Episode 2, Part 2: Into an Abyss of Horror [DONE]

[valadaar]

<OOC>

Sorry for the local dialect   "He booted it." means run like hell where I come from...   He was referring to Fire and destruction in general, as opposed to that specific instance, and that he should preserve his existance for future experiences

Next time, should Riv survive, I'll say just that

</ooc>

[valadaar]

Riv shook himself, you need to move - NOW and he turned to run. ..

[Murometz]

"I've been a fool" Kiph whispered to himself as he gazed upon the horrific scene before and above him. He could feel Ralkhara's ragged breath on his neck, as he stood panting and staring. The great towers burned, the fangs were melting, and chaos reigned. Kiph could feel the warmth on his face from the raging inferno, and all he could do now was stare in awe.

His idea had been to hijack one of the metal birds, providing escape for himself (first and foremost) and the others, but looking now he saw the folly in his "plan".

"what now, Cormac?" he managed to croak meekly and looked back to see if Riv had made it.







<OOC> nice scene AG!! question, how far away are the hovering choppers from us on the roof. Also, how far down are the people exactly in meters? sweet scene</OOC>

[Ancient Gamer]

<OOC>
1. The hovering choppers, with their tails towards you, are about 4-500 meters away, to the north-northwest.
2. Street level is four-five meters below you. The people sneaking their way through the streets are 2-300 meters away from you, south-southwest, making their way due west to the gates.
3. You got a new skill: Kiph can attempt a mind probe to plant suggestions in other people (requires skill check followed by POW vs. POW check). He can also read other's minds (skill check followed by POW vs. POW check). Your new skill is on your character sheet and has a 10% skill base, which can be increased with time.
</OOC>

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

Riv had seen enough, and silently, quickly, he rushed up the stairs. When he reached the first doorway, he looked inside, but everything was dark and sound came from the rooftops, so he continued up, towards the light.

*************************************************

Cormac had gone completely silent up on the roof, and for several seconds he did not reply to Kiph's question. It was so overwhelming, the skyscraper burning, the Last Gambit choppers showering death upon whoever occupied the low levels of the doomed building. Sweat was running in rivulets down his forehead, dripping past his eyes, but Cormac did not register.

Meanwhile Kiph studied the man, then scanned his surroundings. The G'Kraun Prophet had begun leading his people down to street level using a truck that had been parked outside; jumping from the roof, to the top of the truck, down the hood and finally into the back alley.

Thank you, friend of the G'Kraun, Kiph of the Inner Eye. We shall meet again

As the G'Kraun disappeared into the shadows, one of the choppers suddenly began spiralling towards the burning building, the other choppers tilting away from it in panicked frenzy. The lethal barrage dissipated and a tiny figure suddenly jumped from the skyscraper, close to where the choppers had fired, and towards the plummeting craft. It was an impossibly long jump, but the tiny figure seemed to float through the air, and when it hit the cockpit of the chopper there was a glimmer of white, then the figure was gone.

There was an explosion inside the chopper, then it dropped like a dead bird out of the sky.

Turning around, Kiph noticed Riv emerging from down below.

<OOC> Cormac, Kiph and Riv: your turn </OOC>

[valadaar]

Riv fished immediately into his pack when he saw that there was no ride in the sky for them.  He quickly produced a length of silk rope and looked about for a place to tie it...

"Got any better ideas?" said Riv as he looked.

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

<Cormac's Backpack>
*radio static scratching sound*
"This is patrol Delta Four, anyone read me, over?"
*radio static scratching sound*
</Cormac's Backpack>

[Murometz]

<OOC>

You got a new skill: Kiph can attempt a mind probe to plant suggestions in other people (requires skill check followed by POW vs. POW check). He can also read other's minds (skill check followed by POW vs. POW check). Your new skill is on your character sheet and has a 10% skill base, which can be increased with time.

wow! me'likey! muchas gracias! Will incorporate into tonight's post</OOC>

[valadaar]

Riv heard the noise from the backpack, but all was forgotten as he caught the majestic sight of the Fang ablaze.

"Beautiful.."

