Hmm's The Great Grav-Train Robbery (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

Kevan cracks his whip which glances off the mountain eel's scaly hide. However, Barat's entropic strike thumps solidly into the creature.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Aramesh and Lena can give me fresh DC 14 Fortitude saves to get into the fight!

Aramesh (-14, Fort save needed)
Lena (Fort save needed)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-35)

"Meanwhile, we here at Mu's Fight Club are waiting to see if our remaining fighters will get in the ring and kick some mountain eel ass! Let's all hope they snap out of it this round and show us some flashy moves!"

"Fight, fight, FI-I-I-I-I-I-I-IGHT!"

Fort 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Aramesh is STILL locked down by the odd stare!

Fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Round #2:

The Blue Screens of Death remain doggedly in place as Lena wonders if she’ll be tossed in the recycle-hopper before she gets the chance for a reboot.

Emergency battery power trickles a loop of subconsciousness through her neural pathways, the drone superstitiously willing the Eel to pick up on it.

Bite me! Professional decoy right here! Bite me! Professional decoy right here! Bite me! Pro…

Ouch! Sorry guys!

Neither Aramesh nor Lena are able to shake off the paralyzing fear of the Mountain Eel!

Meanwhile the Mountain Eel notices that both the delicious squid and a big juicy bear are nearby, so he decides to bite both.

Bite: 1d20 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 16 - 4 = 15
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Bite!: 1d2 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 16 - 4 = 13
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

However, Barat's pesky shield keeps getting in the way! The Mountain Eel roars in frustration as its teeth glance off that shield!

"RAAAWWWRRR!?"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Aramesh and Lena can give me fresh DC 14 Fortitude saves to get into the fight! Aramesh, remember that your total fort save vs paralysis is a +4 due to your racial bonus.

Aramesh (-14, Fort save needed)
Lena (Fort save needed)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-35)

"Wow, did you see that Mountain Eel biting the shield? I hope the Ixo Syndicate carries good veterinary dental insurance!"

Barat gathers up his entropic energy and attacks the eel with most of it.
Entropic Strike vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Bludgeoning, 3 entropy points: 2d6 + 10 + 3d4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 10 + (1, 3, 2) = 28

1 Entropy point left

Barat's entropic strike wallops the Mountain Eel!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Aramesh and Lena can give me fresh DC 14 Fortitude saves to get into the fight! Aramesh, remember that your total fort save vs paralysis is a +4 due to your racial bonus.

Aramesh (-14, Fort save needed)
Lena (Fort save needed)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-63)

The dicebot isn’t under your control, GM :) Unless … IT IS!

Round #3:

Fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Emergency power failing, Lena stands rigidly among the chaos, like a drinks waiter ‘droid on a sky-yacht, frozen into inaction by a violent mutiny taking place around them.

Wait, this is Campaign Mode, right?

The Universe reels with the unfairness of it all and sets the dice roller straight!

Lena's Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Lena, take your turn.

Again Kevan cracks the whip. <<Hurry up - we don't want this thing damaging the goods.>>

Junkwhip: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Bludgeoning, Slashing damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 (I forgot whether he added his Strength to damage here, so I left it out until I could check the character sheet directly (it mentions the junksword specifically)).

GM Hmm, you’re the best!

Like she’s received a sudden kinetic energy JOLT to her rear end, universal balance is restored and Lena goes back to work!

She takes a 5’ step into the Eel’s face, and attempts a debilitating trick attack with her operative tactical retractable spike.

Intimidate DC 20 + Eel CR: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 If successful, the eel is flat footed vs this attack, and takes the additional trick attack damage

tactical retractable spike attack + flank: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 2 = 12
piercing damage + trick attack: 1d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (6, 7, 7) = 26

Meh. I think this is just karma after the Skimmer scamming went so well :)

And if I am going realign the universe for you... Let's do it for Aramesh too.

Aramesh's Fort: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 2 = 20

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Kevan slashes his whip at the eel, slashing it neatly. Then Lena and Aramesh come to their senses by GM Fiat and Lena unleashes a furious attack on the eel, but her circuits are still realigning from their paralysis, and her attack utterly misses.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Aramesh (-14, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Lena (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-77)

BOTTING ARAMESH

Aramesh decides to take a guarded step back, and then fires his corona laser pistol. Whooosh!

Corona laser pistol: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Fire Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 2) + 3 = 7

Unfortunately, Aramesh misses!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Just then... An enercopter shows up over your car. BADDA-BADDA-BADDA

You look up, expecting Arda, and instead watch as four people you don't know begin descending a ladder with a grappling hook.

