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SCENE 6c — ESCAPE WITH THE HUNTER

1 | Scene Overview

Location: J.W.'s Main House, the compound yard and the fortified perimeter on the lower slopes of the Atrana Mountains
Type: Extraction · Escort · Vehicle Escape · Tactical Crisis
Era: Beta Age
Tone: Urgency · exposed movement · improvised escape · collapsing authority

Atmosphere & Sensory Cues: Warm, humid air beneath drifting mist · perpetual late-afternoon twilight · the ticking and hissing of salvaged pressure pipes · heavy footsteps on timber stairs · wagon wheels cutting through mud · hydraulic Labor Bots · Windstrike fire striking wood and metal · frightened workers watching J.W.'s control begin to break

2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions

Initial Read-Aloud — The Hunter in Your Hands

You have J.W. alive.

That does not mean you have escaped.

The main house creaks around you. Salvaged pipes cross its walls and ceilings, releasing faint ticks and changes of pressure. Beyond the front door lies the compound: muddy tracks, timber stacks, workshops and windowless huts fading in and out of the warm mist.

Beyond all of that stand the palisade and its single gate.

Whether J.W. walks under guard, struggles against his restraints or hangs unconscious between you depends on how you captured him. Either way, taking him alive transforms every step into a problem. Someone must control or carry him. Someone must watch the route. Someone must remain ready for the armed Hands moving through the compound.

The workers outside are not J.W.'s guards, but neither are they automatically your allies. The freight wagon may still be somewhere inside the walls—or it may already be gone.

You have the Hunter.

Now you have to get him out of his realm.

Staged Read-Alouds

Trigger / Timing	Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert
The Pressure Countdown reaches zero	A heavy metallic CLACK sounds somewhere inside the main house. The pipes jolt against their brackets as compressed air rushes through them. Then a broad outlet beneath the roof releases a deep mechanical howl. The note rises from an industrial moan into a piercing shriek before falling and beginning again. Across the compound, doors open and armed figures turn toward the house.
The PCs reach the freight wagon	Through the mist, the wagon's armored cargo compartment emerges beside the muddy track. Rain-darkened canvas covers bundles of processed pelts. Two refurbished Manual Labor Bots stand in their harnesses at the front, their patched armor and exposed hydraulic lines streaked with mud. Heavy controls wait beside the driver's bench.
The freight wagon begins moving	The Labor Bots awaken with a deep hydraulic hiss. Their harness chains draw taut, the wagon shudders and its enormous wheels bite into the mud. Timber stacks and salvaged machinery begin sliding past as the vehicle gathers momentum toward the gate.
The Hands deploy the logging chain	A metallic rasp rises beneath the alarm. Ahead, a heavy logging chain lifts from the mud and tightens across the track between two braced timber posts. Armed Hands strain at either end while others spread out near the gate with their rifles raised.
Open resistance begins among the Blues	Wooden latches lift along the row of huts. Pale workers emerge into the mist carrying skinning knives, logging hooks, hatchets and heavy tools. For one suspended moment, they stare at the armed Hands. Then a voice rises above the alarm, and the workers surge forward—not as J.W.'s soldiers, but as people turning against their oppressors.
The PCs escape with the freight wagon	The final obstruction falls away. The Labor Bots surge through the open gate, dragging the armored wagon behind them. Timber walls rush past on either side. Then the palisade falls behind, and the forest track opens ahead beneath the perpetual twilight.
The PCs escape on foot with J.W.	The gate and palisade disappear into the mist behind you. Ahead, the muddy trail bends beneath the rainforest canopy. Every breath burns, and J.W.'s weight—or his resistance—slows your flight, but the compound is finally behind you.

3 | Scene Intent

Scene Type	Player Intents	DM Function / Story Link
Live Extraction & Escape	Keep J.W. alive and under control · select an escape route based on the established Wagon State · overcome the Hands at the gate · exploit or survive the compound's collapse	Resolves the live-capture mandate without prescribing the audiobook's escape as the only solution. Carries forward the pressure system, freight wagon and Blues Disposition established in Scene 6a while keeping the extraction playable and comparatively lean.

