Our Story so far...(brief version)

Rifts Campaign

Day 1


In the southern reaches of the Kingdom of Tolkeen lies the town of Wilsburg. Surrounded by forest, but for the land given over for crops, this small town is very unremarkable. A couple dozen buildings spread over a square mile, there was an inn, a blacksmith, general store, bar, and the rest being houses. It looked like a picture of a small town from the early 1900's Pre-Cataclysm, if anyone could find such a picture. The one oddity to that image was the giant satellite and radar dishes towering above the town. It was a wonder that the town hadn't been overrun by the various denizens of the wilderness or the Coalition State of Chi-Town fifty miles to the south. Well, a wonder if you don't happen to see the glittering power armor sitting outside one of the houses. Such a famous suit of armor was known across the continent as a Glitter Boy.
The day started like any other, people rising up at dawn to tend crops and animals, radio contacts with other Tolkeen kingdom towns for any news, mechanics working on farm trucks, atv's, and hover cycles. Hunters gathering up bullet and laser rifles, body armor, and vehicles. And the Glitter Boy power armor lying still, unused, alone. Unlike most of the town, the young GB pilot didn't wake up at dawn, not if he could help it. So it was with a startled oath that Joshua Nightsbane woke up to a loud screeching from his armband radio after knocking it to the floor.. Pushing a button, he growled out a “Why the hell are you screeching in my ear this early in the morning?”.
“Well, good morning to you too Mr. Sparkly”, in a voice you could hear smiling. “I thought you just might like to know that we've got some bogies on radar. It's after 10am sleepyhead. Oh and tell your sister I had a fun time last night.” With a chuckle, the smug voice of Teron went off the radio. Quickly getting dressed, Joshua storms down stairs yelling, “Hanna! Hanna where are you? You better not have!” only to find his mother and two sisters in the kitchen baking and cooking for the day. His mother gives his a cool stare and reminds him that she does not allow yelling in this house. After accusing his sister of sneaking out to do who knows what with Teron, his sister Hanna slowly turns towards him.
“First of all, brother, I am eighteen years old and what I do and who I do it with is none of your concern. Stay out of business unless you want me to start telling all your secrets to the girls around town. After that the only grandchildren Mom and Dad will have will be from Harper and myself..” Overriding his protestations, she continues while waving a large cooking spoon at his face, “Secondly, Teron is an elf. No offense to him, because he is cute, but there's no point in a relationship with him. It's practically impossible for a human and an elf to have kids. Plus, he's going to live hundreds of years longer than any of us, and he wouldn't put himself through that kind of pain. It's embarrassing how easily Teron can pull one over on you. Just be glad you hadn't accused me of this in front of any of the girls you fancy. Now that would have been embarrassing.”
With his head slightly lowered and eyes cast down, Joshua mumbles an apology for being rude and yelling in the house. He then goes outside, puts on the Glitter Boy armor and angrily punches his radio to Teron only to hear his friend laughing at him and how easy it is to rile him up. After apologizing and swearing never to trick Joshua again, for the fortieth-odd time.


Nightsbane headed off to the north of town to intercept a possible monster incursion. He runs across two humans, brother and sister by appearances, and a young woman astride a sphinx. After making introductions Nightsbane was interrupted once again by Teron. “Sorry to break up this little party, but we've got more incoming. Three bogies from the south coming in fast. I mean flying fast.” Nightsbane patches into the town radar to get a location and heading. Nightsbane and Malloy run to the south, while Siphon rides a town hovercycle and Axen takes to the sky. Nightsbane and Malloy pick out a SAMAS and two Titans heading their way. Just as the flying power suits come within range, Nightsbane unleashes a barrage with his Boongun on one of the Titans, taking it out with three shots before the Coalition has time to react. The Titan spins out of control and crashes into the forest. The other Titan and SAMAS split off to come in flanking from the east and west.. Malloy and Frost keep clear of incoming fire in the dense tree cover. Malloy lets loose a barrage of mini rockets at the SAMAS, reducing it to wings and legs. As the last Titan comes within range, Siphon shoots his laser rifle, landing a few shots, and Nightsbane takes its head off with a well aimed shot of his Boomgun. The group empties all the suits of their pilots bodies and take the damaged suits to Teron's place. Radio contact from nearby towns indicate Coalition scouting forces across the kingdom's borders. The mayor calls a town meeting and orders an evacuation of women and children to the capital city of Tolkeen. The men will stay to slow down or stop the Coalition forces. The town will need two days to organize an effective evacuation. The next dawn sees the beginning of the Coalition assault.


Just after dawn, Teron sets off the town's alarm system and radios Nightsbane. “Buddy, we've got some serious bogies incoming”
“What the hell?”
“You heard me. Get your ass out of bed and into town. I'm heading your way with some equipment I've fixed up.” Teron leaves his radar running and monitors it via his electronic armband communicator. Arriving in town, he gives some armor to ***Ashley***. “Okay, we've got three large groups heading our way.” The mayor starts getting people loaded up in whatever vehicles are available and only carrying the bare necessities.
As the group heads south towards the approaching forces, Teron and Nightsbane notice that the groups seem to be growing at a rapid pace and merging into a large “u” shaped blob. As he is flying above, Axen notices a sparkling in the air where the approaching forces are supposed to be located. As the ground group gets nears the edge of the radars blob, they begin to notice a metallic sparkling in the air around them. Their radios also start to have feedback. Through the trees, the group can see the top of a Coalition States Spider-Skull Walker.
Nightsbane signals everyone to cover their ears and shoots his Boomgun at the head of the Spider-Skull Walker. Teron and ***Ashley*** start a fire fight with a small group of Dog Boys and their Psi-Stalker handler. Malloy and Frost on their hovercycle head towards some Dead Boys and a Combat Cyborg. Malloy jumps off and starts shooting at the Cyborg, while Siphon Frost takes a moment to mask his psychic powers and sneaks around to the Spider-Skull Walker. The Psi-Stalker focuses on the only apparent psychic, Teron, sending his Dog Boys in that direction. Axen dives from the sky and unleashes a blast of fire at the front of the Spider-Skull Walker as he lands on top of it. Teron and ***Ashley*** unleash a couple of devastating shots on the Dog Boys. Nightsbane focuses his shots on the head of the Spider-Skull Walker with carefully aimed shots. Malloy fends off the Cyborg and Dead Boys by himself until a strange little Cyber-Knight appears from nowhere astride his horse. A Dead Boy shoots the horse with his laser rifle, instantly killing it. The Noli Cyber-Knight deftly rolls up from the ground to engage the Dead Boys. Frost successfully sneaks up to the Spider-Skull Walker, and focusing his mind, take over the machine, making it shoot into the Dog Boys. A dragon dives out of the sky, landing on the Spider-Skull Walker and begins to rip at the machine with its claws. The Dead Boys and Cyborg never seem to land a shot, obviously newer recruits. The Dog Boys and Psi-Stalker fair little better. Maybe it's the unfamiliar territory, the sudden attack, or the unexpected ferocity of the Tolkeenites that seems to unsettle the Coalition soldiers.