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--- hauh_escape_empty_handed [2026/03/17 05:45] – [SCENE 6d — ESCAPE EMPTY-HANDED] admin
+++ hauh_escape_empty_handed [2026/09/04 03:59] (current) – [DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene] admin
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ====== SCENE 6d — ESCAPE EMPTY-HANDED ======
+{{:scene6c_picture.jpeg?400|}}
 ===== 1 | Scene Overview =====
-  * **Location:** Inside J.W.'s compound, transitioning to the dark forest outside the wall.
-  * **Type:** Fleeing · Active Chase · Evasion · Hard Choices
+  * **Location:** Inside J.W.'s compound, moving toward the fortified perimeter and the surrounding rainforest
+  * **Type:** Escape · Evasion · Survival · Consequence
   * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]]
-  * **Tone:** Adrenaline-fueled panic · closing net · bitter realization
+  * **Tone:** Urgency · bitter compromise · fragile momentum · survival under pressure
-**Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** The deafening shriek of the alarm · harsh white floodlights cutting blindly into the freezing mist · the mechanical clack of Windstrike Rifles chambering rounds in the dark · slipping in cold mud · burning lungs.
+**Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Warm, humid air beneath drifting mist · perpetual late-afternoon twilight · mud churned by boots and wagon wheels · armed voices passing between timber stacks · the hiss of salvaged machinery · pressure moving through the Main House pipes · the distant forest hidden beyond the palisade
 ----
-===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions ====
+===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions =====
-==== Initial Read-Aloud (The Alarm Sounds) ====
-The silence shatters. An acoustic alarm tears through the heavy mist, vibrating in your teeth. Harsh white floodlights snap on, cutting blinding angles across the yard, but the fog is too thick to see more than shifting shadows.
+==== Initial Read-Aloud — Survival Becomes the Mission ====
-The property instantly wakes up.
+J.W. is not with you.
-You can't see them, but you hear it—heavy boots hitting the mud, doors slamming open, and the mechanical clack of Windstrike Rifles chambering rounds somewhere in the mist. Voices shout over the noise, echoing off the timber, making it impossible to tell exactly how close they are.
+Perhaps you never found him. Perhaps the danger forced you to turn back before reaching him. Perhaps he escaped, was abandoned or lies dead somewhere inside the compound. Whatever happened, you are now trying to leave his realm without a living captive.
-You know you have only two ways out. The three-meter-high timber wall surrounds the entire property like a cage — slick with moisture and never far away, no matter which direction you run. The only other option is to find the heavy main gate somewhere in the fog.
+That does not mean you have achieved nothing. You may still carry evidence, weapons or discoveries recovered during the infiltration. Or you may have nothing except the equipment on your backs and the knowledge of what you witnessed here.
-You are completely exposed, and the net is closing fast. You have seconds before they find you in the fog. What do you do?
+Warm mist drifts between the timber stacks, workshops and windowless huts. Somewhere within it, J.W.'s armed Hands are moving—or may already be searching for you. Beyond them stand the three-meter palisade and its heavily reinforced gate.
-{{ :read_aloud_hauh_escape_empty_handed.mp3 |}}
+The mission has narrowed to a single immediate objective.
+Carry whatever you still possess. Reach the forest. Survive.
+What do you do?
