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=== 102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter ===

====== SCENE 5 — FOLLOW THE ERRAND RUNNER ======

{{:scene_5_follow_the_errand_runner.png?direct&400|}}

===== 1 | Scene Overview =====

  * **Location:** From [[morningstar|Morningstar]] to the lower slopes of the [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]], Habitual Belt side, near the upper reaches of the [[arla_river|Arla River]]
  * **Distance:** Approximately 10 km by the shifting forest route
  * **Type:** Pursuit · Environmental Hazard · Escalating Tension · Transition
  * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]]
  * **Tone:** Fading civilization · tightening wilderness · unseen danger · hunter’s ground

**Entry Condition:** Use this scene if the PCs follow Mustafa “Mu” Metzger or attempt to find J.W.’s compound by following the temporary route markers. If Sagan guides them along the Roman Way, use [[scene_4a_2_the_roman_way|Scene 4a+2 — The Roman Way]] instead.

**Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Persistent mist · humid tropical air · soft rainfall · mud sucking at boots and wheels · chainsaw noise fading into forest silence · bioluminescent vines faintly glowing beneath the canopy · distant animal calls · the sense of being watched

===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions =====

==== Initial Read-Aloud — Scene Opening ====

Beyond Morningstar’s Main Gate, the world does not end all at once—it thins.

At first, the road is still paved beneath you, dark stone slick with moisture, cutting straight north between walls of forest. Barkroot trees crowd close on either side, their thick roots pushing through the soil like knotted fingers, but the settlement has not quite let go yet.

Behind you, the Fogwood Sawmill is still audible. Chainsaws whine and bite, metal teeth screaming against timber. The sound is distant, muted by mist, but steady.

Then, step by step, it fades.

The paving breaks apart into packed earth and mud. The forest closes ranks. Humid air clings to skin and fabric, warm and heavy, carrying the smell of wet leaves, resin and slow-moving water. Mist drifts between trunks and low branches, softening distance and swallowing detail.

This is not a new frontier.

This is what lies beyond it.

{{ :initialreadaloud_scene5_new.mp3 |}}

==== Staged Read-Alouds — Progressive Descriptions ====

| **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** |
| **The PCs notice the hidden route markers** | At first, the signs appear unrelated. A vine tied around a low branch. Three stones stacked beside an exposed root. A shallow cut in the bark of a Barkroot tree. Farther ahead, the Errand Runner slows only briefly before changing direction. The markers do not form a visible path. Each one merely points toward the next. |
| **The PCs notice supervised Blue trappers beside the route** | Two pale figures crouch beside a trap line half-concealed beneath wet foliage. Their patched work clothes carry tools, cord and trapping equipment. A third figure stands several steps behind them in a reinforced harness, one hand resting close to a firearm. He does not help with the work. His attention moves constantly between the forest and the two trappers. When one of the pale figures pauses, a small gesture from the armed Hand sends them immediately back to the trap. |
| **The PCs reach the edge of J.W.’s property** | The forest changes without warning. Ahead, half-swallowed by mist and foliage, a wooden wall rises between the trees—rough timbers sunk deep into the ground and reinforced with scavenged metal plates and wire. It stands nearly three metres high, cutting cleanly across the forest floor. A heavy timber gate breaks the palisade. Above it, a rough wooden frame supports a massive steel pressure vessel scavenged from the Last Frontier, its weathered surface stained by rust and tropical rain. The vessel hangs like an improvised bell over the entrance. Off to one side, a weathered post bears a faded warning: NO TRESPASSING — PRIVATE PROPERTY. Above the sign hangs the yellowed skull of a [[moar|Moar]]. Whatever rules applied behind you no longer reach this place. You are no longer following someone. You have arrived. |

//This final Read-Aloud ends the scene. If the PCs arrive freely, proceed to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]]. If they arrive captured, bound or escorted under force, proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]].//

===== 3 | Scene Intent =====

| **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** |
| **Pursuit and Escalation** | Track the Errand Runner · interpret the hidden markers · manage transport · avoid traps · decide how far to commit | Establishes the controlled approach to J.W.’s territory and determines whether the PCs reach the compound unnoticed, under an Active Search or as prisoners. |
| **First Blues Encounter — conditional** | Observe · communicate · avoid · threaten or assist | Establishes the initial Blues Disposition without treating every Blue as one of J.W.’s armed enforcers. |
| **Transition** | Reach the compound freely or in captivity | Leads to Scene 6a or Scene 6b and carries forward the Approach State and Blues Disposition. |

