Grimm looks around for any means to carry this stuff. A bag, cart and cord. Etc.
He finds a box of hefty 10-gallon waste bin liners, and a roll of twine.
He also finds a first aid kit, and any common gardening tool or basic mechanics tool he wants.
The Lido Beach Horror launches its mass into the surf with a great splash, and begins to surge through the green water toward the pontoon, double-moving through the rough waters 40 ft closer to the pontoon, closing from 300 to 260 ft!
Somebody get on the 50-cal and turn that f@$~ing thing into Swiss cheese!!
Kermit pushes the pontoon's motor to its maximum speed and goes with the current along the coast, adding 30 more ft of distance, for a total of 290 ft distance between the pontoon and the pursuing horror.
Derrik watches as his prey seemed to find interest in whatever was on the Pontoon Boat, Scanning his brain he tries to think of something.. anything that could help Him against the creature.. he was low on ammo and a direct attack could be suicide.
He Narrows his eyes trying to get a good look at what is on the boat and if there is anything odd where the creature sunbathed.
Waiting in his hiding place.
Derrik watches as his prey seemed to find interest in whatever was on the Pontoon Boat, Scanning his brain he tries to think of something.. anything that could help Him against the creature.. he was low on ammo and a direct attack could be suicide. [Dice=Appropriate knowledge for weaknesses]1d20 + 7
He Narrows his eyes trying to get a good look at what is on the boat and if there is anything odd where the creature sunbathed. [Dice=Perception]1d20 + 7
Waiting in his hiding place.
The appropriate Knowledge check is dungeoneering, but Derrik knows next to nothing about the horror, except what he saw it do to the mother and child--it paralyzed them with its horrible tentacles and ripped them to shreds with its powerful pincers.
He notices nothing unusual about where it was lying on the beach.
As the image replays constantly in his mind from the sole attempt of finding a chink in its armor.. He almost throws up from the re-enactment his brain projects
This. This THING will die.. one way.. or another.. For what it has done... It.. IT PLAYED WITH THEM...It Enjoyed it.. I'll..I'll kill it if its the last thing I do
There are two .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the pontoon, one fore and one aft. These can swivel around 360 degrees, and have the following stats:
Two-handed exotic ranged weapon (advanced firearm); 1d10 piercing and bludgeoning; misfire 1 or 2; crit x4; 80 ft range increment; 100 round capacity with belt.
As the creature surges towards them Prue looks up with a curse, slinging her weapon and scrambling over to man the rear machine-gun instead, bringing it to bear on the creature, she waits until it draws a little closer before squeezing the trigger.
As the creature surges towards them Prue looks up with a curse, slinging her weapon and scrambling over to man the rear machine-gun instead, bringing it to bear on the creature, she waits until it draws a little closer before squeezing the trigger.
[dice=.50 Cal vs. touch]1d20+6-6
[dice=Damage]1d10
The roar of the .50 caliber drowns out all other sound for a second as Prue fires on the pursuing horror.
Kate helps Dr Grimm pack the TP, gas cans, tools, and other valuables onto the handcart, securing it all with twine so that it seems capable of staying in place even during a hasty retreat.
The land team then exits the maintenance shed and stands by the stairs and elevator at the east end of the hotel.
Perception checks from Grimm, Koran, Mephos, and Kate please, vs DC 10.
Perception check
S!*~! They're coming from upstairs!
Kate points at the stairs a few feet away....
Perception
Perception
Perception Hey, I think there's someone down there....
Perception Probably just Tyler, they wouldn't have followed us, would they?
Shhh! C'mon, let's check it out....
Should we unleash Koran on them, or hide in the closet?
Let "The Hammer" fall, I say....
@Koran: Squash those bugs, Big Guy!
@Mephos:Unless you can make these guys sleep, too......
Initiative checks from land team--Grimm, Mephos, Kate, and Koran....
Initiative
Grimm readies his morningstar for action.
Radsworth freezes with confusion.
(Sorry, was out for Easter)
He wracks his brain, trying to place the creature. Maybe he's seen one in the fall, or perhaps read something on it somewhere. Anything!
Radsworth freezes with confusion.
[dice=Initiative]1d20 +3
(Sorry, was out for Easter)He wracks his brain, trying to place the creature. Maybe he's seen one in the fall, or perhaps read something on it somewhere. Anything!
** spoiler omitted **
Unfortunately, Knowledge (dungeoneering) is not among Professor Radsworth's areas of expertise.....