[dark_dragon]

Cormac was disturbed from his reverie by the sound of his radio. Pulling away from his own thoughts, he took out the radio and answered in a voice that meant business:

"Patrol Delta Four, This is Recon group Charlie Niner."

"Receiving you with QRN"

"Heavy casualties. Currently on Grid Eight-Fower-Three-Dash-Fower-Fife-One."

"We remain mobile and require Purge ETA ASAP."

"Delta Four, Provide SitRep. Over."

They sounded desperate thought Cormac. Like lambs to the slaughter

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

<OOC>
Rolling persuasion roll against Cormac's 15 base + 30 (having a Last Gambit Walkie Talkie) +10 (Good acting) = 55% chance of success
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 3, total 3[/blockquote]
</OOC>

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

<OOC>Aaaand, I believe we have a CRITICAL SUCCESS! Well done, d_d!</OOC>

There was a second of radio silence, then the familiar scratching sound of the walkie talkie.

"Colonel Anderson? Are you still alive? We thought you were dead, sir! We are dispatching your bird to your location immediately..."

A few seconds passed.

"Sir... We have failed to acquire any of the specimens, sir. The otherworldly entities are wreaking havoc, but I guess you already know that, and we have only secured minor G'Kraun soldiers. Doctor Cornell's Project Minotaurus data were recovered, however. It is only a matter of time before the Spacers arrive, sir. They cannot let a golden opportunity like this escape them. Okay...", the voice on the radio seemed to talk to someone else for a brief instance; "...When do you think you can pick the colonel up, pilot? Oh... Okay... He will be glad to hear that, pilot"

The radio voice returned again, his voice eager and anxious to please his superior; "Your personal hovercraft is just beyond the hills, Colonel. He will land on the facility roof within four minutes. Might I suggest you hide while you are waiting? Oh... One more thing, Colonel. We lost five squads today, and three assault choppers. Them otherworldlers are hard ass mother @!#$ers, sir"

<OOC> obviously this "hovercraft" is some kind of air-hovercraft. Not that your characters would know the difference, but for the sake of you players, well, he is talking about VTOL-Hovercraft crossbreed</OOC>

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

Inside the A20 HellStorm Airborn VTOL Hovercraft

Colonel Dwight 'Anderson' Mamuta, formerly Second in Command of the Last Gambit had died two days ago inside the alien craft, of that she was sure. Helena paced back and forth, for the voice on the radio sounded so familiar. Whoever it was, it wasn't the colonel, but he knew the phrases and he had the gear and listened to the right frequencies, so he had to be part of the outfit.

"Oh well", she said, to no one in particular. She was the only one present in the luxuriously decorated private section of the hovercraft, the pilot being the only other living person inside the craft. "I have heard that voice before", she rolled the cognac back and forth in the crystal glass before she let it roll down her throat, the familiar burning sensation in her chest a welcome thing. She didn't know why, but the voice on the radio instilled a sense of security in her... A sense she hadn't felt since...

Cormac? No... Impossible. Cormac died when the colonel ordered his men to execute him. It couldn't be him. No, it was not Cormac. Who then could he be?

***********************************

Down on the roof the party witnessed the hovercraft arrive. It was a fascinating construct, flat like a deck of cards with rounded edges and painted in metallic colours to resemble a fish like being with sharp, sharp teeth. The cockpit was elevated from the construct, giving the pilot in the glass cage a 360 degrees overview of the hovercraft surroundings. The pilot wore a black last gambit uniform complete with an advanced looking black guidance helmet, and cautiously the captain took the hovercraft for a short circle around the block before he landed. It seemed he wanted to make sure there were no surprises in store for him.

A beautiful woman with raven black, long hair stared out one of the bullseye shaped windows on the side of the hovercraft, and Cormac felt his heart jump as he recognized the beauty within.

Helena...It is you...

With a hiss and gust of wind, the hovercraft landed, and slowly a ramp was lowered, enabling the party to enter the hovercraft.

"Colonel Anderson.... Please enter", the pilot called from the cockpit, his voice ringing from the ship's speakers.