===== 4 | Key (N)PCs and Environmental Actors =====

| **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Wiki Link** |
| **Mustafa “Mu” Metzger** | Errand Runner · Hunter’s Hand | Maintains a steady pace. His yellow raincoat remains visible at a distance. If he notices pursuit, he does not flee—he reports the intruders and leads them toward prepared ground. | [[mustafa_metzger|Mustafa Metzger]] |
| **Blue Trappers and Workers — conditional** | Maintain trap lines · collect game · survive within J.W.’s system | Pale, cautious and accustomed to being watched. They carry tools and trapping equipment rather than serving as an armed patrol. Outside the compound, they are always accompanied by at least one of J.W.’s Hands and cannot speak or act freely. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] |
| **J.W.’s Hands — conditional** | Supervision · armed interception · intimidation · capture | One Hand accompanies every Blue work group outside the compound. Larger interception teams consist of approximately five Hands. They wear reinforced harnesses, carry firearms and restraints and report directly to J.W. Some Hands may themselves be Blues, but their security role must not be used to define the wider Blue population. | — |
| **Moar** | Apex predator · dominance | Investigates prolonged noise, injury, blood or immobilized prey. It does not rush. If a Moar is close, the forest becomes unnaturally quiet first. | [[moar|Moar]] |

===== 5 | Triggers, Clues and Consequences =====

==== Scene States — Record Before Continuing ====

| **State** | **Possible Results** | **Application** |
| **Approach State** | **Quiet** · **Alerted** | Determines whether Scene 6a begins **Undetected** or under an **Active Search**. Scene 5 cannot trigger the **Full Alarm**. |
| **Blues Disposition** | **Uncertain** · **Sympathetic** · **Alienated** | If no earlier event established the disposition, begin at **Uncertain**. Change it only through meaningful interaction with the Blue trappers and carry it into Scenes 6a or 6b. |
| **Transport Location** | **With the PCs** · **Hidden along the route** · **Left near Morningstar** · **Lost** | Record where the Mortician’s Cart, mounts or other transport remain so they can be recovered or referenced during the return journey. |

