaking."

Sin flashes a bright grin, “Oh, okay. Yeah, I’m a little bigger than the big‑wheeled car.” He pats his own chest like he’s congratulating himself. “But I can fly during the day and look ahead. Y’know... I'm helpful.”

Larry is already herding workers like disgruntled cattle, shouting orders and waving his arms. Every few seconds he glances back at Sin, stares, shakes his head, and mutters something that is probably not printable. The man looks like he’s trying to process a tax form written in ancient runes.

Frank, Johnny, and Sam finish loading the cooking supplies, all three grumbling about the water situation. Steve checks over his bike with the solemnity of a priest blessing a holy relic, then tops off his fuel from his emergency stash... his very oversized emergency stash.

Maya snaps pictures of everything: the haulers, the horizon, Sin posing like he’s on a magazine cover. She scrolls through them, smiling at one shot in particular. Brad catches a glimpse; it's pleasant. Everyone looks genuinely happy. Or at least happy‑adjacent. The kind of happiness you get right before something ridiculous inevitably happens.

Rifle Ridge group photo 2.jpg (130.8 KiB) Viewed 16633 times

OOC: Left to right: Steve, Frank, Lysanthra, Brad, Johnny, Sam, Maya
OOC2: Any last minute preparations before moving onto the next mishap?

[Norgarth]

Sin flashes a bright grin, “Oh, okay. Yeah, I’m a little bigger than the big‑wheeled car.” He pats his own chest like he’s congratulating himself. “But I can fly during the day and look ahead. Y’know... I'm helpful.”

oO(A little bigger than my truck?!)Oo Brad thinks as he looks from Syn to his Mountaineer and back, a bit stunned by the concept. He glances over the book titles as he's packing them away out of curiosity. Recalling how Dragons are supposed to collect hordes of stuff they like, Brad suddenly pictures Syn claiming a library as their home. He smiles at Maya's photos.

"Alright, time to get aboard and start moving."

[Chaser1]

oO(A little bigger than my truck?!)Oo Brad thinks as he looks from Syn to his Mountaineer and back, a bit stunned by the concept. He glances over the book titles as he's packing them away out of curiosity.

He notices that books aren't especially long books, with titles like:
"Emperor Prosek - A Family Legacy"
"Mein Kampf" (The largest book)
"Beezus and Ramona"
"The Cat in the Hat"
"Toad Food and Measle Soup"
"Henry and Ribsy"
"Hexed"
"Gatto"
"Ghost Market"

Recalling how Dragons are supposed to collect hordes of stuff they like, Brad suddenly pictures Syn claiming a library as their home. He smiles at Maya's photos.

Brad’s call cuts through the lingering quiet of camp. “Alright. Time to get aboard and start moving.”

That’s the moment the mood shifts. Everyone's suddenly aware that the easy part of the journey is over.

Frank snaps the last latch on the cooking gear, already ahead of the command. Maya, Sam, and Johnny settle into their spots with the kind of practiced readiness that says they know what’s coming. Sin hugs his books like sacred relics, scanning the vehicle for a place he won’t get bounced out of. He chooses to sit with Johnny in the back.

Steve is already mounted on his Wastelander, helmet on, crash pads strapped, giving a silent thumbs‑up that somehow feels like a warning.

Liz claims the rear window seat, hoping for scenery and maybe even sights she hasn't seen before. Brad double‑checks the fire pit, sweeps the last bit of trash into a bag, then climbs into the driver’s seat.

Johnny sighs, “Aw dang. I have to pee,” then grins as everyone glares at him, "I’m kidding.” No one laughs. The road ahead is too heavy for jokes.

Larry’s crew rolls out first, their cargo haulers rumbling over the hills. Every crest becomes a checkpoint as they stop, scan the horizon, make sure Brad and Steve aren’t swallowed by the terrain behind them.

Hours pass with rocky plains and sparse forests. The kind of landscape that feels like it’s watching you back. Eventually, a dense wall of pines rises ahead, framed by snow‑capped mountains. According to the map, this is the worst stretch, being the slowest, the most dangerous. The part where things tend to go wrong.

Thirty minutes into the forest, Brad and Steve round a bend and find Larry’s haulers stopped dead. Larry walks back toward them, shoulders slumped, face carved with frustration. He climbs the side of the Mountaineer and knocks on the window, “The road’s washed out,” he says, defeated, “You guys might make it through… but we can’t. Do you want to go on ahead and wait at the base of the mountain for us?”

The forest is unnervingly quiet. Everyone feels the shift towards increasing tension; the sense that whatever comes next is going to test them.

[Norgarth]

Brad considers the situation. Larry and his crew are builders, so they can probably rig a new bridge/crossing, but it'll take time. Or they may choose to divert to an alternative route entirely.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" he inquires as he looks over the washout. Yeah, the Mountaineer can make it across, but can the trailer? Or Steve's bike?

[Chaser1]

Brad studies the washout, “Well… Larry and his crew are builders,” he says, hands on hips, “They could probably rig a new crossing. Might take a while. Or we find another route entirely.” He squints at the muddy gap, “Anything we can do to help? ’Cause yeah, the Mountaineer can make it across… but the trailer? Or Steve’s bike?”

Larry gives a dry nod, walking over, map in hand, “Yeah, right… the trailer would sink faster than my last relationship.”

Steve strolls up, helmet off, finger‑combing his hair like he’s in a shampoo commercial. “I can make that jump easy!”

Frank pops his head out the window like a disgruntled prairie dog. “Yeah, but we can’t! Not unless you want everything we own floating downstream!”

Larry unfolds his map dramatically, like he’s about to reveal buried treasure, and spreads it across a fallen tree, “There!” He jabs a finger at a spot, “Ten miles away. Old logging road. Bet its bridge is still intact.” He looks up at the group, eyebrows raised. “We don’t have time to build a new bridge. We’ve got four days to get there and set up for the wedding party. Unless one of you has a better idea hidden in your back pocket?”

[Norgarth]

Brad gives a wry smile at Steve's (over?) confidence

To Larry he jokes, "Sorry, I left my spare bridge at home." Then he pulls out his own map to note the alternative route. "We can head out now and scout ahead while you're getting your trucks turned around. If there's a problem we can radio back a warning to you."

[Chaser1]

Brad gives a wry smile at Steve's over-confidence, then jokes at Larry, "Sorry, I left my spare bridge at home." Then he pulls out his own map to note the alternative route. "We can head out now and scout ahead while you're getting your trucks turned around. If there's a problem we can radio back a warning to you."

Larry nods, offering a reassuring wave. "Perfect. Just don't break anything, including yourselves."

From across the yard, one of Larry's workers wipes his brow and shouts over the engine noise, "Hey, can we use the Mountaineer to tow us back? I mean, those beasts were practically built to pull a small moon!"

Larry just shrugs, stepping aside as Sin casually steps out of the APC, strolls up and states, "Or..." with a calm smirk, "...I could just haul the lot of you out myself."

Frank pops his head back out of the window, eyes lighting up. "Honestly? Brilliant idea! Plus, way faster!"

[lysanthra]

Liz grins and excitedly says "This I gotta see". The thought of watching Sin in action is intriguing. She is genuinely interested in learning more about him and his kind. Lysanthra loves knowledge and learning new things almost as much as exploring outdoors. She understands plants way better than people so she definitely prefers nature.

[Norgarth]

Brad is also interested in seeing what Syn can do. oO(Will Syn need to transform to pull the truck out or is he still full strength even in human form?)oO he wonders.