4 | Key (N)PCs

Name / Role	Motivation / Function	Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play	Wiki Link
J.W. — “The Hunter”	Escape captivity · survive · recover control	His behaviour depends on his condition. If conscious, he watches for divided attention, weak restraints or an opportunity to delay the PCs. If sedated or unconscious, his weight becomes the problem instead. He cannot command the Blues as loyal followers and relies primarily on his armed Hands.	Jareth Wyrick
Black-Coated Hand — Field Leader	Recover J.W. · stop the extraction · maintain authority	Directs the armed response, positions riflemen and orders the gate secured. If the Blues openly defy him, he responds with intimidation and violence. If he was already incapacitated, assign this role to another surviving Hand.	Exohumans
J.W.'s Armed Hands	Security · pursuit · containment	A comparatively small group of armed Exohuman fugitives carrying Windstrike Rifles, hunting knives and salvaged weapons. They use cover, block routes and target drivers or exposed PCs instead of charging blindly.	Exohumans
Pale Workers / Blues	Survival · resistance against coercion · possible assistance	The Blues are workers, not guards. They do not automatically attack either side. Their attitude toward the PCs follows the established Blues Disposition, while any resistance against the Hands grows from their own oppression.	The Blues

5 | Triggers, Clues & Consequences

Entry Conditions & Carried State

Before beginning the extraction, record the following states from Scene 6a or Scene 6b. Do not reset them when Scene 6c begins.

Escalation State: Retain Undetected, Active Search or Full Alarm.
Pressure Countdown: If the Full Alarm is not yet active, retain the remaining Pressure Countdown from Scene 6a. If the PCs seized J.W. during the audience in Scene 6b and no countdown was recorded, begin at 2.
Wagon State: Retain Departed, Departure Interrupted, Captured Outside or Returned Under PC Control. If no Wagon State was recorded, use Departed.
Blues Disposition: Retain Uncertain, Sympathetic or Alienated. If no disposition was recorded, use Uncertain.
J.W.'s Condition: Record whether he is Conscious and Properly Restrained, Conscious and Poorly Restrained, or Sedated/Unconscious.
Other Carried States: Preserve the PCs' injuries, missing equipment, remaining ammunition, recovered evidence and the established conditions of Marek, Sagan and the Black-Coated Hand.

Pressure Countdown: Reduce the countdown by 1 whenever the PCs spend significant time searching, treating injuries, debating their route, repairing equipment or recovering from a failed action. At 0, read the staged Full Alarm description. A gunshot or shouted warning begins an Active Search but does not independently activate the pneumatic alarm.

The One-Setback Rule: The first failed extraction probe should complicate the escape rather than end it. The Hands close in, J.W. exploits the delay, the wagon stalls or an escape route becomes blocked. The PCs must respond with a different action or changed plan. A second failure before they resolve the setback leaves them surrounded: they must abandon J.W. and flee, surrender, or risk a final combat encounter.

Phase I — Moving J.W. Out of the Main House

The basement ventilation shaft is too narrow to extract an unconscious, resisting or securely bound J.W. The normal route leads down the main staircase and through the front entrance.

TRANSPORTING J.W.
Trigger / Cue	Immediate Reaction	Clue / Consequence / Mechanic
J.W. is conscious and properly restrained	He walks when forced, conserving his strength and studying the PCs for mistakes.	Consequence: One PC must remain beside him and control his movement. No carrying penalty applies. J.W. may attempt one deliberate act of resistance during the scene when the controlling PC becomes distracted.
J.W. is conscious but poorly restrained	The bindings shift whenever he turns his wrists or changes his posture.	Mechanic: A DEX (Sleight of Hand) or INT (Tinkering) probe (DC 12) reinforces the restraints. On a failure, J.W. receives one escape attempt at a dramatically appropriate moment. Stopping him requires STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or a suitable Tinkerer action (DC 14). Failure applies one extraction setback.
J.W. is sedated or unconscious	His full weight must be supported through the house and across the compound.	Consequence: Two PCs can carry him safely without a probe. A stretcher, freight wagon or suitable Tinkerer device can reduce this to one PC. A single PC carrying him without assistance requires exceptional strength and cannot freely use a two-handed weapon.
J.W. deliberately goes limp or refuses to move	He attempts to turn his own body into an obstacle without shouting for help.	Mechanic: The controlling PC may use STR (Athletics), CHA (Intimidation) or a suitable improvised method (DC 14). Success: J.W. is forced onward. Failure: Apply one extraction setback. The PCs may instead sedate, carry or place him on an improvised stretcher.