The Mountain eel also looks up, fascinated, and bites at the red shirt who descended fastest on the ladder.

"AAAAAAGGGGHHH!" The red shirted person yells. "Dammit Royce, you didn't tell us they have a dinosaur!'

Bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30
Piercing: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Oh yeah. Did I fail to mention that you see Royce piloting this vessel? He gives you a cheeky grin and a wave, and then hails you through your comm units. "Aramesh! Lena! Kevan and the other guy! So nice to see you all again! Too bad you're all busy right now, but we'll take good care of your prize, we promise."

Meanwhile, Red is shouting from the swaying ladder. "Royce, I'm bleeding here!"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (-18)
Yellow
Green
Purple
Aramesh (-14, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Lena (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-77)

Aramesh gets his head back in the game, and thinks for a moment - That would be funny if the goons all get paralysed by the eel!

Aramesh shoots at the red-shirted goon.
Corona laser pistol: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 vs EAC
Fire Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2) + 3 = 8

Aramesh gets his head back in the game, and thinks for a moment - That would be funny if the goons all get paralysed by the eel!

"We here at Mu's Fight Club are currently taking bets on what happens next round when all the goons stop looking at the prize, and start looking at the 'dinosaur'."

Oh that poor red shirt. Aramesh's shot hits the already bleeding red shirt, who drops straight into the Mountain Eel's mouth. The mountain eel appreciates the delivery service!

Aramesh, do you want to do a move action Get 'Em on the Eel? Or anyone else?

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (DEAD)
Yellow
Green
Purple
Aramesh (-14, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Lena (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-77)

“Kevan!” Barat says and then taps his helmet with a tentacle.

Having hopefully attracted the big bear’s attention, he hopes for that psychic connection so he can communicate more freely.

Acting like nothing would surprise her, Lena gives Royce the middle metal digit before turning her tricksy retractable spike to a more practical purpose against the green dinosaur.

Intimidate DC 20 + Eel CR: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 Nuh!

tactical retractable spike attack + flank on Green: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 27
piercing damage + trick attack: 1d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (2) + 3 + (4, 8, 6) = 23 piercing damage without the trick attack = 5

"Ooh, too bad that trick attack failed! Lena failed to slay the Mountain Eel. On the other hand, that means Royce's cronies still have to deal with the 'dinosaur!'"

Aramesh uses his move action for a Get 'Em on the Eel. Barat comes up with a clever plan involving the Grav-Crane, but still has the rest of his turn to do. Lena attacks the eel, but her trick attack fails and she only does five damage to it.

After a moment's panic, everyone realizes that the copter above you is slightly different than Arda's. She must be still en route.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (DEAD)
Yellow
Green
Purple
Aramesh (-14, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Lena (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Barat (-15, Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Kevan (Immune from paralyzing gaze)
Mountain Eel (-82)

Target crate is still in the train car, correct? Or is it already in Royce's 'copter?

<<Just get rid of the eel - that crane can't rotate to that configuration.>> The bear stands ready to move, balancing on his toes even as he mentally reviews his code.

"For our viewers at home: the target crate is still in the train car! The folks on the ladder still haven't managed to attach their grappling hook to the crate!"

Barat gives a slight nod, then swings at the eel.

Entropic Strike vs EAC, Flanking, Git’Em, Full Attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 27
Bludgeoning: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (1, 5) + 10 = 16

Entropic Strike vs EAC, Flanking, Git’Em, Full Attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 19
Bludgeoning: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (2, 3) + 10 = 15

"WOOOOHOOOO! What a beautiful set of Entropic Strikes! The Mountain Eel goes down!"

Barat slays the eel, and Kevan casts grease on the ladder!

Green Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Green's Falling Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Yellow Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Yellow's Falling Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Purple Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Purple's Falling Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

All three of the Rainbow pirates lose their grip on the ladder and fall into the main compartment!

"AAAAAAuuuuggghhhh!" Green screams and then gets up, pulling out his longsword on Aramesh.

Longsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Meanwhile, the Yellow and Purple-shirted pirates get up and pull their swords on Lena. "Get away from out crate!"

Longsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Longsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

But the lurching movement of the train beneath them causes all three goons to miss!

"Hey!" Royce calls out. "What am I paying you for? Just get the grapple attached to the prize, and get out! How hard is this to figure out?" He sighs, and calls to Aramesh and Lena. "Really, we should have been working together from the start! You're quality. I'm quality. We were made to do heists together."

"Well, that was one slick move from Kevan!"

