[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter II - Koba, Lyle, Ted, Alex, Owen and Raven

[Aaron Clausen]

> > [GM]
> > As the others look up, they can hear the sound of digging and lifting
> > as pieces of metal are lifted out.  Apparently the fishmen are rather
> > dedicated to capturing the invaders.
> >
> > It takes some effort, but Lyle and Owen together manage to swing
> > the wheel.  With a metallic groan, the hatch opens up to reveal a large
> > chamber, at least a hundred and fifty high and some three hundred feet
> > in diameter.  The hatch has opened up on scaffolding that stands about
> > forty feet off the floor.  The whole chamber is lit by several reddish
> > lights hanging from the high ceiling.
> >
> > The chamber is dominated by two large spheres, the surfaces
> > resembling a soccer ball divided in to pentagons about four feet
> > in size each, and smooth and reflective as mirrors.  Vast pipes, each
> > at least ten feet in diameter lead from the ceiling and into the spheres.
> >
> > Between them is a control center, surrounded by what looks like a small
> > glass bubble.  Inside can be seen at least a dozen fishmen, along with
> > one of the floating brains that the company had encountered before.
> > There are at least twenty more fishmen in the chamber, about half of
> > them armored and armed, while the others look to be technicians, carefully
> > observing gages and displays.
> >
> > Sitting beside each sphere is some sort of robot power armor, though it
> > does not look military.  Rather, it looks like some sort of industrial unit.
> > These bots are clearly in possession of some very heavy shielding.
> >
> > Directly beneath the scaffolding is what looks like large elevator doors.
> > Directly opposite at the other side of the chamber are much larger doors,
> > with a number of guards close by.
> >
> > The scaffolding does afford a bit of cover.  Several large metal crates,
> > fairly rusted, but still intact, are stacked close by.  Which is probably
> > a good thing because quite suddenly several of the guards start moving
> > towards the stairs leading up to the scaffolding.
> >
> > Even as the company looks on, those with radios here the crackle,
> > very staticy, but still understandably Carlos.
> > [/GM]

> [Carlos]
> "If you think you know how to get to the chain holding the sub, let us
> know. Perhaps we can work together to get rid of it."
> [/Carlos]

> [Alex]
> Alex will keep guard carefully because it does not sound like she sees
> anybody attacking directly at the moment.
> [/Alex]

> [Ted]
> ~Are those sphere what we came for?~ the lizard man asked
> telepathically.
> [/Ted]

> [Lyle]
> "I would assume those are the reactors."
>
> Lyle unslings his rifle and prepares to start picking off the fishmen
> coming towards us.
> [/Lyle]

OOC: I'm assuming that Lyle will in fact open fire here.  No initiative
per se, I'll let everyone carry out their moves simultaneously, and play
the enemy as a sort of single character.

[GM]
Lyle opens fire [Strikes: 8, 17, 7, 6].  Due to the distance, only two
of the shots hit [Damage: 6MD and 3MD].  While the shots do
relatively little damage to the two fishmen.  They force them to start
looking for cover, as they are in the more vulnerable position than the
party.
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> Once Lyle starts firing, Ted will telepathically coordinate his
> attacks with his to pick off as many fishmen as possible. That is,
> if Lyle doesn't mind.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Ted is more successful [Strikes: 16, 6, 14, 15, 19, 8, 12], managing
to hit six of the fishmen [Damage: 19MD, 9MD, 13MD, 15MD, 15MD, 12MD].
Again, no fishmen guards are killed, but some have some nasty pits in
their armor, and all drop down, behind any cover they can get.  Storming
the platform the party is on seems out of the question now.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Alex will fire a tear gas grenade at them to see how they react.
> [Strike: Natural 20!]
> [/Alex]

[GM]
With perfect skill, the wilderness scout lobs a grenade right in the middle
of the largest assemblage of armed fishmen.  A noxious cloud of tear
gas erupts, quickly engulfing ten of them.  It is clear that the tear gas's
effects on the fishmen is much more pronounced than on humans,
as they fall to the floor, ripping off their helmets and tearing at their
eyes and gills.  As well, and though it wasn't noticed before, there must
be some other gas below, because wherever the tear gas meets this
other gas, paint can literally be seen melting off of panels, and exposed
fishman skin blistering horribly accompanied by warbly screams of pain.
[/GM]

> [Raven]
> Raven uses the stack of metal crates for cover from possible fishmen
> blasts, since she relied only on her Armor of Ithan for protection. She
> tries not to move but tried to remain as still as possible. She prepares
> to use her magic but first signals her intent via the telepathic link
> to trap the fishmen with magic.
> [/Raven]

[GM]
Raven traps another group of fishman guards, about eight of them, leaving
them in the open to be picked off.
[/GM]

> [Raven]
> Raven then casts Levitation on Alex and Koba (and once more on herself).
> [/Raven]

[GM]
Both Alex and Koba suddenly feel themselves lift off the ground.
[/GM]

> [Koba]
> "If you can get me up there I'll see what i can do to distract them or
> to get a shot at the spheres. "
> [/Koba]

[GM]
With little effort, Koba finds himself up on some supports, the floor
of the chamber very distant below.  He has good shots on many of
the fishmen, the spheres and even the control area.
[/GM]

> [Raven]
> Afterward, Raven uses her NG Laser Pistol & Grenade Launcher and
> launch grenades where she can.  [Strikes: Natural 20 and non-natural 20].
> [/Raven]

[GM]
Raven's first grenade lands perfectly in the center of the fishmen she has
adhered to the floor [Damage: 28MD].  The blast strikes them even harder
as the carpet of adhesion stops the bodies from flying away with the blast,
breaking limbs in the process.  The second lands among three other
fishmen [Damage: 15MD], tossing them.

There is general chaos in the chamber.  Between the explosions and the
tear gas-cum-toxic gas, the armed fishmen are looking for good cover to
fire from while the unarmed technicians run around in general panic.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com