So after the last episode, I said fuck it and decided to retreat and lick our wounds. Went back north but didn't want to go the same way I took to get to LAst Stand so I went through Vain, the hiver's territory. Easier stuff to handle if things went wrong along with plenty of hive villages to get supplies from if needed.
Resolving to get better gear and stronger people, I went back north. Crossing through Vain definitely was a different experience, prettier too. The local wildlife is easier to see and take pictures of for people back home.
Shhh. They're sleeping.
Oh fuck they heard us. RUN!
Ran to the hive village and started fighting them as the hive warriors came out in droves to help us out.
Skinned them all and then went across the river (which is acidic. Everything in Vain is acidic now. Dang) to set up camp. Tristan made a friend too.
He was doing alright fighting the beak thing but couldn't keep it up. His new friend then started to eat him.
After stepping in and finishing it off (and skinning it ofc), we set up camp.
While everyone else was resting, Heskey and I fought a baby beak thing for some training plus to clear out a nearby beak thing nest.
And the beak thing nest had some loot that we picked up and sold.
The egg sold for 1.5k so that wasn't a bad pickup. Wonder if there's a way to hatch it and train your own baby beak thing. I'd so do that. They're adorable when they're sleeping.
We kept heading north going along the river in Vain, hitting all the villages as we went which had terrible supplies and they pretty much are identical in looks and supplies. We fought more beak things but no gorillos. Only saw one but it went on its merry way before being swarmed by other beak things. RIP.
As we made it out of the Vain and near our stomping grounds in the Hub, we came upon a large gathering of dust bandits.
I avoided them and went around to the Hub to heal everyone up first. Then it was time to hit them and hit them hard.
The first dust bandit patrol (along with a hungry bandit patrol that wanted in on the fun) was decimated pretty quickly. We looted everyone, sold it back at the Hub, healed up and then went back out.
We got dis. Avoided the large group and chipped away at the stranglers before hitting up the group that rallied back at their campgrounds. And they knew exactly who we were.
Okran's breast indeed. A lot of looting and selling occurred here and I decided to do research and make new weapons for Tristan (ringed sabre), Voncrow (Naginata) and Jona (Naginata as well). Got lucky with Voncrow and Jona as they got catun weapons and Trist's sabre was re fitted. Apparently to make even better stuff I am going to need ancient research books so that's going to be fun but for now I'll keep hoping for those crits.
After having everyone rest up, I decide to do research. I noticed another dust bandit camp nearby so everyone else is sent to check it out. We do the same tactics with the first camp. Draw them out and fight stragglers. However this time around a larger group sticks together but I decide I can try.
So they charge in.
Dynamics is the first to go down and not one of theirs has gone down yet. Not good.
THe fight goes on and we're dropping a few dust bandits while holding with the other 4. Things are looking up.
Then Jona and Voncrow go down almost simultaneously. Tristan and Heskey are left to hold while very outnumbered.
Heskey goes down next but Dynamics gets back up. The dust bandit swarm is thinning.
And Dynamics is swatted down for the second time. Tristan is doing his best solo and actually holding up pretty well with those odds.
But he can't hold out forever and he too falls.
The dust bandits loot food from everyone but Heskey. Not sure why they left Heskey alone.
But Dynamics is not willing to stay down. He gets up for the third time.
He is outnumbered but very much pissed off.
He drops a couple dust bandits as he keeps blocking and attacking. Fighting for his life as well as his food.
He beat that group solo before a couple stragglers come along hoping to pick him off.
They do not.
So the lesson here is ... do not fuck with Dynamic's food.
He returns Jona's food first.
And then everyone eventually gets back up and Tristan heals everyone up as I diligently keep researching. The looting begins and I take everything to the rebel base outside the Hub. However this does run into a snag.
If its not dust bandits, its hungry bandits. They swarm the rebel base's bar and its a fight to survive as the guards watch the fight with bored expressions on their faces.
As people start to drop, I drop the researching and run to the bar to assist. Heskey is now the final survivor as he keeps trying to dodge, kick and punch his way to freedom.
I make it to the bar but Heskey had been bested by the time I arrived so I played cleanup on the remainders. As the fight was going on the guards were cleaning up. I was healing people up as the guards were still cleaning up the bodies inside.
At this point enough was enough. Time for rest and to go back to the Hub. Unfortunately we were ambushed by a small group of dust bandits and wiped out. They took the food (not Heskey's though.. again). In our weakened state, it was too much. We limped our way back to the Hub and rested while I bought new food for everyone.
And it ends there for now. I plan to go north still to get new recruits and perhaps some animals. Once Tasa Clan has enough members an outpost will be setup soon. That goal is still going to be achieved. But we're getting to the point where we can start holding our own. Not against spiders but fuck spiders.