The sound of combat almost drowns out the crackle of the comm unit and the sound of Arda's voice. “What in tarnation's goin' on down there? Whatever ya done, it's alerted every damn body on the train, and...” She trails off. “I can't get in there with the other chopper down there, even if the bulls weren't all riled up to shoot me down. ‘Specially not with y'all so close to the—” The comm goes silent with a blast of static

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (DEAD)
Yellow (-6)
Green (-5)
Purple (-2)
Aramesh (-14)
Lena
Barat (-15)
Kevan
Mountain Eel (DEAD)

Aramesh takes a guarded step in to flank one of the goons, and draws his baton.

Hope that helps Lena!

Longswords? Really? Maybe we’re not as far removed by the VOID as I thought …

With a flank courtesy of Aramesh, Lena tries her trick attack on Gold Shirt this time.

Intimidate DC 20 + Yellow Pirate CR: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25 Meh. Definite maybe.

<<Barat? ... — — — ... >>

tactical retractable spike attack + flank on Gold: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19 (If the Intimidate worked this is vs flat-footed)
piercing damage + trick attack: 1d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (5, 3, 2) = 16

"AbadarCorp files Chapter 11! Who uses longswords in the 4th century? I take it Royce is too cheap to spring for something cool like a Nuevo Minkaen katana?"

"Well, that was one slick move from Kevan!"

“I just realized, Kevan. That abseil from Arda’s egg-beater makes you a genuine Drop-bear.”

Aramesh helps to flank the gold shirted one with Lena. Because of Yellow's prior injuries from the fall, she goes down before she can even reply to Lena's quip.

So Green says, "Well, they were on sale... And they don''t take batteries, and they look really cool. HEY!" He ends in indignation as he watches Lena cut down his comrade.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (DEAD)
Yellow (DEAD)
Green (-5)
Purple (-2)
Aramesh (-14)
Lena
Barat (-15)
Kevan
Mountain Eel (DEAD)

Athletics to climb up on top of a crate: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Barat tries to climb the nearby crate in order to get where he needs to be. It doesn’t work so well. Evidently giving up on that idea, he moves up to Purple.

Will use Bodyguard on LNA if Green or Purple attacks them.

Kevan’s mind races. Signal loss. Ship destroyed? Unable to rule out. Escape plan. His gaze dances back and forth quickly until it alights into the greased ladder. Slowly a grin spreads across his muzzle.

@GM, Kevan would like to attach the crane to the grappling hook in such a way that the hook cannot be used to retrieve the crate nor can it be released from the train car. I’m guessing this is Engineering to use equipment in ways that would nullify any insurance policy, but if there’s something else you think would be better please use that instead.

Barat attempts to climb crates. Kevan successfully abuses the Grav-Crane by hooking it to the grappling hook.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

And now it's the turn of the two remaining rainbow pirates.

Purple frantically tries to disentangle the grappling hook from the Grav-Crane with the only tool she has available:

Longsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

But she fails to get through the device's hardness. Green slashes at Lena...

Longsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

But Barat's bodyguard action causes him to miss!

Meanwhile, a long shadow falls over the car. Royce shouts, "Oh, hell no!"

"Do you think that could have been foreshadowing?"

Royce frantically pullis on gears to get his enercopter to ascend, but his grappling hook (and enercopter) are tethered to the car. He pushes his colleagues out of the way and leaps down to the car!

"YOU SUUUUUUCK!"

Royce's Falling Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

Then he rolls into a storage unit and slams the door! It locks with a 'click'.

"Villains always get extra actions at cinematic moments. It's in their contract!"

As the storage door slams, Royce's enercopter smashes into the lip of a train tunnel. It explodes in a fiery mass, and rains down burning enercopter parts into your vehicle. There is a big flash of light, and then everything goes dark as the train rumbles forward.

Burning Enercopter Parts (DC 19 Reflex Save for Half): 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2) = 11

Green: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Purple's Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

One of the pirates says weakly... "Can we surrender now?"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Rainbow Pirates
Red (DEAD)
Yellow (DEAD)
Green (-16)
Purple (-13)
Aramesh (-14, reflex save needed)
Lena (reflex save needed)
Barat (-15, reflex save needed)
Kevan (reflex save needed)
Mountain Eel (DEAD)

Reflex vs DC 19: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Kevan ducks behind the crane, shielding himself from the worst of the blast. His face twitches, unable to decide whether to be pleased or frustrated with the result of his gambit. Slowly he turns to Aramesh. <<…Well?>>

Delaying. Kevan thinks we have bigger problems than a pair of greasy scoundrels at the moment, and they’re not Sindicate, so he’s fine to let them surrender.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Use a point of Entropy to mitigate damage. Barat takes 3 less damage.