==== Phase I — The Hunt Path ====

| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
|  **— FOLLOWING MU —**  |||
| **The PCs follow on foot** | Distance slowly increases. Mu’s yellow coat flickers in and out of the mist. | **Mechanic:** Repeated WIS (Survival) or WIS (Perception) probes (DC 13). Failure risks losing sight of him but does not automatically lose the hidden route if the PCs have already identified its markers. |
| **The PCs follow on mounts** | The PCs can match Mu’s pace, but vegetation and soft ground make concealment difficult. | **Mechanic:** Repeated DEX (Animal Handling) or WIS (Survival) probes (DC 12). Failure alerts Mu and changes the **Approach State** to **Alerted**. |
| **The PCs take the Hoo-drawn Mortician’s Cart deep into the forest** | The heavy cart struggles through mud, exposed roots and narrow passages. Its wheels and harness make concealment increasingly difficult. | **Consequence:** Mu notices the pursuit and reports it through his [[short_wave_communications_device|Shortwave Device]]. Set the **Approach State** to **Alerted** and continue toward Phase IIb. |
| **The PCs hide or leave the Mortician’s Cart before the terrain becomes impassable** | The cart can be concealed beneath vegetation or behind suitable terrain while the PCs continue on foot. | Record its location. A WIS (Survival) or INT (Investigation) probe (DC 12) conceals its tracks. On failure, the cart may later be discovered by Hands or other travellers. |
| **Mu becomes aware of pursuit** | His behaviour does not visibly change. He neither flees nor accelerates. | He reports the pursuit, chooses prepared terrain and permits the PCs to continue. Set the **Approach State** to **Alerted** and continue toward Phase IIb. |
|  **— THE HIDDEN ROUTE —**  |||
| **The PCs watch how Mu chooses his route** | Mu briefly checks branches, roots, tree trunks or disturbed patches of ground before changing direction. | A WIS (Perception), WIS (Survival), INT (Investigation) or relevant tracking probe (DC 13) reveals the marker sequence. On success, read **“The PCs notice the hidden route markers.”** |
| **The PCs examine a discovered marker** | The sign is simple and easily overlooked: a knotted vine, stacked stones, cut bark, bent branch, strip of fabric or concealed metal tag. | Each marker indicates only the direction of the next sign. The route can be changed without constructing a permanent path. |
| **The PCs identify several markers in succession** | The sequence becomes easier to recognize. | Future probes to follow the route gain Advantage or reduce their DC by 2. If the PCs lose sight of Mu, they may continue by following the markers. |
| **The PCs lose sight of Mu after discovering the markers** | The yellow raincoat disappears, but the last confirmed marker still indicates a direction. | A WIS (Survival), INT (Investigation) or group tracking probe (DC 13) locates the next marker. Failure sends the group toward Phase IIa or another dangerous detour. |
| **The PCs lose sight of Mu without discovering the markers** | The forest offers no obvious road or continuous trail. | Recovering the pursuit requires a WIS (Survival) probe (DC 14). Failure increases the likelihood of entering Phase IIa. |
| **The PCs remove, damage or rearrange a marker** | The hidden route becomes harder to retrace. Mu or the Hands may later recognize the interference. | Future route-finding probes suffer Disadvantage unless the PCs record or restore the marker. Discovery of the tampering changes the **Approach State** to **Alerted**. |
|  **— SUPERVISED BLUE TRAPPERS —**  |||
| **The PCs notice Blue trappers near the route** | Two Blues maintain a trap line while one armed Hand watches them and the surrounding forest. | Read **“The PCs notice supervised Blue trappers beside the route.”** The encounter does not require the PCs to reveal themselves. |
| **The PCs observe the group from concealment** | The Hand gives short instructions but performs none of the physical work. The Blues become visibly tense whenever he moves closer. | A WIS (Insight) or WIS (Perception) probe (DC 12) confirms that the Hand is supervising them rather than protecting or assisting them. The Blues Disposition remains **Uncertain**. |
| **The PCs avoid the work group** | The Blues and their supervisor continue along the trap line without noticing the group. | The Blues Disposition remains **Uncertain** and the Approach State remains **Quiet**. |
| **The PCs reveal themselves or approach openly** | The supervising Hand moves between the PCs and the Blues, draws his weapon and orders the group to stop. The Blues withdraw behind him without speaking. | Unless the PCs immediately surrender, retreat or prevent the warning, the Hand reports the encounter. Set the Approach State to **Alerted** and continue toward Phase IIb. |
| **The PCs address the Blues peacefully** | The Hand interrupts or orders the Blues to remain silent. Their response is limited to glances, hesitation or small gestures. | A CHA (Persuasion) or WIS (Insight) probe (DC 12) may shift the Blues Disposition to **Sympathetic**, but they will not openly defy the Hand while he controls the encounter. |
| **The PCs neutralize the supervising Hand without harming the Blues** | The Blues retreat several steps but do not automatically flee or attack. They wait to understand what the PCs intend. | A calm explanation, an offer of freedom or visible restraint shifts the Blues Disposition to **Sympathetic**. If the Hand transmitted a warning first, the Approach State remains **Alerted**. Otherwise, it may remain **Quiet**. |
| **The PCs demand that the Blues accompany them** | The Blues hesitate and look toward the compound. Fear for other workers, relatives or the consequences of escape prevents an automatic agreement. | Sympathetic Blues may provide a warning or point toward the route, but they do not automatically abandon the compound. |
| **The PCs threaten, restrain or attack the Blues** | The supervising Hand engages while the Blues attempt to escape or defend themselves long enough to withdraw. | Set the Blues Disposition to **Alienated** and the Approach State to **Alerted**. Continue toward Phase IIb if the Hand or a Blue transmits a warning. |


