Nate follows John, covering him.
John can hear some shuffling behind the front door. He doesn't think they'll make it through though. The real danger would be the sliding glass door in the back from whence you entered.
Having neither strength nor lockpicking, John gestures in a grand sweep at the door for someone else to deal with it.
Nate looks at Gavril pointedly. "That's your forte, Hulk."
Gavril frowns at Nate. "I hear of Hogan, but never like him. And does he break down doors?"
Not sparing time for an answer, the large Romanian plows into the door with a mighty shoulder...
..."Ouch."
Suppressing a snort (but not completely), and with more than a little bit of sarcasm : "Try *punching* it, that's what you seem to do best."
"Wrong Hulk," chuckles Nate as Gavril bounces off the door. "You alright?"
"Here". "Let me try the quieter way first".
Lockpicking 5
XD
WD
Arlo picks the lock on the front door with no real trouble. He opens it slightly, peeks inside and notices the last zombie crawling up the stairs. He is completely oblivious to Arlo's presence.
"How about we wait for a minute for it to get farther upstairs, then sneak down into the basement, if that is where all the action is supposed to be?"
"Sound good. Less blood."
"Fine by me. Not too attentive, these things. Almost kicking the door down and it's like they didn't even notice."
Nate turns and looks at Gavril. "Wait, if they're that out of it, how did they even know we were upstairs?"
"I don't know, we didn't fire our guns, and Gavril was only punching things. Maybe they can just sense the presence of living things?"
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Nate frowns and looks around. "Maybe that guy who cut his hand off is directing the action. Or there's evil baked into the house itself. Anybody know how to do an exorcism?"
= 8 = Success AND 1 Raise!
"A what". "A possessed house". "Sure you haven't been watching too many late night Sci-fy Channel movies"?
Nate studies Arlo a moment before answering dryly. "We just dealt with an animated hand, we're currently sneaking up on zombies, and you're struggling with the concept of a possessed house? Please."
It occurs to John that something must be in the house, functioning as a focus for the evil. If it is found you could perform a Ritual to exorcise the evil from there.
From the look on John's face, you can tell that a light bulb just went off in his head.
"Wait, I got it! There *must* be something or someone in the house, functioning as a focus for the evil. If we can find it we can perform a Ritual to exorcise the evil from it.
I still say we head for the basement first. Shall we go, or do you two want to continue to debate the improbability of the situation we're actually in?"
"When we first met, I thought I wouldn't like you," Nate says to John.
Turning his attention back to the matter at hand he adds, "Now I'm sure."
"Basement's fine by me. How do we I.D. this theoretical focus of evil?"
"Hey, I'm with you, there's some weird s**t going on here, can't deny that.
As to your question, I guess we'll know it when we see it - big glowing hovering ball of blackness, girl who's head is spinning around, you know, that sort of thing..."
Arlo bristles, and starts to respond, then simply mutters something under his breath.
"Yeah". "Let's go down, and take care of this evil furnace, or microwave or whatever it is".
"I have evil microwave once. Always cook over or under, never cook straight on. Once blow up potato. Big mess. Had to get new microwave." Gavril scowls. "I hope this not like that."
Waiting till that last zombie gets upstairs, then entering and trying to find the door downstairs as quietly (but quickly) as possible.
Wow! Continuing just for the thrill of it...
Figures I'd get this on Stealth, not any kind of attack or damage roll...
Awww, "only" 15-2+2 = 15 is a Success and TWO Raises!
Despite his bulk (perhaps because of his fear), John manages to practically tip-toe across the room so quietly you have to check to make sure his feet are actually touching the floor.
Stealth
WD
BStealth Total of 11
XD
XD2
BWD
Arlo almost trips, knocking over a vase, but catches himself in time, and follows in "Silent John's" footsteps.
It takes a bit of finagling but you locate the basement door without alerting the zombies upstairs. The basement creaks open to reveal a darkened stairway.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Gavril looks down the dark stairway and turns to the others, pulling a couple items from his duffel. "I have flashlight and lantern," he says in a hushed voice. "Also lighter, but is small. We want more light, da? Who want what?"