+{{ :initial_readaloud_6d_new.mp3 |}}
+----
+==== Staged Read-Alouds ====
+| **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** |
+| **The Pressure Countdown reaches zero** | The ticking inside the Main House stops. A heavy metallic CLACK travels through the pipes. A moment later, compressed air erupts from an outlet beneath the roof, releasing a deep mechanical howl across the compound. Armed voices answer from within the mist as the Hands abandon their search pattern and move toward the gate and known escape routes. |
+| **The PCs reach an available freight wagon** | Two massive Manual Labor Bots stand in their harnesses, connected by heavy chains to an armored freight wagon. Rain-darkened canvas covers its cargo compartment. The unfamiliar control levers wait above the driver's bench while armed voices draw closer through the fog. |
+| **The PCs reach the main gate** | The reinforced timber gate rises through the mist. Three heavy iron latches secure it from the inside. Beyond it lies the forest—but the exposed ground, wall-walk and nearby timber stacks offer the Hands several positions from which to defend the only visible entrance. |
+| **The PCs reach the palisade** | Moisture runs down the massive squared logs. The upper edge is protected by coils of wire, and the wall-walk disappears into mist on either side. Beyond the timber lies the rainforest. Reaching it means climbing quickly and leaving nothing behind that you cannot carry. |
+| **Open resistance begins among the Blues** | Wooden latches lift along the row of huts. Pale workers emerge carrying knives, hatchets, logging hooks and splitting mauls. Their anger is directed toward the armed Hands who have controlled them. Whether they also recognize you as allies depends on everything that happened before this moment. |
+| **The PCs clear the compound** | The palisade disappears behind drifting mist and wet foliage. The shouts, rifle reports and mechanical howl become muffled beneath the rainforest canopy. J.W. is not with you—but whatever evidence, injuries and consequences remain have escaped with you. |
 ----
@@ Line 35: / Line 53: @@
 | **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** |
-| **Active Chase & Consequence** | Execute a desperate escape plan under fire · survive the immediate pursuit · decide whether to accept defeat or attempt a suicidal return | Provides a mechanical resolution to a botched infiltration. Enforces the "One Action Ahead" rule to create cinematic tension. Forces a final choice if they survive: accept failure or return on High Alert. |
+| **Survival Escape & Consequence** | Preserve evidence and equipment · choose an available escape route · evade or overcome the Hands · reach the forest alive | Resolves an escape without a living captive while preserving the PCs' actual achievements. “Empty-handed” refers to J.W.'s absence, not necessarily to a complete lack of evidence or partial success. |
 ----
@@ Line 41: / Line 59: @@
 ===== 4 | Key (N)PCs =====
-| **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Link** |
+| **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Wiki Link** |
-| **Gate Guards (x2)** | Choke-point lockdown | They rush the main gate. They will shoot to kill, firing Windstrike Rifles into the mist to suppress the PCs. | [[mustafa_metzger|Mustafa Metzger]] + 1 [[the_humans|exohuman]] guard. |
+| **Black-Coated Hand — Field Leader** | Contain the breach · recover or protect J.W. · prevent escape | If he remains active, he directs the response and positions riflemen near the gate and important routes. If he was previously incapacitated, replace him with another surviving Hand. | [[the_humans|Exohumans]] |
-| **Wall Guard (x1)** | High-ground oversight | Patrols the walkway. He uses the floodlights to spot climbers and shoot them off the timber wall. | [[the_humans|Exohuman]] |
+| **J.W.'s Armed Hands** | Security · pursuit · gate control · recovery of evidence | Armed Exohuman fugitives carrying Windstrike Rifles, hunting knives and salvaged weapons. They move in small groups, use cover and attempt to cut off escape routes. They may capture isolated PCs when possible, but lethal force becomes increasingly likely during the Full Alarm. | [[the_humans|Exohumans]] |
-| **Hunter's Hands** | Swarm and capture | The Blues are seconds behind the PCs. If the PCs falter, they arrive to drag them back to the cell. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] |
+| **Pale Workers / Blues** | Survival · freedom from coercion · protection of their own | The Blues are coerced workers rather than guards. They do not pursue or capture the PCs. Their attitude follows the recorded Blues Disposition, while any resistance against the Hands grows from their own oppression. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] |
 ----
@@ Line 50: / Line 68: @@
 ===== 5 | Triggers, Clues & Consequences =====
-=== Phase I — The Chase (The "One Action Ahead" Rule) ===
+=== Entry Conditions & Carried State ===
-//**The Rule:** The PCs start with a brief head start—they are "One Action Ahead." This means they can afford exactly ONE failed check. If a PC fails their initial escape roll, the pursuers close the gap. The PC must immediately declare a reactionary action (e.g., diving for cover, throwing a smoke bomb, fighting back) and roll again. If they fail this second consecutive roll, they are caught.//
+//Begin at the exact location and moment at which the PCs lost, abandoned or killed J.W. Do not return them to the Main House or reset an obstacle that was already in progress.//
-| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
+  * **Starting Position:** Preserve the PCs' current location and any immediate threat, blocked route or disabled vehicle.
-| **PCs attempt to scale the Timber Wall** | As they approach the wall, the walkway guard sweeps the area with a light. | __Mechanic:__ A STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) probe (DC 15). __Success:__ They vault the wall and drop into the forest (Proceed to Phase II). __Failure:__ They slip or are spotted. The guard aims his rifle. They lose their "One Action Ahead" advantage and must declare a Reaction. |
+  * **Target Outcome:** Record whether J.W. is **Alive Inside the Compound**, **Escaped from the PCs**, **Dead**, or **Unknown**.
