[Taocow PBEM] [Vesper, Alex, Oz and Ithdalkal] Book 3 - Chapter XIV - Belmont Abbey

[Aaron Clausen]

OOC: Sorry about the screwed up double post there. Hit Send to soon.


>> [Keldon]
>> "Yes, yes, of course." he says, clearly frightened out of his mind.
>> "Lads, open the trap door, and be quick."
>>
>> As his sons work, Keldon tries to explain, "This building was built on
>> top of the ruins of some old store, and there were storage rooms
>> underneath. There was a tunnel linking it to where the brothel is, but
>> I cannot say if it's still intact."
>>
>> Moments later the two sons announce "It's open father!", pointing to
>> where a bookshelf had been just a moment before. There, in the floor,
>> is a trapdoor.
>>
>> At that moment, there is a loud bang, followed by another one. The
>> front door shivers, but does not yield. "Quick now! That door will
>> withstand some Kydian boots, but not Kydian energy weapons."
>>
>> As everyone moves forward, there's the sound of a energy weapon (or
>> rather several energy weapons) opening fire. The door shivers, starts
>> to glow, and then explodes, molten bits of metal and other substances
>> scattering over the front of the store. Some land on scrolls and begin
>> to smolder. Through the smoke and wreckage of the door, plasma and
>> laser beams shoot into the store.
>>
>> The Archbishop runs towards the trapdoor, pushing one of Keldon's
>> sons, who is shoved into an energy beam that cuts deep into his body.
>>
>> "Nooooo!" Keldon cries.
>> [/Keldon]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper casts energy field to fill the doorway and buy them all a tiny
> bit more time ushering people down through the passageway. When he
> see's Keldons son killed he closes his eyes briefly. "Bastards."
>
> Only after Alex is safely down does he follow below.
>
> Noticing Alex look over Keldon's son, "Bring him with us I might be
> able to do something !"
> [/Vesper]

> [Oz]
> "That's enough of that." Oz aims and fires one of his pistols at the
> archbishop.
> [/Oz]

[GM]
Half of the Archbishop's chest turns to red paste, and he's dead before 
he hits the ground.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> The coalition ranger does not like that one bit but something that needs
> to be dealt with later, if they survive.
> [/Alex]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper will help carry Keldon's son if someone indicates he is still alive.
> Heading down into the tunnel trying to carry the D Bee gently.
> [/Vesper]

[Keldon]
Keldon and his other son do their best to help Vesper. Keldon is 
wailing. "Live, boy, live!"
[/Keldon]

> [Alex]
> "Lets bring him down," she states. She has an idea where she wants to go
> last.
> As soon as everybody is clear, she will fire a pair of concussion
> grenades at the incoming troops. [Strike: Natural 20 and 8]
> [/Alex]

[GM]
One of the grenades hits dead center between two Kydians and knocks them 
flying back through the door, while the other temporarily disables 
another. Alex's shots have bought some time.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> "Move, everybody move."
>
> While going down, she asks Oz, "Any explosives?"
> [/Alex]

> [Oz]
> Oz drops his pistols into their holsters and pulls the shotgun off his
> back. "I can do explosives." He starts fishing explosive shells out of
> the ammo loops in his belt. "What are we blowing up?"
> [/Oz]

> [Alex]
> "Tunnel so they do not follow us," Alex responds.
> [/Alex]

> [Oz]
> The German knight nods. "Go on ahead. I'll give you a minute then blow
> the tunnel and catch up." He looks at Ithdalkal. "Stay with Alex and
> Vesper, make sure they return to the ship safely. Your secondary
> orders are to find the ship captain and get him back to the ship."
> [/Oz]

> [Alex]
> Alex really wishes that they had a real demolitions expert. Still, she
> hopes the suitable application of high explosives will help.
> "Alright."
> [/Alex]

[GM]
Everyone else gets into the tunnel, Oz waits for them to get through. 
It's a reasonably well built tunnel; boarded walls, a couple of concrete 
piers holding up. It opens up into a storage room where Keldon has 
thrown some supplies; nothing magical, but rather food, liquor and other 
sundries. Whether any of it is edible to humans is hard to say.

At one end of the room is a door that has been boarded up; the door 
handle removed. It will take prying off the boards to get at it.

Once everyone is inside, Oz aims a few shots at what he judges the the 
weakest part of the wall to be [Skill Check Demolitions: 36%]. He fires 
into the spot [Strike: 14]. The shell hits [Damage: 8MD], and as Oz 
predicted the whole tunnel collapses. The room fills with wood splinters 
and dust, making it hard to breathe for anyone without environmental 
body armor.

A few moments later they here a distant gunfire, it sounds like heavy 
weapons, and then a loud explosion nearby that shakes the walls of the 
underground hideout. Shouts can be heard above.

There are seven people in this little underground room; Vesper, Oz, 
Alex, Ithdalkal, Keldon and his two sons, one of which, if not dead, is 
close to it.

"We must save my son," Keldon says, "we must go now. Get the boards off 
that door, and someone help my son."
[/GM]



-- 
Aaron Clausen