"Thanks". "I've got my own". Arlo pulls an immense 5-cell Maglight from his pocket, then quizzically looks at Aavril.
"Who carries a lantern around with them"?
Nate looks at Arlo and answers him with a grin. "Gavril, obviously." He likewise pulls a smaller flashlight from his pocket, but doesn't turn it on just yet.
Also pulling out mini-flashlight, but not turning it on yet, as long as 2 lights illuminate the area enough. But if any noises come from unlit areas, the light goes on immediately...
The Hunters descend to the basement and hear quiet singing. You point your lights to the sound and find a Caucasian man in a faded blue baseball cap and grey jacket, singing a lullaby to a swathed bundle in his arms.
He pretends to notice you for the first time and says quietly , "Shh! You'll wake the baby."
-Posted with Wayfinder
*Blink*
The Baseball Cap Man smiles at you, and you see him raise a knife to the little bundle.
"So...are you friends of the mongrel lovers that rented this place?"
The knife he's holding is dripping with blood and covered in some sort of strange lettering. It also seems to be made out of bone, not metal.
Gavril shrugs. "When work maintain, work with hands, need both hands. No hand for flashlight. Lantern better." The large Romanian draws his flashlight and heads down the stairs with the others, sweeping it back and forth while grumbling about "...job like this never end well..."
Gavril freezes as he sees the man with the bundle and raises his hands, loosely holding the flashlight, palms forward. "Hold on. I am no bad guy. We no bad guy. No hurt baby, da?"
= 8-1 = 7 is a Success
Nice knife! Not liking what he's about to do with it.
Since initiative hasn't been given, just work this in whenever...
And, I can't/wouldn't do this if I'm more than 20" away from him.
Concentrating...
= 6 is a Success
Everyone sees a small dot of light appears in front of the guy's face. It grows slowly at first (hopefully getting his attention so he looks right at it), and then suddenly bursts like a flashbulb.
He must make a Smarts-2 check or be Shaken.
Note to self : another PP used.
The Baseball Cap Man shouts in surprise as the flashing light hits him. He manages to hold onto the knife, but the bundle in his hands lands on the ground with a wet splat.
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The bundle is shifting and moving unnaturally. Whatever that is, it's no baby.
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Drat. NOT making a Notice roll, as that is an Action, and both it and my attack would be at -2 for multiple actions (which I hadn't thought of in my first action post, but fortunately they'd still both succeed)...
Shouting "Attack him while he's distracted!"
And following my own advice :
= 8 is a Success and a Raise (since Ranged TR=4)
(If he's more than 12" from me but less than 18", using a free Move action to get within Close range for no penalty)
Woohoo!
= 13 = ??? Don't know his Toughness - Ray? Don't forget 1 point of Armor Piercing.
John uses the distraction of his flare to fire a single shot that hits the Baseball Cap Man dead center in his chest. It knocks him over on the chair he was sitting on, sending his knife flying. You all want to breathe a sigh of relief but then the bundle on the ground begins to grow. And grow. And grow!
A figure with a shiny, black oily carapace rises from the bundle. It's body is covered in razor sharp spines. It is otherworldly and horrific.
Where it's face should be there is simply nothing. No eyes, nose, or mouth. But you know without a shadow of a doubt that this monster knows exactly where you are, what you smell like, and will certainly consume you if given the chance.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Shaken out of his reverie by John's shout, Nate takes aim at the man. But John shoots first, knocking the target backwards. Before Nate can again line up a shot, it becomes obvious there's another threat in the room. Without a moment's thought he refocuses, and one of the world's most powerful autoloading handguns barks.
"Demon! Demon!" he shouts. "Magic or cold iron if you have it!"
Nate fires a perfect shot -- center mass, good penetration. Anything human would be just dead. But this unholy monstrosity is only fazed.
Although he was unsure of what to do about the man, when Gavril sees a demon burst out of the bundle as John and Nate open fire, he lunges forward to tackle Baseball Cap and keep him down if necessary.