[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVII - On The Border Of Doom

[Aaron Clausen]

>> [In Om's Dwelling]

>> [GM]
>> While Om looks on nervously, Sia's ritual takes place.  Osiris's body
>> screams in pain.  Inhuman gurgles come from his mouth, and then suddenly a
>> dark shade seems to come out of his eyes, flayling around.  It seems to
>> strike at Sia, but is forced back.  It tries to quickly towards the others,
>> but cannot.
>> 
>> Though Sia does not notice, however, Om has carelessly come to close.  The
>> shadow strikes at him.  Om yells in an incomprehensible language and then
>> says in a voice almost as if he's being strangled "Get out now!!!!"
>> 
>> Suddenly his mighty branch-like hands swing out, literally smashing rock to
>> rubble as he runs towards Sia.
>> [/GM]

>>   [OOC]
>>   Combat time!
>> 
>>   Initiative:
>>    Om (apparently possessed) - 24
>>     Alex - 15*
>>     Sia - 8
>>     Talas - 8
>>     Ted - 2
>> 
>>     * I'm giving Alex a +6 because her Sixth Sense did go off.
>>   [/OOC]

>> [GM]
>> Om strikes at Sia with one of his hands [Strike: 15], but Sia easily leaps
>> out of the way [Dodge: 18].
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex pulls a neural grenade warhead and presses it against the back
> of Om if possible [Strike: Natural 20!]. Should work just like a
> neural mace.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
Alex easily gets the neural grenade to Om's back.  The neural jolt 
causes Om to spasm.  It has a very clear and immediate effect, slowing 
him down, though, as he smashes rock, it's clear his substantial 
strength is still intact.
[/GM]

> [Sia]
> Alarmed, Sia quickly backs away from the ritual circle towards where 
> her partymates are standing and cries "Myrellen Vosh'na!", summoning 
> her blue energy field as a form-fitting bubble around her and her 
> companions.
> [/Sia]

> [Talas]
> Talas casts Banishment. in the hope that the shadow as not gained a 
> firm hold on Om.
> [Talas]

[GM]
Om screams, or rather some horrific entity's voice, through Om's 
tortured mouth, screams.  A shadow rises from Om as his massive body 
hits the floor like a tree falling on stone.

"Weeeee'lllll meeeet agaaaain Deeeemonnnn Quellerrrrrrrr!" a thin voice 
cries, and then is gone.
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> Ted draws his sword and then waits patiently until it is his turn to 
> make use of the exit.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Om, still clearly shaky from the effects of the possession and Alex's 
neural grenade shakly gets up.

"A hearty thanks to the both of you." he says weakly to Talas and Alex. 
  "Now quickly, follow your companions.  Waste no time, for they are in 
great danger."
[/GM]

[Meanwhile at the entrance of the cave...]

[Round #1]

> [GM]
> With Koba leading the way, Carlos, Alister, Owen and Lady Frost head 
> out the door, and through the dank tunnel. The passage ends at very
> great roots, which open up to reveal two orcs on giant wolves and one
> Technowizard on a hoverboard.
> [/GM]

 >    [OOC]
 >    Initiative:
 >     Alister - 20
 >     Enemy Orc #1 - 14
 >     Lady Frost - 13
 >     Enemy Technowizard - 12
 >     Koba - 11
 >     Enemy Orc #2 - 10
 >     Owen - 7
 >     Carlos - 1
 >
 >   Let the combat commence.
 >   [/OOC]

[Alister]
Alister takes a moment to active his Armor of Ithan, and then pulls out 
his ion pulse rifle and fires a short burst at the Technowizard [Strike: 
16].
[/Alister]

[Enemy Technowizard]
The enemy Technowizard attempts to dodge [Dodge: 10] but fails, and the 
short burst strikes him [Damage: 24MD].  A blue field lights up around 
him, indicating some sort of energy shield.
[/Enemy Technowizard]