-| **PCs attempt to breach the Main Gate** | As they reach the gate, two guards emerge from the mist and open fire. | __Mechanic:__ Bypassing the guards requires an opposed Combat roll, a creative Tinkerer distraction, or a DEX (Sleight of Hand) probe (DC 16) to force the gate lock while dodging fire. __Success:__ They burst through the gate into the forest (Proceed to Phase II). __Failure:__ They are pinned down by crossfire. They lose their "One Action Ahead" advantage and must declare a Reaction. |
+  * **Escalation State:** Retain **Undetected**, **Active Search** or **Full Alarm**.
-| **Reaction: Hiding in the mist/shadows** | A desperate attempt to vanish before the Blues arrive. | __Mechanic:__ A DEX (Stealth) probe (DC 15). __Success:__ They regain their head start, slipping away to try the wall or gate again. __Failure:__ They are surrounded. (See "Captured" below). |
+  * **Pressure Countdown:** If the Full Alarm has not sounded, retain the remaining countdown from Scene 6a or 6c.
-| **Reaction: Returning fire / Distraction** | Firing blindly or throwing an explosive to buy time. | __Mechanic:__ A ranged attack roll or Tinkerer ability to suppress the guards. __Success:__ The guards duck, buying the PCs exactly one round to automatically clear the wall/gate. __Failure:__ The guards' armor holds, or the shot misses. The Blues arrive. (See "Captured" below). |
+  * **Wagon State:** Retain **Departed**, **Departure Interrupted**, **Captured Outside**, **Returned Under PC Control**, or any later outcome such as **Disabled**.
-| **Result: Captured (Two consecutive failures)** | The "One Action Ahead" buffer is gone. The swarm hits them. | __Consequence:__ The PCs are overwhelmed by the Hunter's Hands, beaten down, and disarmed. They are dragged to the heavy wooden hatch reinforced with iron bands and thrown into the dark. Proceed immediately to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. |
+  * **Blues Disposition:** Retain **Uncertain**, **Sympathetic** or **Alienated**. If none was established, use **Uncertain**.
+  * **Blues Resistance:** Record whether the workers remain controlled or whether **Open Defiance** has already begun.
+  * **Carried Resources:** Preserve injuries, ammunition, missing equipment and every piece of evidence the PCs still possess.
----
+//__The Pressure Countdown:__ Reduce the countdown by 1 whenever the PCs spend significant time searching, treating injuries, debating their route or recovering from a failed action. At 0, read the staged Full Alarm description. A gunshot, shout or discovery may begin an Active Search, but does not activate the pneumatic alarm by itself.//
-=== Phase II — The Crossroads (The Final Choice) ===
+//__The One-Setback Rule:__ The first failed escape probe creates a complication rather than immediate capture. The Hands gain position, a route becomes blocked, the wagon stalls or a PC becomes separated. The group must address that setback before continuing. A second failure while the setback remains unresolved forces a desperate final action, surrender or capture.//
-//If the PCs successfully breach the wall or gate, they plunge into the dark forest. Once they are safe, the adrenaline wears off. They must now make a definitive decision about the mission's outcome.//
+----
+=== Phase I — Break for the Perimeter ===
+//Without J.W. to transport, the PCs can move more quickly. Resolve the journey from their current position to their chosen escape route with one coordinated group action rather than testing every few meters.//
+| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** |
+^  MOVEMENT BY ESCALATION STATE  ^^^
+| **The PCs move while the compound remains Undetected** | Routine work and patrols continue, while drifting mist conceals the paths between structures. | __Mechanic:__ A group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival) or appropriate CHA (Deception) probe (DC 13). Success reaches the chosen perimeter route unseen. Failure begins an **Active Search** and creates a setback. |
+| **The PCs move during an Active Search** | Armed Hands challenge movement, inspect hiding places and secure the principal paths. | __Mechanic:__ A group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival), CHA (Deception) or coordinated distraction probe (DC 14). Success reaches the selected escape route. Failure brings 2–4 Hands into the path and creates a setback. |
+| **The PCs move during the Full Alarm** | The Hands abandon ordinary patrols and converge upon the gate, wall-walk and known intruder positions. | __Mechanic:__ Stealth alone cannot complete the escape. Ask how the group uses cover, speed, suppression or diversion. Resolve one coordinated probe against DC 15. Success reaches the perimeter. Failure places the Hands in an effective firing position and creates a setback. |
-| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
+^  COMPLICATIONS & RESOURCES  ^^^
