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<DIV style="RIGHT: auto">----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Aaron Clausen <mightymartianca@gmail.com><BR>To: The Tao of Cow Rifts PBEM <taocowpbem@zork.net><BR>Cc: <BR>Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 3:38 PM<BR>Subject: Re: [Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter V - The Debate<BR><BR>>> [GM]<BR>>> The Baron does not look terribly happy about this. "Do you mean I<BR>>> have to walk?" he asks miserably. "It's at least ten miles!"<BR>>> [/GM]<BR><BR>> [Oz]<BR>> Osmar chuckles. "Think of it as an adventure, old bean. And think of<BR>> how the peers will 'ooh' and 'aah' over your retellings of the tale."<BR>> He looks over the wounded being loaded into his truck. "Besides, it<BR>> looks like your passenger seat is safe."<BR>> [/Oz]<BR><BR>>> [Louissa]<BR>>> Louissa shakes her head, but decides it's better not to insult local<BR>>> nobility.<BR>>> [/Louissa]<BR><BR>>>
[GM]<BR>>> The knights ignore the Baron and begin loading up the most wounded.<BR>>> [/GM]<BR><BR>>>> [Alex]<BR>>>> Alex looks to see if anything is visible with night vision?<BR>>>> [/Alex]<BR><BR>>> [GM]<BR>>> Whatever it is is a long ways up, perhaps 20,000 feet, but the heat<BR>>> signature suggests a triangular shape, perhaps 60 or 70 feet long<BR>>> with a wingspan somewhere around 50 feet. There's a slight ripple in<BR>>> the heat signature and then she sees a clear flaring, possibly from<BR>>> something rocket-powered, and it's heading their way very quickly.<BR>>> [/GM]<BR><BR>> [Vesper]<BR>> "We got a jet or something in the air."<BR>> <BR>> He doesnt know too many kingdoms in England that use jets so prepares<BR>> to throw up an energy field in case he see's any tell tale signs of<BR>> missiles. Keeping the energy field away from him and
the group more<BR>> of a detonation shield.<BR>> [/Vesper]<BR><BR>> [Oz]<BR>> The German man nods. "As I said. See you back in New Camelot, Baron."<BR>> With that, Oz ducked back into the car and restarted the engine. He<BR>> looked over at the man in the passenger seat. "You are the navigator.<BR>> Tell me where we are going."<BR>> [/Oz]<BR><BR>[GM]<BR>"Away from here," the man manages to say, though he's obviously in a great deal of pain. "Nearest place with a doctor and a chemist."<BR>[/GM]<BR><BR>> [Justin]<BR>> Justin lands easily, with about the degree of reaction of a normal<BR>> human having jumped three feet. "The skycycles were definitely<BR>> Kittani, I nailed one, and they both bugged out." He looks towards<BR>> the sound of the jet rumble, using his armor's optics "Now though,<BR>> I'm wondering whether they were running from me, or running for<BR>> minimum safe distance. I'm not inclined
to stick around to find out.<BR>> I can carry a man or two if necessary, but I think we ought to move,<BR>> right now."<BR>> [/Justin]<BR><BR>> [Alex]<BR>> Alex states, "There is something wrong here. I feel danger." The red<BR>> haired scout has her rifle ready in case of emergency<BR>> <BR>> Alex looks over where one of the men she shot is laying, feeling a<BR>> little bit guilty<BR>> [/Alex]<BR><BR>[GM]<BR>The commanding knight looks up. "Good lord!" he shouts. "I think we're about to be bombed! Everyone that can carry one of the wounded, do it now. Move move move!"<BR><BR>In moments everyone who can is hustling. One man looks at Justin and says "If you can carry two, there's two over there." He points to two men, one of which is the one that Alex had just been looking at.<BR><BR>There's a distant roaring sound, but it's getting closer. There's only seconds, and as everyone scurries, a
missile strikes Vesper's energy shield. The shield [50 MD] absorbs most of the energy of the blast [Damage: 130MD], but the concussive force is enough to send several people, including Vesper himself flying [Missile Strike: 13], as well as Louissa [Dodge: 7] and several others. No great harm is done [Damage: 4SDC] other than some bruising. Vesper's shield has saved several lives, it seems.<BR>[/GM]<BR><BR>[Louissa]<BR>Louissa, picking herself up and dusting herself, turns to Vesper. "I thank you very much! A handy companion to have around."<BR>[/Louissa]<BR><BR>[GM]<BR>The knights are now moving with great speed. The leader turns back to the company. "The keep of New Bournemouth is about twelve miles north of here. If we're lucky, we might make it. If you're coming, the time to do so is now."<BR><BR>He walks over to Osmar's vehicle. "I'm assuming you know the way. We'll be right behind you."<BR>[/GM]<BR><BR>> [Ted]<BR>> Ted