==== Phase IIa — The Capture Trap ====

| **Trigger / Cue** | **Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
| **A PC steps into the concealed loop** | The buried line snaps tight and hauls the affected character against a trunk or into the undergrowth. | **Mechanic:** The trapped PC is **Restrained**. Escaping requires a STR (Athletics) probe (DC 15), a DEX (Acrobatics) probe (DC 15), suitable tools or assistance from another PC. |
| **The trapped PC attempts to force their way free** | The wire cuts deeper and the supporting branches creak beneath the strain. | **Mechanic:** A failed escape probe inflicts 1d4 damage and produces additional noise. Creative use of tools, leverage or coordinated assistance may lower the DC at the DM’s discretion. |
| **The PCs free themselves before anyone arrives** | The released line lashes back through the vegetation. Beyond it, the forest remains still—for now. | The PCs may return to Phase I and continue toward the compound. Preserve the current **Approach State** unless their escape produced substantial noise. |
| **The escape produces substantial or prolonged noise** | Something heavy begins moving through the mist beyond the surrounding trunks. Branches bend, then snap. | The disturbance may attract the [[moar|Moar]]. This does not automatically alert the compound, but gunfire or a prolonged confrontation sets the Approach State to **Alerted**. |
| **The PCs remain trapped for approximately two hours** | Two pale trappers approach through the mist with hooked poles and cutting tools. An armed Hand follows several paces behind them, watching the prisoners rather than the trap. | The Blues have come to inspect the trap line, but they are not free to decide what happens to the PCs. The supervising Hand controls the encounter. |
| **The supervising Hand discovers the trapped PCs** | He steps beyond their immediate reach, draws his weapon and uses a compact [[short_wave_communications_device|Shortwave Device]] to report the trap-line designation and nearest route marker. He then remains at a safe distance while ordering the Blues to stay away from the prisoners. | Set the Approach State to **Alerted** and begin the **Hand Response Clock**. Reinforcements arrive after 1d4 Forest Turns. One Forest Turn represents approximately ten minutes. The transmission cannot be interrupted before it is sent. |
| **The Blues Disposition is Sympathetic** | One of the workers avoids the Hand’s gaze and quietly leaves a cutting tool within reach or loosens part of the line while pretending to inspect it. | A trapped PC gains advantage on their next escape probe. The Blues will not openly attack the Hand unless the PCs create a decisive opportunity. |
| **The Blues Disposition is Uncertain** | The workers keep their distance and concentrate on the trap mechanism. Their expressions reveal unease, but neither risks acting first. | A successful CHA (Persuasion) probe (DC 13) convinces one Blue to provide minor covert assistance. Failure does not worsen the disposition unless the PCs threaten them. |
| **The Blues Disposition is Alienated** | The workers avoid the PCs’ eyes and obey every order from the supervising Hand. | The Blues offer no assistance. They still do not lead the capture or attack unless forced to defend themselves. |
| **The PCs attempt to escape after the report** | The Hand keeps his weapon trained on them and orders them to remain still while the Blues withdraw from immediate reach. | The PCs may continue attempting to escape. If they succeed, they must evade, disarm or overcome the supervising Hand. The Approach State remains **Alerted**, because the report has already been transmitted. |
| **The Hand Response Clock expires while the PCs remain trapped or nearby** | Armed figures appear between the trees and spread out around the trap site. The supervising Hand signals toward the prisoners and orders them not to move. | Continue with **Phase IIb — Interception by the Hands**. If the PCs surrender or are subdued, proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. |


==== Phase IIb — Interception by the Hands ====

| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
| **The Hands intercept the PCs** | Five armed Hands emerge at a favourable choke point in the mist. Mu remains nearby. | Weapons are drawn and the PCs are ordered to surrender and disarm. The **Approach State** is **Alerted**. |
| **The PCs surrender** | The Hands bind and search them, confiscate visible weapons and take control of their remaining equipment. | The PCs are marched toward J.W.’s property. Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. |
| **The PCs fight** | Mu and the Hands use their prepared positions, superior numbers and knowledge of the terrain. | Firearms, stun weapons and melee weapons are used without hesitation. Defeated PCs are restrained and taken to Scene 6b under visibly worse conditions. |
| **The PCs evade the interception** | The Hands pursue briefly but avoid scattering too far from the controlled route. | The PCs may continue by tracking the markers or the retreating Hands. Proceed to Scene 6a under an **Active Search**. |
| **The PCs defeat the Hands** | Any surviving Hand refuses to reveal J.W.’s location willingly, but their tracks and equipment expose the route ahead. | A successful interrogation, tracking or investigation probe (DC 13) locates the next marker. Proceed to Scene 6a under an **Active Search**. |