-| **PCs reach the deep forest and stop running** | The forest is dead silent. They are alive. | __Consequence:__ Read/Paraphrase: //"You collapse against the roots of a massive tree. It is dead silent. You are alive. But as you catch your breath in the freezing dark, the reality sets in. You have no captive. You have no proof. Ezrah’s mandate was absolute. You survived, but you have failed."// |
+| **Armed Hands block the chosen route** | The Hands spread between cover rather than charging directly into the PCs. | __Consequence:__ The PCs may return fire, create a diversion, change routes or overcome the group in combat. A successful reaction resolves the current setback and allows the escape to continue. |
-| **PCs decide to walk away and return to New Kourou** | The mission ends in failure. | __Consequence:__ The PCs survive, but the campaign is over. They return to Ezrah empty-handed. They receive no Kourou. J.W. continues his horrific Assimilation Project. The DM should narrate a bleak epilogue detailing their bitter return to the city. Proceed to [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution (Failure State)]]. |
+| **The PCs use workshops, machinery or timber stacks as cover** | The indirect path provides concealment but requires additional time. | __Consequence:__ Grant Advantage on the movement probe, but reduce the Pressure Countdown by 1 if the Full Alarm has not yet sounded. |
-| **PCs decide to regroup and return to the compound** | A desperate, high-stakes gamble. | __Consequence:__ They must wait out the night or sneak back immediately. Proceed back to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a]].__ Crucial DM Rule:__ The compound is now on **High Alert**. All Stealth DCs are increased by +2. The guards are actively patrolling. If caught again, they will be shot on sight or executed immediately. |
+| **The PCs abandon heavy equipment or evidence to move faster** | Packs, weapons or collected objects disappear into the mud and mist behind them. | __Consequence:__ The DM may grant Advantage or resolve a relevant physical setback automatically. Record exactly what was abandoned; it cannot be recovered after the PCs clear the compound. |
+| **The group becomes separated** | Mist and gunfire divide the PCs into smaller groups moving toward different sections of the perimeter. | __Consequence:__ Resolve each separated group using the same escape route rules. Do not automatically reunite them outside. Their individual outcomes may lead to different following scenes. |
+----
+=== Phase II — Escape Routes ===
+//The PCs may use the gate, scale the palisade, exploit an available freight wagon or create another credible route. Consult only the rows relevant to their plan.//
+| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** |
+^  THE MAIN GATE  ^^^
+| **The PCs reach an undefended gate** | Three heavy iron latches secure the gate from the compound side. There is no conventional lock to pick. | __Mechanic:__ One PC can release the latches and push the gate open without a probe. Doing so requires one meaningful action. |
+| **The Hands defend the gate** | Riflemen use the wall, gateposts and nearby timber stacks as cover while another Hand protects the latches. | __Mechanic:__ The PCs must suppress, deceive, outflank or overcome the defenders. Resolve the coordinated plan against DC 15. Success creates enough time to release the latches. Failure creates or preserves a setback. |
+| **A gate latch is jammed** | Wet grit and corrosion hold the iron mechanism inside its housing. | __Mechanic:__ A STR (Athletics) or INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 14) releases it. Suitable tools or assistance grants Advantage. |
+^  THE PALISADE  ^^^
+| **The PCs attempt to climb the palisade** | The three-meter timber wall is slick with moisture, and coils of wire protect its upper edge. | __Mechanic:__ A STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or suitable technical probe (DC 14). Rope, climbing equipment or a credible team plan grants Advantage. Success clears the wall. Failure creates a setback and may inflict Light Damage. |
+| **The wall-walk guard notices the climb** | An armed Hand moves along the walkway and attempts to gain a firing angle. | __Consequence:__ Another PC may suppress, distract or intercept the guard. Success allows the climbers to continue. Failure preserves the setback and forces the climbers to change their approach or attempt a desperate final action. |
+^  THE FREIGHT WAGON  ^^^
+| **The Wagon State is Departure Interrupted or Returned Under PC Control** | The freight wagon and its two Manual Labor Bots remain inside the compound. Its exact position is determined by the preceding scene. | __Consequence:__ The PCs may attempt to reach and use it. If the wagon was returned under their control, no further probe is required to understand the basic controls. |
+| **The PCs attempt to start unfamiliar Labor Bots** | Heavy control levers and faded symbols cover the driver's panel. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 13) activates the Bots. Failure creates a setback while the Hands close on the vehicle. |