Never before has he come across information regarding whatever this cosmic horror may be, but it is clearly quite at home in the water, judging by its appearance and the deftness with which it swims after the pontoon.
How far away are the baddies?
Ditto - How far away are the baddies?
[dice=initiative]1d20+2
How far away are the baddies?
About 40 ft away, coming out of a hotel room door down a 5-ft-wide paved walk, up the stairs, from where Koran stands.
Initiative
Mephos
Kate
Cannibals
Koran
Grimm
Eek! Eeeeeeek!!
[dice=initiative]1d20+4
Kinyama already rolled a 10 for initiative in this battle, just waiting for Lakra's initiative now....
But Kinyama is up I believe, so go ahead and take whatever action you want to take.
The Lido Beach Horror is currently 290 ft away from the pontoon, swimming mostly submerged (which gives it improved cover vs attacks made from above water), and in hot pursuit!
Marine team: Kinyama's turn!
Land team: Mephos' turn!
Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!
Mephos and the others in land team do not yet have line of sight or effect on the approaching cannibals, but by the sound of their shoes on the paved walk above, there seems to be maybe four walking toward the top of the stairs.
Kinyama will man the other 5o. cal and prepare an action to shoot when it's in range
Mephos will move to the stairs to get line of sight. if he has it he will cast grease.
Kinyama will man the other 5o. cal and prepare an action to shoot when it's in range
The current range penalty would be -6, and being underwater gives it a +8 cover bonus against attacks made from above water, so you would basically be hoping for nat 20s. However, that might be your best bet for surviving this encounter anyway, given the difficulty of hitting even its touch AC with that water cover.
I'm guessing that you'll have maybe 10 rounds to take shots at it before it catches up to the pontoon, and if all four PCs take a shot each of those 10 rounds, that's 40 chances to crit it, which means on average, you will probably crit it twice before it gets to you, which could make all the difference between success and TPK.
Normally, I'd keep my mouth shut as the impartial GM, but as I'm throwing a CR 7 monster at you, I thought it would be fair to offer that hint.
Mephos will move to the stairs to get line of sight. if he has it he will cast grease.
He doesn't see any cannibals yet, nor will he have LoS of the walkway from his angle at the bottom of the stairs. However, he does see the top 10 feet of the stairs, which could provide a very effective target for grease (and painfully hilarious trip down the stairs for the cannibals)....
Kinyama will man the other 5o. cal and prepare an action to shoot when it's in range
I propose each PC in the pontoon make 10 attack rolls and dmg rolls in one post to save a s~%~load of time....
Mephos will move to the stairs to get line of sight. if he has it he will cast grease.
Kinyama will man the other 5o. cal and prepare an action to shoot when it's in rangeI propose each PC in the pontoon make 10 attack rolls and dmg rolls in one post to save a s*$~load of time....
Having tracked a few chases on graph paper, with most coming out to about 10 rounds before Kermy can no longer outmaneuver the LBH and runs the pontoon aground (better to take a little impact dmg and face it on land than have it capsize you and pull you to watery deaths), the range penalties work out as follows:
-6, -6, -4, -4, -2, -2, 0, 0, 0, 0. All attacks are within 5 range increments, and are made against touch AC 18 (includes +8 cover from water).
Prue spins up the machine-gun and unloads, rewarded with sprays of Ichor and goodness knows what else as some few rounds manage to penetrate the surging water behind them and find their mark. She's never handled something like this before, but thanks to her father's near obsession with hunting she was blessedly well prepared for this dark future, in some respects at least.
Mephos gestures at the top of the stairs and intones an arcane incantation, and the top ten ft of the 20-ft stairs are suddenly slick with magical grease.
Kate grins at Mephos.
"Slick" move, Mephos!
She takes a 5-ft step to the right of the bottom of the stairs, making room for the cannibals' expected landing, and readies an attack with her staff.
Readied attack with quarter staff against prone cannibal.... Damage
[dice=Shot 1]1d20+6-61d10
[dice=Shot 2]1d20+6-61d10
[dice=Shot 3]1d20+6-41d10
[dice=Shot 4]1d20+6-41d10
[dice=Shot 5]1d20+6-21d10
[dice=Shot 6]1d20+6-21d10
[dice=Shot 7]1d20+61d10
[dice=Shot 8]1d20+61d10
[dice=Shot 9]1d20+61d10
[dice=Shot 10]1d20+61d10
Prue spins up the machine-gun and unloads, rewarded with sprays of Ichor and goodness knows what else as some few rounds manage to penetrate the surging water behind them and find their mark. She's never handled something like this before, but thanks to her father's near obsession with hunting she was blessedly well prepared for this dark future, in some respects at least.