[Enemy Orc #1]
One of the Orcs whips out a Kittani K-4 laser pulse rifle (rare enough 
around these parts) and opens fire on Alister with a three round burst 
[Strike: Natural 20].  The shot hits Alister [Damage: 82MD].  The shot 
pierces Alister's Armor of Ithan, and cooks into his armor [Damage to 
armor: 42MD].
[/Enemy Orc #1]

[Lady Frost]
Lady Frost turns her attention to the Orc rider that just struck 
Alister, lifting her arms and shooting out a jet of ice [Strike: 13] at 
the rider's arm.
[/Lady Frost]

[Enemy Orc #1]
The orc's wolfish mount easily dodges [Dodge: Natural 20] Lady Frost's 
ice attack.
[/Enemy Orc #1]

[Enemy Technowizard]
The enemy technowizard, seeing his fellow (but good) technowizard hit, 
fires a small rather ordinary looking energy pistol, but with a 
spherical extension of the butt that seems to flash with several lights 
[Strike: 4], but misses.  The shot leaves a smoking hole in the ground a 
good foot wide and deep.
[/Enemy Technowizard]

> [Koba]
> Spotting the technowizard on the hoverboard, Koba lets loose with a 
> burst from his Ion rifle [Strike: 10].
> [/Koba]

[Enemy Technowizard]
The Technowizard attempts to evade [Dodge: 6], but the burst strikes him 
[Damage: 40MD].  The Technowizard's blue field lights up, but seems a 
little less bright by the end of the burst.
[/Enemy Technowizard]

> [Koba]
> As soon as his shots go off he will run towards the nearest cover
> available.
> [/Koba]

[Enemy Orc #2]
The second enemy orc rider fires off a burst of the JA-12 laser rifle at 
  Koba as he moves for cover [Strike: 8].
[/Enemy Orc #2]

[Koba]
Koba tries to dodge [Dodge: 6], but cannot [Damage: 20MD].  He does, 
however, manage to find some cover behind a large pile of boulders.
[/Koba]

> [Owen]
> Owen moves out of the way of the others and take aim with his pulse 
> rifle and fire a burst at the closest Orc [Strike: 19]
> [/Owen]

[Enemy Orc #1]
The nearest enemy orc, which has just struck Alister, attempts to dodge 
[Dodge: 17], but Owen's burst still hits true [Damage: 16MD].
[/Enemy Orc #1]

 > [Carlos]
 > Taking aim, Carlos lets loose on the Technowizard [Strike: 15].
 > [/Carlos]

[Enemy Technowizard]
The enemy Technowizard tries to dodge [Dodge: 11], but is unable, and 
Carlos' burst hits [Damage: 25MD].  The energy field seems to absorb 
some of it, but then flickers out, and his armor takes some visible damage.
[/Enemy Technowizard]

[Round #2]

[OOC]
If everyone still left in the cave departs now, I'll let them enter at 
this round, though at low initiative.  The order will be Ted (because he 
was the first of the remaining PCs to the exit), then Alex, Sia and Ted. 
  That is, unless some of you want to remain down there.
[/OOC]

[Alister]
"Bastard!" Alister curses loudly as he dives for cover, pulling 
something out of his pocket that disappears with a small flash [Strike: 15].
[/Alister]

[Enemy Orc #1]
The enemy orc turns his attention to Lady Frost, letting off another 
shot [Strike: 20, not natural].
[/Enemy Orc #2]

[Lady Frost]
Lady Frost takes the damage and then fires another bolt of ice, this one 
catching the huge wolf's front feet, stopping it dead in its tracks. 
The rider flies out off its back and face first into the water.
[/Lady Frost]

[Enemy Technowizard]
As the enemy Technowizard readies to fire again, there's a loud 
explosion right beside him [Damage: 13MD], knocking him off his hover 
board and into the water.
[/Enemy Technowizard]

OOC: And now the rest of you can proceed...

-- 
Aaron Clausen mightymartianca at gmail.com