***********************************

From his hidden vantage point, Kiph could see it all. In the distance the refugees closed in on what used to be tent town, the entrance to Bleak Wood proper. The G'Kraun were taking the same route and were quickly closing in on the refugees. Kiph could feel the presence of the Prophet in his mind, the G'Kraun leader urging his people on, herding them to safety. Blips on Kiph's wrist PDA showed Ralkhara's position, the scout moving ever farther away, and operating slightly away from the bulk of his people.

Riv watched mesmerized as the Divine Fang burned. People were getting desperate and a couple of them jumped off the building, almost like puppets uselessly flailing their little limbs as they rushed down towards a brutal death.

***********************************

<OOC>
1. I want to move the game forward. I am a bit eager, I know, so let me know if I move too quickly. As I have not given you enough time to act, feel free to post events a bit back in time (as always, except in combat).
2. Cormac, you recognize Helena, a former girlfriend of yours. The love of your life even. She was yours, but then the colonel came between you and life went from bliss to hell as the powerful Gambit operative used his formidable resources to squeeze you out of her life. He even tried to kill you, and deep in your heart you love Helena, but you also feel that she betrayed you.
3. Everyone make a listen skill roll. This is important.
</OOC>

[valadaar]

[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 100, total 100[/blockquote]+45

[valadaar]

<ooc> Wow.  Riv ain't heard s**t...</ooc>

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

<OOC>That's a fumble, if I ever saw one... Will incorporate that into the post when everyone has rolled </OOC>

[dark_dragon]

<ooc>You're going too fast! I didn't even get to enjoy my status as colonel! Hah, The GM giveth, The GM taketh away...</ooc>

Colonel, I like the sound of that. Though Cormac as a smile came to his lips This is gonna be fun

"Delta four. This is charlie Niner. ACK pickup ETA 4 minutes. "
"Advise Delta Four XO: We have tertiary objective secured."
"Advise Delta Four XO: Spacers inflicting heavy casualties due to high level intel leak. "
"DO verify Authentication parameters for all incoming stations."
"DO Keep details of pickup off air."
"DO NOT Transmit names Delta Four. USE CALLSIGNS."
"Be advised Charlie Niner code books have fallen into enemy hands."
"DO NOT trust further transmissions from this callsign until pickup has been established."
"DO NOT trust any unauthenticated stations."
"Delta Four, acknowledge instructions and advise Pickup we are taking precision fire. Pickup will be met by lone operator."
"Now, let's show these mother@!#$ers who's the boss son!"
"I'm counting on you Delta Four. Keep it tight. Out."

Who the hell had trained these guys thought Cormac with professional disdain. They'd beleive I was the almighty himself, by the sound of it

"Well, that's that" he added out loud to no one in particular before finding a suitable hiding spot on the roof


The familiar noise of the last gambit hovercraft  vanished as soon as Cormac saw her face. He almost forgot to breathe. Life... was funny sometimes. To see her again under these circumstances confused, angered and aroused him. He felt his chest tighten and his blood rush somewhere that it had not visited for a while.

He slowly got out of his hiding place, and began to make his way to the craft, ignoring is comrades of fortune, and making sure not to make himself a target to snipers and opportunists.

[dark_dragon]

Rolling against listen skill at 50: [blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 8, total 8[/blockquote]

[dark_dragon]

<ooc> The dice are lovin me good today!</ooc>

[Murometz]

skill: 53

[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 3, total 3[/blockquote]

[Murometz]

<OOC> egads! This is going so fast! I wish I had a chance to post last night, my fault. Ok, phew, umm, let me read all that again. This is an awesome scene, let me say again, and d-d is rocking the mic! I will say this, Kiph would be VERY torn right now. I know what >I< want to do, (go on hovercraft!), but Kiph, maniac that he is, would probably rope down, and follow Ralkhara and the Prophet. These are his peeps!  Okay, let me think...</OOC>

[Murometz]

The roof-top scene was overloading Kiph's fragile senses. Everything seemed so surreal to Badblood, that for a while he could only stare with saucer-eyes from his hiding spot. Normally this burning, bloody, chaos would only serve to titilate the young madman, yet now his nerves were completely frayed, and his mind was quite useless even to himself.
                       