The Lido Beach Horror emits bloodcurdling keening wails as the .50 caliber rounds rip through chitin and flesh!
How does it sting me so from so far!? I am wounded.....
The four cannibals double move down the walk and onto the top 10 ft of stairs....
There they aAAAAARRREE!!! Reflex save
W-w-woah!!! Reflex save
Ha! Look at Joe dancin' .... Yipe! Now I'm dancin' too! Reflex save
Quit fooling around and g--woah horsey!! Reflex save
The first three cannibals to hit the greased steps stagger comically in a vain attempt to regain balance before crashing onto the stairs and tumbling down, taking , , and falling damage. The fourth manages to regain his balance and stops on the top step, watching with a mix of alarm and mirth as his companions roll down and land in a heap at the bottom of the stairs (where Kate takes an ineffectual swing at one).
One fallen cannibal is knocked unconscious by the fall, another so badly hurt he is incapacitated, and the third is prone but stirring.
[Dice=Grimm's readied attack with morning star1d20+1
[Dice=damage]1d8+1
The still-moving cannibal narrowly evades your swing, prone and shocked as he is from the fall down the stairs.
Mephos
Cannibals
Kate
Grimm
Koran
Ooh! Ooh!
Kinyama
Lakra
Radsworth
Derrik
Fire at will, 10! Eek! Eek!
For those with range weapons incapable of hitting a target at ~300 ft, the horror will be at the following distances at the end of each round:
270 ft from pontoon, 130 ft from Derrik;
240 ft ", 160 ft ";
210 ft ", 190 ft ";
180 ft ", 220 ft ";
150 ft ", 250 ft ";
120 ft ", 280 ft ";
90 ft ", 250 ft ";
60 ft ", 220 ft ";
30 ft ", 190 ft ";
0 ft ", 160 ft ".
So Derrik's range penalties may be a lot different than what I posted on discussion thread if he using a crossbow for instance.....
My apologies--I double-checked LBHs stats and touch AC is actually 20 with water cover, so 3 of Prue's best shots still hit, but for a total of 20 pts of damage.
Derrik notices the Creature storms towards the pontoon, it equipped apparently with a heavy caliber weapon but not sure if that will be enough He Shouts for the driver to come his way.
"Come around and to here, you wont be able to outpace him on THAT I'm here to help assuming your not cannibals!"
His inner naivety hoping that he can help somehow, He judges the creature with his Loathing and unloads a hail of crossbow Bolts after It. Stepping up 5 ft every launch
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
Derrik notices the Creature storms towards the pontoon, it equipped apparently with a heavy caliber weapon but not sure if that will be enough He Shouts for the driver to come his way.
"Come around and to here you wont be abe to outpace him on THAT I'm here to help assuming your not cannibals!"
His inner naivety hoping that he can help somehow, He judges the creature with his Loathing and unloads a hail of crossbow Bolts after It. Stepping up 5 ft every launch
[dice=Shot 1]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 2]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 3]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 4]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 5]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 6]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 7]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 8]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 9]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
[dice=Shot 10]1d20 for 1d8 + 1
Derrik advances, launching bolt after bolt at the dark shape jetting further and further away through the churning surf, but his bolts are turned away by the wind, the waves, and the horror's chitinous armor.
The captain of the pontoon seems to understand your intent after watching your bolts fly at the pursuing monster, and after half a minute of desperate evasive maneuvers (seemingly minutes), he steers the pontoon toward Derrik, beaching it abruptly (after all of marine team's ranged attacks have been resolved).....
Radsworth aims Traveler for a few moments, concentrating as best he can. He sweats, unable to draw a bead. The echoing clatter of automatic fire bursts from all around him. Frustrated, he re-holsters his revolver and takes a gun, then lets the lead fly.
-6, -6, -4, -4, -2, -2, 0, 0, 0, 0 with a +3 dex mod.
Rad watches in horror as every bullet slings wide or bounces off the unknown creature. He screams to the rest of the team as he struggles to control his guns recoil, it's kick messing up his words.
"Aaaaaaugh! Why-y-y-y a-mam-am I-I-I- S-o-o-o b-a-a-a-d-ad-ad- at-tat-tat-shoo-too-too-ting?"