==== Phase III — Reaching the Compound ====

| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
| **The PCs reach the palisade with Approach State Quiet** | No confirmed warning has reached the compound. Ordinary work and patrol activity continue beyond the wall. | Read **“The PCs reach the edge of J.W.’s property.”** Begin Scene 6a with the compound **Undetected**. |
| **The PCs reach the palisade with Approach State Alerted** | Movement is visible beyond the wall and the Hands are already checking routes and likely approaches. | Read **“The PCs reach the edge of J.W.’s property.”** Begin Scene 6a under an **Active Search**. Do not begin the **Full Alarm**. |
| **The PCs reach the compound as prisoners** | The Hands take them through the gate under restraint and remove them from view of the surrounding forest. | Proceed directly to Scene 6b. After the PCs escape the holding room, Scene 6a begins under an **Active Search**. |


===== 6 | DM Notes =====

  * **This Scene Is About Pressure, Not Speed:** Let the forest create tension through mud, mist, humidity, fading sounds and uncertain movement. The PCs should feel that they are entering territory shaped and controlled by someone else.
  * **Mu Is Bait:** He never runs in panic. If he notices pursuit, he reports the PCs and continues toward terrain chosen for an interception.
  * **Use the Approach State:** You only need to record **Quiet** or **Alerted**. Quiet begins Scene 6a **Undetected**. Alerted begins it under an **Active Search**. Scene 5 cannot trigger the compound’s **Full Alarm**.
  * **The Roman Way Is Discovered but Not Named:** The PCs may understand the temporary marker system here, but its name and old-Earth explanation belong to Sagan in [[scene_4a_2_the_roman_way|Scene 4a+2 — The Roman Way]].
  * **The Blues Are Always Supervised Outside the Compound:** Every Blue work group encountered in the forest is accompanied by at least one of J.W.’s Hands. The Blues are not free to abandon their work, warn the PCs openly or decide what happens to captured intruders.
  * **Do Not Merge the Blues and the Hands:** The Blue trappers are coerced workers maintaining trap lines and collecting game. The Hands are armed enforcers responsible for surveillance, communication, interception and capture. Individual Hands may themselves be Blues, but their role does not define the wider Blue population.
  * **Preserve the Blues Disposition:** Carry **Sympathetic**, **Uncertain** or **Alienated** into Scene 6a or Scene 6b. The disposition describes how the workers regard the PCs, not whether they openly support J.W. or resist his Hands.
  * **Blue Assistance Is Subtle:** Sympathetic Blues may leave a tool within reach, loosen a line, delay an order or look away at the right moment. They do not openly confront an armed Hand unless the PCs create a decisive opportunity.
  * **Traps Are Infrastructure:** Falling into a trap is a consequence of entering a controlled hunting area, not a punishment imposed by the DM. Give the players meaningful opportunities to notice, avoid or escape the mechanism.
  * **The Trap Report Is Automatic:** Once the supervising Hand discovers trapped PCs, he moves beyond their immediate reach and reports their location. Do not introduce an opportunity to interrupt or imitate the transmission before it is sent.
  * **Use Forest Turns for the Response:** After the Hand reports the prisoners, reinforcements arrive in 1d4 Forest Turns. One Forest Turn represents approximately ten minutes. This gives the PCs time to escape, negotiate, prepare an ambush or exploit covert help from the Blues.
  * **Only the Hands Capture the PCs:** The supervising Hand and the arriving reinforcement team control the arrest. The Blues may obey orders, remain passive or offer covert assistance according to their disposition, but they do not automatically become an armed capture squad.
  * **The Moar Is an Environmental Threat:** It is attracted by prolonged noise, blood and immobilized prey. It does not serve J.W. and does not distinguish between the PCs, the Blues or the Hands.
  * **Record Abandoned Transport:** If the PCs leave the Mortician’s Cart, mounts or other transport behind, preserve its location for Scene 8a.
  * **The Wall Is the Threshold:** The palisade, closed gate, warning sign, Moar skull and suspended pressure vessel announce that the PCs have reached J.W.’s controlled territory. Gate interaction and entry into the compound belong to Scene 6a.

==== DM Tutorial: How to Approach the Scene ====

{{ :dmbriefing_scene5_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]]
  * ☞ **Resolution:** [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution and Discoverable Backstory]]
  * ← **Previous Scene:** [[hauh_morningstar_food_market|Scene 4c — Morningstar Food Market]]
  * ↖ **Alternative Approach:** [[scene_4a_2_the_roman_way|Scene 4a+2 — The Roman Way]]
  * → **Free Arrival:** [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]]
  * → **Captured Arrival:** [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]