“Drop those ridiculous weapons!”

Delay, Barat if contacted is surprised there is even a question of if we should accept their surrender. Of course we should, anything else interferes with the job!

"Okay!" Purple calls out. A few seconds later, you hear two longswords clang to the floor. Those of you with darkvision see the two pirates hold their hands over their heads, listening for what you say because the two humans cannot see a damn thing.

"Mmmm-mmmph!" There are thumping and pounding sounds from the locker that Royce rolled into. After a few minutes of grunting and repositioning sounds, you hear Royce's muffled voice.

"Er... Guys? I appear to be locked in here. Aramesh, Lena.... You knew it was just business, right?"

Barat collects the longswords, saying “Can get them back afterwards.”

He either doesn’t hear or completely ignores the pleas from Royce.

He then makes sure that the area above the crate is clear, giving Kevan directions to move the crane if needed.

<<Thank-you for the BG assist, Barat STOP>>

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 So 11 pts off SP, yes?

Soooo worth it!

Lena bats out a few minor flare-ups with her metal arms as she considers Royce’s predicament.

Attempting to get the Rainbow Pirates’ attention by *clicking* her fingers — before remembering she doesn’t have fingers — Lena points at some heavy lo-val crates and then the humans and then makes a pushing gesture towards the front of Royce’s ‘cell’ door.

"Er... Guys? I appear to be locked in here. Aramesh, Lena.... You knew it was just business, right?"

"Of course, Royce."

"Wait one … I’m receiving a microwave-link SMS from Mu's Alien Associates™ Hmm … once Fight Club’s over they want to cross live to you, Royce for an after-dark, insider’s episode of Storage War$ — Great Grav Train Robbery edition."

*Aghast* "Maybe you should knock them back though. They’re only offering 100,000 credits per episode!"

"Should I tell them you want out, or are you happy to stay put?"

Ref 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Leaving the thugs to surrender (smart move) Aramesh gets busy securing the package.

Aramesh delights in LNA's needling then adds his own "No problem Royce, bygones be bygones and all that. I am sure your employees out here that just surrendered to us will be happy to negotiate your release in the next ten minutes or so when we are long gone"

Kevan ignores his companions’ needling and focuses instead on getting that klaxon disabled. Dim light begins to shine from the console where he works.

Casting token spell.

"Peachy," Royce's muffled voice says. "You do realize that we're all trapped here, right? Sure, you have the prize. But the entire train has been alerted to your presence, and you're trapped in a tunnel that is doubtlessly headed to a station that is filled with Ixo Syndicate goons. That's why you were stuck in the smalltime leagues, failure to think ahead. But me? I'm the plans guy. You need me."

Meanwhile, Kevan discovers that the main console of the compartment, like the storage lockers, went into a defensive lockdown mode right after the explosion. There is no accessing them at all.

The grav-train rushes on through darkness broken by the regular flickering of lights mounted on the tunnel walls. The sound of whistling wind overhead is replaced by an ominous silence as the train barrels down the tunnel at top speed, its frictionless runners barely making enough sound to echo off the cavernous walls as they fly by. Suddenly, your comm units crackle to life, and after a moment of static, you recognize Arda's voice. “Come in! Are ya alive in there? Did ya make it?”

Over the private comms unit, Barat sends a message to LNA. <LNA, you could trade one rescue for another. Royce gets rescued in exchange for your friend. Different subject, what did you want me to stop?>

Barat was just wondering about the backup plan as Royce mentions needing one. Fortunately that is when Arda resumes contact.

”We made it, might have a slight delay ahead - stay on comms and wait for details”

“Slight delay? Slight DELAY?!" You hear over the comm unit the snorty croak that passes for laughter among jubjubnans. "Damn! I was sure y'all were gonna cash in back there. That's on me for doubting ya, I guess. Listen, I reckon ya ain't got long before that train pulls into Steepshore, and that oughta be more than enough time for Ixo to throw together one helluva welcome wagon. If ya could handle that last hullabaloo, though, I suppose ya could still wriggle outta this."

Royce's muffled voice comes from the storage locker. "Maybe if I help you with logist--"

More lights flash by from the tunnel, and the two pirates finally figure out that Lena wants them to push crates in front of the holes in Royce's storage locker. Purple and Green do so, cutting off the con artist mid-sentence.

"--mmmph-mmmp-mmmp?" Whatever Royce was saying is even more muffled now. Then follows other muffled sounds from Royce's locker, including a muffled thumping of him banging against the inside of the storage unit.