LEAVING THE HOUSE
The PCs descend the staircase with J.W.	The timber steps creak beneath the group's combined weight.	Mechanic: No probe is required while the route is uncontested. If the PCs are rushing, carrying an unconscious J.W. under fire or crossing a damaged staircase, use a group STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) probe (DC 12). Failure applies one setback rather than causing an automatic fall.
The PCs pause to search J.W.'s room or another part of the house	The pressure mechanism continues ticking while the Hands gain time to organize.	Consequence: Allow one focused search using the relevant table in Scene 6a. Reduce the Pressure Countdown by 1. Further searches require another reduction and should make the approaching danger clear.
The PCs leave while the compound remains Undetected	Mist obscures the yard, and no one is yet watching the front entrance.	Mechanic: A group DEX (Stealth) or suitable deception probe (DC 13) reaches the nearest cover without discovery. Failure begins an Active Search and applies one setback.
The PCs leave during an Active Search	Armed Hands move between the timber stacks and investigate the main house.	Mechanic: Use a group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival), CHA (Deception) or coordinated diversion probe (DC 14). Success: The PCs reach cover in the yard. Failure: A search party blocks the route and applies one setback.
The PCs leave during the Full Alarm	The Hands abandon their search pattern and move toward the house, gate and known escape routes.	Mechanic: Stealth alone can no longer complete the crossing. The PCs must create a diversion, break through a search party or use a coordinated STR, DEX or Tinkering action (DC 15). Success: They reach their chosen extraction route. Failure applies one setback.

Phase II — Choosing the Extraction Route

The audiobook's freight-wagon escape is available only when the established Wagon State places the vehicle within reach. Do not return or relocate the wagon merely to force that route.

Wagon State	Where the Wagon Is	Available Extraction Route
Departure Interrupted	The freight wagon and its two Manual Labor Bots remain inside the compound, usually near the gate, salvage yard or wherever the interruption occurred.	The PCs may attempt the Freight-Wagon Route. Armed Hands are likely to be watching or securing it.
Returned Under PC Control	The PCs previously brought the wagon back through the gate. Use the location where they left it.	The PCs may use the Freight-Wagon Route and already understand its basic controls.
Captured Outside	The wagon remains beyond the palisade unless the PCs previously returned it.	The PCs must first escape on foot. If they reach the wagon outside and it remains operational, it may become their transport for the following scene.
Departed	The freight wagon has continued into the forest and is no longer available at the compound.	The PCs must use the On-Foot Route, the palisade or another player-created extraction plan.
The PCs create another viable plan	Their equipment, surroundings or previous preparations provide another option.	Resolve the plan with one or two relevant probes between DC 13 and DC 16. A well-prepared solution may bypass one obstacle, but should not erase the need to keep J.W. alive and under control.

Phase IIa — The Freight-Wagon Route

Use this phase only if the wagon is inside the compound and still operational. The wagon provides protection and momentum, but it does not make the PCs invulnerable.

REACHING & STARTING THE WAGON
Trigger / Cue	Immediate Reaction	Clue / Consequence / Mechanic
The PCs move from the main house to the wagon	The distance and opposition depend on where the wagon was left. Mist, timber stacks and salvaged machinery provide intermittent cover.	Mechanic: Use a group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival) or coordinated diversion probe. DC 13 while Undetected, DC 14 during an Active Search and DC 15 during the Full Alarm. Failure applies one setback and allows Hands to take positions around the wagon.
The Wagon State is Returned Under PC Control	The controls remain as the PCs previously left them.	Consequence: No further probe is required to awaken the Labor Bots unless the controls were damaged or deliberately disabled.
The Wagon State is Departure Interrupted	The heavy controls carry faded symbols and a recessed safety catch.	Mechanic: An INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 13) releases the safety and starts the Bots. Success: The harness tightens and the wagon begins moving. Failure: The controls refuse to respond and one setback is applied. The PCs may try a different technical approach or defend the operator while they work.
The PCs load J.W. into the armored cargo compartment	Bundles of processed pelts provide a place to conceal and support the captive.	Consequence: Loading an unconscious J.W. requires two PCs but no probe while uncontested. A conscious, properly restrained J.W. requires one PC to guard him. Poor restraints should be reinforced before the wagon moves.