------------------------

Glancing down at the weird little apparatus in his hand, the blipping continued as Ralkhara moved farther away. Where was he going? Why did he not follow the Prophet? The Prophet's words rang in Kiph's mind. We shall meet again 

I have helped the Prophet escape! Friend of the G'Kraun! Kiph of the Inner Eye! Kiph the Badblood has saved thousands of lives! A hero of the G'Kraun! he mused, his mouth a trembling grin. Kiph felt an undeniable connection to the Prophet. His brain had been opened by HIM. Not like the Last Gambit had opened it, no no. Not with saws and drills, but with LOVE...

A nearly uncontrollable desire to join the Prophet suddenly seized Kiph. He belonged with the G'Kraun he reasoned. They were like him. Tainted. Molested. Hurt. Ralkhara interested him as well, was his last link to the Goddess, Ceres. Where was he going? He asked himself again.

[Murometz]

Several minutes later, after much perspiring and mumbling, Kiph had made up his mind. He was going to Sail down Riv's rope, and flee with his brethren------

That was when he noticed Cormac talking in some bizarre, incomprehensible language into a hand-held machine. This froze Kiph and he listened to the voices speaking in tongues. By the time the huge hovercraft began its descent, Kiph had understood enough. And he had heard the magic words, 'last gambit'.

Still crouching, he made his way, toward Cormac. The man's back was to Kiph, as he stared at the approachin, hissing, thing. Another hissing noise, and then a ramp lowered. A figure emerged. A figure that bewitched Kiph almost immediately. A woman! A pretty woman with pretty, smooth skin.

"Colonel Anderson.... Please enter", she announced.

Who the hell was Colonel Anderson?


Cormac now began walking toward the vision with sable hair, seemingly transfixed. Kiph followed slowly. As he did he kept staring at the woman, and finally, unable to control himself, began opening her mind.

<OOC> Trying to impart suggestion on lovely Helena. The suggestion ( a vague one) being that I, Kiph, am extremely important to her well-being and future plans somehow, and that she needs to have me onboard at all costs. (like i said, a vague suggestion, more like a nagging thought imparted)  </OOC>

[Murometz]

<OOC> sorry for using so many posts<OOC>

base mind probe skill: 10%
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 55, total 55[/blockquote]

[Bleak Wood Storyteller]

<OOC> Sweetness! The result of the listen skill roll will have to wait a liiiittle bit longer. For now: The Helena introduction scene! </OOC>

Riv stood entranced by the beauty of the fiery scene in front of him, and it took a raven haired beauty in a tight fit black velvet dress to turn him away from it. He stood watching as the woman came halfway down the ramp, opening her arms in a welcoming gesture, looking straight at Cormac.

"Colonel Anderson, you look unusually good!", she said with a sly smile. "Please do come inside, I have cognac and whisky, and if memory serves me right you won't refuse either"

The seductive gambit operative who had once been the center of Cormac's life extended her left arm towards the mercenary. "Come... Anderson, and please tell me... Who are your friends?"

Her eyes darted over Riv, pausing briefly at Kiph, wrinkling her brow quizzically then looking back at Cormac.

"Will you give me a hug?... My love", that last sentence was spoken with raw emotion in her voice.

<OOC>
- Kiph failed the mind probe. This stuff is new to him, yet it seems the attempt made Helena notice him... Somehow.
- While Helena is speaking with Cormac, all of you can interfere, or do other stuff.
- If any of you wanna post something about the inside of the VTOL Hovercraft, well here are the basics of the shuttle layout:

First room: Narrow passage through the cargo hold (because stuff has been cramped along the walls inside; fastnened using rope webbing / nets).
Second room: Luxuriously decorated white leather and ox skin salon / op center. (Liquor, spirits and computer screens galore in Jean Paul Gaultier paradise!)
Third room: Corridor with toilets (2) and small bunks (3)  to the left, larger, lavishly decorated bedroom to the right and cockpit straight ahead and up a ladder
Up ladder ahead: Cockpit.
Down hatch from the corridor: Engine room (crawl space)
Wall hatch from large bedrom and centermost bunk (right and left side of the ship): Auxiliary systems
</OOC>