+| **The PCs drive toward the gate** | The Bots pull the armored wagon through the mud while riflemen target the exposed driver and controls. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Engineering/Tinkering), DEX-based vehicle or appropriate alternative probe (DC 14). Success reaches the gate. Failure creates a setback as the wagon strikes a rut, stalls or gives the Hands time to block the track. |
+| **The Hands raise a logging chain** | A heavy chain tightens across the track between two reinforced timber posts. | __Mechanic:__ Use this obstacle if the Full Alarm was already active or the wagon suffered a setback. A WIS (Perception) probe (DC 13) spots it before impact. Clearing or bypassing it requires a suitable attack, INT (Engineering/Tinkering) or group STR (Athletics) probe (DC 14). Failure preserves the setback and allows the Hands to close in. |
+| **The wagon is disabled** | The Bots stop or the vehicle loses momentum while the Hands approach. | __Consequence:__ The PCs may attempt an INT (Engineering/Tinkering) repair probe (DC 15) or abandon the vehicle and continue toward the gate or palisade on foot. |
+| **The Wagon State is Captured Outside** | The wagon remains beyond the palisade, provided the Hands have not recovered it. | __Consequence:__ The PCs must first clear the compound on foot. They may then use the waiting wagon as their escape transport. |
+| **The Wagon State is Departed** | The wagon has continued into the forest and is no longer near the compound. | __Consequence:__ It cannot be used in this scene. The PCs must choose another route. |
+^  PLAYER-CREATED ROUTES  ^^^
+| **The PCs propose another credible escape plan** | The compound contains tools, ropes, timber, workshops and salvaged machinery that may be exploited. | __Consequence:__ Adapt the closest mechanic above. Reward a practical plan with Advantage or a reduced DC rather than forcing the group toward the gate or wagon. |
+----
+=== Phase III — The Hands and the Blues ===
+//The Hands provide the armed opposition. The Blues are coerced workers whose response depends on their disposition and the current level of resistance.//
+| **Situation** | **Reaction** | **Effect on the Escape** |
+| **The Armed Hands control the perimeter** | Small groups defend the gate and patrol the wall-walk while others pursue the PCs through the mist. | Use only the Hands needed to pressure the chosen route. Do not place every surviving Hand into a single combat encounter. |
+| **Blues Resistance is already Open Defiance** | Workers engage the Hands near the huts, workshops or gate with tools and improvised weapons. | The Hands must divide their attention. Once during the escape, grant the PCs Advantage on a movement, gate, wall or wagon action. |
+| **The Blues are Sympathetic but resistance has not begun** | A worker may conceal movement, point toward an unguarded route or misdirect one Hand. | Once during the scene, the PCs may gain Advantage on an appropriate escape probe. The worker does not escort them or fight openly without a further trigger. |
+| **The Blues are Uncertain** | The workers withdraw from the paths and avoid becoming involved. | They neither help the PCs nor automatically report them. They may still resist the Hands if confronted with visible brutality. |
+| **The Blues are Alienated** | The workers avoid the PCs and protect themselves. | They provide no direct assistance. Any later resistance remains directed toward the Hands rather than performed for the PCs' benefit. |
+| **A Hand publicly brutalizes or shoots a defiant worker** | The violence may push the surrounding Blues into open resistance. | The DM may set Blues Resistance to **Open Defiance**. This resistance originates from the workers' own oppression and is not guaranteed merely because the PCs need assistance. |
+| **The PCs threaten or attack the Blues** | Workers scatter, defend themselves or call attention to the danger. | Set Blues Disposition to **Alienated**. The PCs receive no direct assistance during the escape. |
+----
+=== Scene Outcome & Transition ===
+| **Outcome** | **Immediate Consequence** | **Transition** |
+| **The PCs clear the compound without J.W.** | They reach the rainforest with whatever evidence, equipment and injuries remain. Their ultimate success or failure has not yet been judged. | Proceed to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou]]. |
+| **Some PCs escape while others are captured** | The group is separated. Escaped characters continue into the forest, while captured characters are disarmed and confined. | Escaped PCs proceed to Scene 8a. Captured PCs proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. |
+| **The entire group is captured or surrenders** | The Hands disarm and restrain them. The existing Active Search or Full Alarm remains in effect. | Proceed to Scene 6b. |
+| **The PCs unexpectedly regain control of a living J.W.** | The objective changes from survival alone to extracting the captive. | Proceed immediately to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]], preserving the current position, escalation and any setback. |