volunteers to stay behind and cover the group's escape. "I can<BR>> follow the tire tracks and catch up with the rest of you later," he<BR>> assures them.<BR>> [/Ted]<BR><BR>> [Vesper]<BR>> "Ted get on my bike, no need to be left behind, it will be cramped<BR>> but right now thats better then leaving you here with all the<BR>> Splugorth pawns running about."<BR>> [/Vesper]<BR><BR>> [Ted]<BR>> "How far do we have to go?"<BR>> [/Ted]<BR><BR>> [Vesper]<BR>> "Don't know, might not have the time to discuss it come on."<BR>> [/Vesper]<BR><BR>> [Ted]<BR>> "Right," the lizard man replies. He mounts the motorcycle behind<BR>> Vesper and holds on tight.<BR>> [/Ted]<BR><BR>OOC: I'm assuming everybody is in tow, so let's carry on... !<BR><BR>[GM]<BR>The entire company moves out, and probably in the nick of time, too. About ten minutes into their journey, they here another large explosion behind them, and then
another. It sounds like the Splugorth are trying to blow the whole forest down.<BR><BR>Much to Ted and Vesper's surprise, the little girl that has been tagging along seems to walk at any easy pace, but is somehow keeping up with them. She hums to herself, stopping every once in a while and laughing over something; a branch or a leaf or an insect, and then just as quickly catching up with Vesper's motorcycle.<BR><BR>Within another few minutes they find themselves at the eaves of the forest, and looking out on a grassy plain. Twilight has disappeared from the sky, and it is night now. The lay of the land here is of a shallow narrow valley between two hills. There is the distant sound of vehicles, and on what is likely a road can be seen a distant convoy moving north. Above can be seen some sort of aircraft encircling the convoy.<BR><BR>It is a dangerous task moving northward. Neither Ozmar or Vesper find themselves able to move very quickly due to the
necessity of sticking to the border of the woods. Still, the convoy the company is shadowing is moving slowly, and soon enough as the hill is crested and the valley left behind the convoy is out of view.<BR><BR>The commander, who has ordered radio silence, finally contacts New Bournemouth and requests transportation. It seems timely, as the Baron seems ready to die of a heart attack, his plump face red and sweaty.<BR><BR>In a few minutes a pair of hover vehicles arrive. With great efficiency and few words the injured are transferred from Osmar's vehicle to one of the hover vehicles. In short order everyone has a ride, and it is timely. Even as the hovervehicles take off, the Splugorth army reaches the crest of the hill and begins firing salvos.<BR><BR>In a few minutes the company has reached the walls of New Bournemouth. It is a small town of perhaps eight hundred people, many of which, it appears, are fleeing, leaving the army and the militia to try to
defend it.<BR><BR>Above it, on a high hill, is the keep of New Bournemouth, an imposing structure made at least in part of megadamage materials. The Baron orders the company to the Keep, and within a minute or two they are landing within its walls. For the moment, it seems, they are safe.<BR><BR>The Keep is a hive of activity, every hand, even the cook, has been pressed into service mounting weapons or taking the wounded to the medical facility. It's clear that they expect combat very soon.<BR>[/GM]<BR><BR>[Louissa]<BR>Louissa looks very concerned, and turns to her companions. "I think this is a 'frying pan into the fire' situation we have here."<BR>[/Louissa]<BR><BR>[Little Girl]<BR>The little girl, who has been kicking stones around and singing to herself, looks up and then right at the southern wall of the Keep, and almost as if she's looking through it. She begins to giggle in a sweet, and yet somehow menacing, childish fashion.<BR><BR>"You have no
idea, my Lady Louissa." she says, still chortling. "But I am only here to help Ted Smythe. The rest of you, well..." she shrugs noncommittally, "you're not my concern and dispensable. That poor fat Baron, though. My goodness, but he's in for a surprise!"<BR><BR>She begins to laugh uncontrollably and falls to the ground, rolling around with insane mirth.<BR>[/Little Girl]</DIV>
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<DIV style="RIGHT: auto">[Vesper]</DIV>
<DIV style="RIGHT: auto">Takes off the skull helm and shook out his hair. He was a human in looks. Long brown hair blue eyes and pale skin.</DIV>
<DIV style="RIGHT: auto">"That's not exactly comforting." he glances to Ted, "Why is she helping you ?"</DIV>
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<DIV style="RIGHT: auto"><BR style="RIGHT: auto">-- Aaron Clausen<BR><A href="mailto:mightymartianca@gmail.com" ymailto="mailto:mightymartianca@gmail.com">mightymartianca@gmail.com</A><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Taocowpbem mailing list<BR><A href="mailto:Taocowpbem@zork.net" ymailto="mailto:Taocowpbem@zork.net">Taocowpbem@zork.net</A><BR><A href="http://zork.net/mailman/listinfo/taocowpbem" target=_blank>http://zork.net/mailman/listinfo/taocowpbem</A><BR></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>