Xantolos - The Tower
You pull your mask up and Batsuzo seizes your hand, hauling you onto the horse. He yells once and the horse nickers in response, taking off into the forest. You ride at a ground-eating canter for some few minutes before finally reaching the outskirts of the village. You drop to the ground, and Batsuzo isn't far behind you as he jumps down, leading his horse gently, and you both pass through the open wooden gate set into the town's palisade.
The village is quiet at this time of day. The farmers and hunters have gone home to their huts for an early nap after a hard morning's work, and the only people awake are the women and children. Despite this, you did spy several of the older men around carrying spears, watching the gate and peering into the forest. Your brow furrows at this, normally you would have noticed if there was some sort of threat nearby, or the villagers would have come to you themselves. You look at Batsuzo's stony features as he pulls the horse along, and sense something hidden behind them.
Batsuzo stops in front of his home, the village smithy. Five children, all no more than nine years old come running out of the house and into his arms, and Batsuzo laughs and hugs them, lifting them into the air all at once and spinning them round. Ah, my boys! Its great to see you again! Batz, why, it seems you've gotten bigger since this morning! Either that or I'm getting smaller! He laughs for a few more minutes with his sons before ushering them back inside and handing the bridle of the horse to the eldest one, who leads it around to the back of his house. Batsuzo looks at you again, his features worried. You open your mouth to say something but he motions for you to stay quiet. He leads you through the open entryway and into the house. The interior is simple, just like any other hut in the village. Batsuzo leads you into his room, the only one with a door, and shuts it behind you. He motions for you to sit at one of the chairs at the low wooden table pushed against the bare wall. He sits down across from you and you wait for him to get settled. He faces you, looking directly into your eyes, and he seems about to speak, but then he pulls his gaze away, shaking his head slowly.
Pufferfish - Epidemic
You bring your briefcase down on the man's head until its naught but mush. You stand there panting for a moment, then head into the room beyond his fallen body. You swear at the scene that lies before you. A mass of black flesh lies on the bed, massive mushrooms growing through and around the body. You stare for a few moments longer and suddenly you notice the twisted faces set into the writhing skin, and you nearly vomit out of sheer disgust. Then one of them blinks and you do vomit, straight into your mask.
SomeStupidGuy - Powder
Oh shut it! You bring your pick down into the bug's exposed belly, sending dark, hot blood spurting in jets onto your hands as you work to free it from the wounded monster. You'd be doing us all a favour if you just dried up and blew away! Hugh laughs wildly, cracking another bug's thorax open with the blade of his shovel, and you puncuate your statement by slamming the head of your pick into a beetle's forehead, and you watch as his black eyes roll back into his head as he slumps to the ground. The fight continues for what seems like an hour, but was more likely about three and a half minutes. You and Hugh lean on your tools and catch your breath, wiping the black-blue blood from your skin and wringing it from your shirt.
Pufferfish - Allora
Warm Rags + Leather Overcoat [pack of cigarettes, Terrence the Amorphous Blob, switchblade, revolver (empty)] + B-3 Gas Mask (doesn't need filters), Long Lead Pipe [last seen on ground behind reception desk], Briefcase [in hand; full bottle of whiskey, 4 tins of spam, 10 cans of fruit], Backpack [broken gas mask]
SomeStupidGuy - Finn (Teal)
Loose Cotton Shirt and Trousers [matches, two cigarettes, wallet, 3 sticks of dynamite, carton of fuses], Pickaxe [right hand], Gas Lantern [left hand]
Fitzhugh the Miner - heavy shovel, gas lantern
Xantolos - Richard
Light Robes [water flask (nearly full), stoppered glass of oil (empty), dirk, ultra greatsword], Cloth Mask, Soft Boots