+| **The PCs abandon the escape before the Full Alarm and resume the mission** | The compound remains aware of whatever disturbances have already occurred. | Return to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] with the current Active Search, Wagon State and Blues Disposition. Once the Full Alarm is active, this return should no longer be offered as an ordinary option. |
+//Before leaving the scene, record://
+  * **Target Outcome:** Alive Inside the Compound · Escaped · Dead · Unknown
+  * **Escape Method:** Freight Wagon · On Foot · Other
+  * **Escalation at Exit:** Undetected · Active Search · Full Alarm
+  * **Blues Disposition:** Uncertain · Sympathetic · Alienated
+  * **Blues Resistance:** None · Open Defiance
+  * **Wagon Outcome:** Escaped With PCs · Available Outside · Left Behind/Disabled · Departed
+  * **Carried Resources:** Evidence · equipment · ammunition · injuries · separated or captured PCs
 ----
@@ Line 76: / Line 171: @@
 ===== 6 | DM Notes =====
-  * **Pacing the "One Action Ahead" Rule:** Do not give the players time to deliberate when a failure happens. If they fail the wall climb, tell them instantly: "You slide down the wet wood. The spotlight hits your face. The guard racks his rifle. What do you do right now?!" Make the Reaction feel like a split-second panic decision.
+  * **Keep the Scene Short:** The PCs no longer need to transport J.W. Resolve their movement to the perimeter, their chosen escape route and any final opposition. Do not turn every few meters into a separate probe.
-  * **Failure is an Option:** Beta Age is a gritty setting. Sometimes, surviving a bad situation is the best a crew can hope for. If they reach Phase II and choose to walk away, let them. The world continues, and they have to live with the consequences of leaving J.W. in power.
+  * **Empty-Handed Does Not Mean No Evidence:** The PCs may still possess notebooks, correspondence, pelts, weapons or other discoveries. Preserve everything they successfully carried out.
-  * **The Weight of the Return:** If they do decide to go back, make sure they understand this is now a borderline suicide mission. J.W. knows someone is out there. The element of surprise is entirely gone.
+  * **Do Not Judge the Mission Here:** Reaching the forest does not automatically end the campaign or determine payment. The consequences belong to the return and case-resolution scenes.
+  * **Preserve the Starting Position:** If the PCs entered from Scene 6c during a gate confrontation, wagon crash or firefight, continue from that exact moment. Do not restart the escape elsewhere.
+  * **Hands Guard; Blues Work:** Armed Hands pursue, shoot, capture and defend the perimeter. The Blues are coerced workers and must never become a hostile security swarm.
+  * **Active Search Is Not Full Alarm:** Gunfire, discovery and shouted warnings begin an Active Search. Only the Pressure Countdown reaching zero activates the pneumatic howl.
+  * **The Gate Opens From Inside:** The PCs do not need to pick an external lock. If they reach the gate uncontested, they can release its three internal latches.
+  * **Respect the Wagon State:** The freight wagon appears only when preceding events left it available. Do not restore it merely to provide an easier escape.
+  * **Use the One-Setback Rule:** The first failure changes the situation. Give the PCs an opportunity to respond with a new idea before capture becomes unavoidable.
+  * **Resistance Belongs to the Blues:** Any uprising grows from the workers' oppression. Their disposition determines whether they also assist the PCs.
+  * **End at the Perimeter:** Once the surviving PCs enter the forest, stop this scene. Scene 8a handles the journey away from the compound.
 ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ====
-{{ :dm_briefing_hauh_escape_empty_handed.mp3 |}}
+{{ :dmbriefing_6d_new.mp3 |}}
 ----
 ===== Related Pages and Further Information =====
   * ↑↑ **Start:** [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]]
   * ★ **Overview:** [[All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter|All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter]]
-  * ← **Previous Scene:** [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a]] or [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b]]
+  * ← **Possible Previous Scenes:**
-  * → **Next Scene (If Caught):** [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]
+      * [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]]
-  * → **Next Scene (If Returning):** [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter (High Alert)]]
+      * [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]
-  * → **Next Scene (If Retreating):** [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution]]
+      * [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]]
+  * → **The outcome determines the next scene:**
+      * **If the PCs escape without J.W.:** Proceed to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou]].
+      * **If the PCs are captured:** Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]].
+      * **If the PCs regain control of a living J.W.:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]].