CROSSING THE COMPOUND
The PCs assign positions on the wagon	One PC must operate the controls. Other PCs may guard J.W., protect the driver or use the narrow exterior ledges.	Consequence: The armored cargo compartment provides strong cover. The driver, anyone beside the driver and PCs standing on the exterior ledges remain exposed to aimed attacks and sudden movement.
The wagon crosses the salvage yard and workshop track	The Labor Bots pull the vehicle through mud and between machinery while Hands fire from cover.	Mechanic: The driver makes an INT (Engineering/Tinkering), DEX-based vehicle or suitable professional-background probe (DC 14). Success: The wagon reaches the final track between the huts and the gate. Failure: It strikes a rut, machinery or timber stack and applies one setback.
The Hands attack the moving wagon	Small teams fire at the driver, controls and exposed defenders while another Hand attempts to approach from the flank.	Consequence: Use limited groups of 2–4 Hands rather than every guard in the compound. The cargo armor absorbs ordinary stray fire, but exposed PCs can still be attacked normally. The Hands hesitate to risk a clear shot through J.W., but they do not automatically surrender.
The wagon or Labor Bots become disabled	The vehicle loses momentum and the Hands begin closing from multiple directions.	Consequence: The PCs may attempt an INT (Engineering/Tinkering) repair (DC 14). Success restores movement. Failure applies one setback. The PCs may abandon the wagon and continue through Phase IIb — The On-Foot Route.

Phase IIb — The On-Foot Route

Use this phase when the wagon is unavailable, disabled or deliberately rejected. The main gate is the most direct route, but the PCs may still attempt to cross the palisade.

Trigger / Cue	Immediate Reaction	Clue / Consequence / Mechanic
The PCs move toward the main gate	Timber stacks, huts and drifting mist divide the route into short exposed crossings.	Mechanic: Use one group STR (Athletics), DEX (Stealth/Acrobatics), WIS (Survival) or coordinated diversion probe. DC 13 while Undetected, DC 14 during an Active Search and DC 15 during the Full Alarm. Success: They reach the inner gate area. Failure applies one setback.
The PCs use timber stacks or work buildings as cover	The route becomes less direct but breaks several lines of fire.	Consequence: A sensible route grants Advantage on the movement probe. If the group spends significant time waiting or circling around the Hands, reduce the Pressure Countdown by 1.
The PCs attempt to scale the palisade with J.W.	The rain-darkened timber is slick, and the captive must be raised or controlled during the crossing.	Mechanic: The PCs need rope, a human ladder, Tinkerer equipment or another credible method. Resolve with a group STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or technical probe (DC 15). An unconscious J.W. requires at least two PCs or suitable lifting equipment. Success: The group clears the perimeter and proceeds to the scene outcome. Failure applies one setback and may inflict Light Damage on J.W.
The Wagon State is Captured Outside	The captured wagon waits somewhere beyond the gate or along the forest track.	Consequence: Once the PCs clear the perimeter, they may return to it if it has not been recovered by the Hands. Operating unfamiliar controls requires INT (Engineering/Tinkering) (DC 13). Success sets the Escape Transport to Freight Wagon.
The PCs split up to create a diversion	The Hands must divide their attention between the captive and the disturbance.	Mechanic: A successful diversion using CHA, DEX, ranged fire or Tinkering against DC 14 grants Advantage on the group's next movement or gate action. A PC who remains behind must still find a credible route out.

Phase III — The Gate Crisis

Use the relevant rows when the PCs reach the gate. The logging-chain obstruction applies only to the freight-wagon route. The Blues' resistance is a possible development, not a guaranteed rescue.

THE GATE & THE HANDS
Trigger / Cue	Immediate Reaction	Clue / Consequence / Mechanic
The PCs reach an undefended inner gate	Three heavy iron latches secure the gate from inside the compound.	Consequence: Opening the latches requires one meaningful group action but no probe. The gate has no conventional interior lock that must be picked.
The Hands hold or obstruct the gate	Riflemen use the palisade, huts and timber stacks as cover while another Hand protects the latches.	Mechanic: The PCs must overcome, distract or drive away the defenders. Resolve an appropriate combat action, CHA deception or coordinated STR/DEX/Tinkering probe against DC 14. Success creates enough time to open the gate. Failure applies one setback.
The PCs threaten J.W. to force the Hands back	The Hands hesitate, but the field leader studies whether the PCs are truly prepared to kill their captive.	Mechanic: A CHA (Intimidation) probe (DC 15). Success: The Hands give ground long enough for one PC to perform a gate or chain action without interference. Failure: The Hands maintain their positions. They do not deliberately shoot J.W., but continued crossfire still places him at risk.

