Chapter 3: Choices

1. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #81

   Rack the slide back, Creed inserted the first of the taser rounds into the shotgun. He leveled the shotgun and fired center of mass before dropping the shotgun and pulling both of the hand axes from his belt and stepping forward to engage the ‘thing’ in case it did not fall.
   
   
   (00:15:55) Minion: Tusserk rolls 1d20 and gets 12.
   (00:17:17) Minion: Tusserk rolls 2d4 and gets 1,4.
   12 + 2 Dex +2 Proficiency = 16 attack roll
   Taser-Shell [4x, 2d4 damage + Con Save vs Incapacitation, 1d4 rounds]
   5 damage +Con save vs incap for 1d4 rounds
   
   

2. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #82

   Ayna fired first, her round striking the robot's head, solid but sparking off.
   
   Asha fired almost simultaneously, with similar results. This robot seemed quite sturdy it seems.
   
   Then followed the BOOM of Mr. Creed's shotgun, the special slug almost visible as it hurtled downrange.  It hit the robot dead on and electricity zapped out, short arcs playing about the robot.
   It stood for a moment, its servos running randomly as the taser shell discharged, and then fell with a loud thump.
   
   A block of some putty-like material with a few wires sticking out was visible on the fallen robots back.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Ayna:  Rolled 13, with +9 (dex, prof,fighting style) or 22.    11 points
   Asha:  Same roll, amazing enough. +6 (dex, Prof)  - 19. Hit. 6 points.
   
      
   
   To actually enjoy the effects of a head shot, you need to exceed the AC by 10, falling short being a miss. In this case the robot's AC is higher th
   
   
   Didn't ask for init, so going by order of post :)
   
   Going to use this for now - thoughts?
   
   Making Called Shots
   
   A called shot is an attack aimed at a particular part of the body, in the hope of gaining some extra effect from the attack. The smaller or better guarded the area, the more difficult the called shot.
   
   Called shots are divided into three basic difficulty groups: easy, tricky, and challenging. Easy called shots represent large areas of the body, and are made at a –2 penalty. They have relatively minor effects unless a critical hit is scored or massive damage is dealt. Tricky called shots represent either smaller areas, like a hand, or areas a creature protects well, like its head. Tricky shots receive a –5 penalty, and inflict more serious consequences. Challenging called shots represent very small areas like eyes, fingers, or creatures’ necks. They receive a –10 penalty, and successful hits cause significant short-term impairment. Beyond these challenging ratings lie almost impossible called shots that receive a –20 penalty. For called shots against non-humanoid creatures, use common sense and the categories above as guidelines. For example, a flying creature’s wings are treated as arms.

3. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #83

   "Dot12! No!" Carnegie yelled. She barely had time to react, hesitantly she gripped her stun stick, but no sooner had the robot been downed. Her jaw chewed air as she tried to process events, but then she saw the wires and the paste. She wasted no time, she hurriedly scooped up Elvis in her arms and turned to run out of the room, as she did so she yelled, "Look out! Issa'bomb!"

4. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #84

   The Doc's face drained of color at the word bomb, his prior experience treating the victims of such devices giving him a deep fear of ever being on the receiving end of one himself.
   
   Moving surprisingly quick for a man of his years he quickly ran for the closest exit from the room, nearly dropping his sword cane in his haste to get clear of the expected blast radius.

5. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #85

   Ayna gave a curt nod at Carnegie's report, quickly kicking over a near by metal table and crouching behind it, her hands covering her ears, with the explosive being bare and in the open its blast radius would be severely limited and likely focused around demolishing the robot it was affixed to, which given it was face down on the floor, would make a mess of the immediate vicinity but not create the clay-more like explosive cone it would have were the robot standing upright.

6. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #86

   Asha hesitated for a brief second, a part of her wondering if it would be possible to disarm the explosive before quickly deciding it was a gamble not quite worth the risk. Turning she leaped through the door way just ahead of Doctor West, tucking into a roll and continuing to sprint down the corridor, recalling all to well a former Stone Hammer guardsman's tale about explosive blasts being channeled and increased in interior areas, a result he so colorfully referred to as "The Chunky Salsa Effect."
   
   She trusted the rest of her friends would realize the danger as well and not linger in the vicinity either.

7. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #87

   Having gotten as clear as they believed necessary, there was a noticeable pause.
   
   Where was the earth-shattering kaboom?
   
   They started to get up - the explosives would be excellent salvage, as would the robot itself.
   
   A metallic voice started speak again
   
   "Connection restored. Re.."
   
