SHADOWS OF THE SENTINEL

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement as Owen Mercer and Lily made their way through the desolate landscape. The air was thick with tension, the kind that settles in the pit of your stomach and refuses to leave. After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached their destination—a sprawling, open-air mall, its once-bustling shops and food courts now standing eerily silent.

[Scene Proceeds Normally!]
[1d10 = 10 = 10]

[Location: Open Modern]
[Create Military]

[Is this a military creation of the Sentinel Device’s doing? (Likely) Exceptional No!]
[1d100 = 96 = 96]

[Ambush Success]
[Army Descriptor: Tension Enemies]
[Is this a settlement where this military creation is occurring? (Unsure) Exceptional No!]
[1d100 = 99 = 99]

Owen approached cautiously, the weight of his mission pressing heavily on his shoulders. The mall was vast, its architecture a blend of modern design and the decay of years spent abandoned to the elements. The faded signs and broken windows told tales of a time long gone, but now, the place felt wrong—too quiet, too still.

“This is the place,” Lily confirmed, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “But something’s not right. This… isn’t how it was supposed to be.”

Owen’s eyes scanned the area, noting the scattered debris and the telltale signs of a battle fought not long ago. Walls were marred with bullet holes, and the ground was littered with spent casings and the charred remains of something—or someone. This was a warzone.

“How so?” Owen asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern.

“The Sentinel Device was here,” Lily explained, her voice growing tense. “We were supposed to ambush it. But… it looks like something else got here first.”

Owen frowned, trying to make sense of the scene before him. The devastation was too complete, too calculated. Whoever—or whatever—had done this wasn’t just trying to win a battle; they were making a statement. He exchanged a glance with Jack, his loyal canine companion, who growled softly, his hackles raised in warning.

They moved cautiously through the mall, the once-bustling shopping center now reduced to rubble and silence. As they rounded a corner, Owen froze. In the food court, an army was assembled, soldiers dressed in mismatched uniforms and armed with a variety of weapons. They seemed on edge, their eyes scanning the surroundings for threats.

Owen and Lily ducked behind a crumbling wall, their breaths shallow as they tried to eavesdrop on the soldiers’ conversation.

[Character Conversation: Oppose Frightening]

“Are you sure it went this way?” one soldier asked, his voice a mix of frustration and fear.

“Yes, I’m sure!” another soldier snapped back. “I saw it with my own eyes. It’s a fast bugger!”

Owen’s heart skipped a beat. They had to be talking about the Sentinel Device. The way the soldiers spoke—there was fear there, yes, but also determination. They weren’t just hunting something dangerous; they were hunting something they feared.

“Seems like they’re tracking something that attacked them,” Owen whispered to Lily. “Could be responsible for the massacre… and it might not be over yet.”

Lily nodded. “It could be the Sentinel Device they’re after. If it’s still here…”

Owen considered their options. “Maybe. But I don’t think we should introduce ourselves just yet. There’s no guarantee they won’t turn on us the moment they see us.”

“Agreed,” Lily replied. “We should try to find it ourselves. Maybe we can get to it before they do.”

Owen nodded, his mind racing. If they could find the Sentinel Device first, they might stand a chance of disabling it—or at least getting some answers. He signaled to Jack, and the three of them began to sneak away, careful to avoid drawing any attention to themselves.

[Sneak Successes: 2 (TN 10) 4, 9]

They moved like shadows, slipping through the mall’s wreckage with practiced ease. Owen’s heart pounded in his chest as they crept away from the soldiers, every step taking them closer to the source of the destruction—and perhaps, to the key that would finally put an end to the nightmare that had begun in Vault 118.

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