THE LOGGING CHAIN
The Full Alarm was active before the wagon began moving, or the wagon suffered a setback	The Hands have time to raise a heavy logging chain across the final track between two braced posts.	Consequence: Read “The Hands deploy the logging chain.” If neither condition applies, the PCs may reach the gate before the chain is ready.
The PCs watch the track ahead	Movement and wet iron links become visible through the mist.	Mechanic: A WIS (Perception) probe (DC 13) notices the chain before impact. Success: The driver stops in control and gains Advantage on the first action used to bypass or remove it. Failure: The wagon strikes the chain and stops abruptly. Exposed riders must pass DEX (Acrobatics) (DC 12) or suffer Light Damage, lose a held item or fall from the ledge.
The PCs attempt to remove or bypass the chain	Hands defend the posts while the Labor Bots strain against their harnesses.	Mechanic: The PCs may drive off the chain crews, cut the links, release a post or use STR (Athletics) (DC 14) or INT (Engineering/Tinkering) (DC 13). Success: The chain falls clear. Failure applies one setback.
The PCs attempt to force the wagon through the chain	The Bots lean into the harness while the trapped axle and timber posts groan under the strain.	Mechanic: A combined STR/Engineering probe (DC 16). Success tears the chain or a post free but damages the wagon. Failure leaves the wagon immobilized and applies one setback.

THE BLUES
The Blues hear the Full Alarm or witness the confrontation at the gate	Workers emerge cautiously from the huts or watch from their doorways. They carry work tools but do not immediately attack either side.	Consequence: Preserve the established Blues Disposition. The workers are assessing the Hands, the PCs and the risk to themselves.
The PCs make a brief appeal to the workers	Several Blues listen while keeping their attention on the armed Hands.	Mechanic: A CHA (Persuasion), WIS (Insight) or suitable cultural/language probe (DC 14). Mentioning the Nameless Man, lowering weapons or clearly opposing J.W.'s coercion grants Advantage. Success can change Uncertain to Sympathetic. Failure leaves the disposition unchanged. Threats or attacks set it to Alienated.
A Hand attacks or shoots a worker who openly defies an order	The violence is witnessed by workers already gathered near the huts and gate.	Audiobook Path: Open resistance begins. Read the corresponding staged description. The Blues turn primarily against the Hands and chain crews. This event may occur when the Hands try to force workers back into their huts, but it should follow visible brutality rather than appear solely to rescue the PCs.
No worker openly resists and the Hands do not attack them	The Blues remain near their huts or withdraw from the line of fire.	Consequence: No uprising occurs. The PCs must complete the extraction without mass assistance. A Sympathetic Blue may still provide the limited help described below.

Blues Disposition	Effect During the Escape
Sympathetic	Before open resistance, one worker may misdirect a Hand, indicate the chain or grant Advantage on one escape action. If resistance begins, the workers recognize the PCs as possible allies and may directly help release the chain or open the gate.
Uncertain	The workers do not directly assist the PCs. If resistance begins, their attack on the Hands creates a distraction, granting the PCs one unopposed gate or chain action.
Alienated	The workers avoid the PCs. They may still resist the Hands for their own reasons, but they do not release J.W., return equipment or deliberately protect the group. Any distraction created by their resistance is purely incidental.

Scene Outcomes & Transition

Outcome	Immediate Consequence	Transition
The PCs clear the perimeter with J.W. alive	The compound disappears behind the group as they enter the forest with their captive.	Proceed to Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou. Record the Escape Transport, J.W.'s condition, Blues Disposition, Blues Resistance and carried equipment/evidence.
The PCs escape with the freight wagon	The Labor Bots draw the armored vehicle along the forest track.	Record Escape Transport: Freight Wagon. J.W. may travel in the armored cargo compartment if properly secured.
The PCs escape without a vehicle

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