   The blast knocked them all down like bowling pins, shrapnel whizzing down the hallway above them, passing close, though they couldn't hear anything.
   
   No one was hurt, though Elvis had a major headache, and it was several minutes before their ears stopped ringing and sound returned.  The air was thick with dust that had been disturbed by the blast.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

8. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #88

   Asha stood up and brushed the dust from her skirt and shook her head to clear away the disorientation, calling out to her friends in concern, "Everyone okay?" She turned nad cautiously began to pick her way through any debris back towards the room, eyeing the ceiling cautiously, the concern of a collapse foremost in her mind.

9. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

   #89

   The room was a shambles.  The tables had been thrown and shattered against the walls.  The vending machines trashed and liquid pooling underneath them. Here and there smashed equipment sparked and smoldered, and all of the light panels were out - those that still existed.  The ceiling was apparently structurally intact, sheathed with metal.
   
   There was nothing left of the unfortunate robot.
   
   

10. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #90

    "I appear to be unharmed, is everyone else as fortunate?" Doc West replied with a nod, brushing the patina of dust from his shoulders the explosion had kicked loose from the ceiling and giving Asha a curt nod. "If our foe has taken to wiring explosives to machinery we must entertain the possibility they will so wire their human controlled minions as well and treat them with the utmost caution." He advised the group cautiously, carefully eyeing the room the explosion took place in to gauge it's structural stability before reentering.

11. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #91

    Ayna coughed and picked herself up from the corridor where she had fled at seeing the rest of the group retreat, giving a wordless thumbs up to the well being inquiry, the noise of the blast still making her ears ring.
    
    "Lets hope they don't have a stockpile of whatever they used to make that spicy meatball."  She commented with a shake of her head, rising unsteadily to her feet.

12. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #92

    Pulling a bandanna up over his nose and mouth, Creed let the others pass him as he reached for his goggles and slipped them over his eyes. The bandanna muffled the whispered prayer to Sun Tzu to help him spot any dangers that may lurk within the damaged room, and hid the fact that he was talking out loud.
    
    Slipping into the room, Creed ran his eyes over the roof and then the walls before heading to the right to stand guard in the corner. Chambering the next tazer shell before slinging the shotgun across his chest, Creed drew both pistols and prepared to defend the small group if need be.
    
    "Stay away from the center of the room, the walls will offer some protection if the ceiling collapses due to damage from the bomb."
    
    
    Shelter from the Nut-Cases to cast the cantrip Guidance
    (00:48:42) Minion: Tusserk rolls 1d100 and gets 19. OH YEAAAH... /kicks down a wall
    (00:50:13) Minion: Tusserk rolls 1d20 and gets 14.
    (00:50:59) Minion: Tusserk rolls 1d4 and gets 4.
    14 + 2 (Wisdom) + 4 (Guidance) = 20 for a Wisdom (Perception) check for eyeballing the structural integrity of the room, specifically the roof.
    

13. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #93

    Carnegie peeked out from the doorway whence she had taken cover. Finally, she let go of the frantically struggling Elvis. She turned her flashlight on and surveyed the wreckage, slipping her t-shirt over her nose and mouth which inadvertantly bared her midreef. Dust particles dancing in the cone of her light. "...M'okay!" She responded. Poor Dot12, he had been a nice robot.

14. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #94

    
    Mr. Creed noticed no real distortion of the roof, apparently the ceiling was sheathed in metal and it had not bent. He did catch sight of a smaller, wheeled robot upturned in a pile of debris. Damaged, but mostly still there.
    
    
    
    
    

15. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #95

    Snapping his fingers to get her attention, Creed tries to summon Carnegie over to look at the little wheeled robot. "A potential piece of technology that you might need."

16. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #96

    Carnegie raised an eyebrow at the summons, her eyes narrowing, yet she stepped up to point her torch at the upended robot. Using her rifle as a prodding stick, she carefully poked at the prone figure, trying to discern if it too had any explosives taped to it.
    
    Perception to check for any danger, otherwise I loot the toaster.

17. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #97

    It proved to be a good trove - in fact it appeared that only a couple of things were visibly wrong with it.  The casing had been cracked badly when it was thrown by the explosion, making it easy to see within.  Its battery cable had 'popped' out of main board. It might take little more than plugging it in to reactivate it...
    
    
    
    
    

18. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #98

    Elvis whined uneasily and pushed against Carnegie's leg, the smells and recent noise having him decidedly on edge and longing for the fresh air and open spaces of the world above, he kept his ears pricked for the sounds of movement, his canine senses quivering in anticipation of further danger.

19. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #99

    "May I suggest we keep a guard while miss Roberts effects her repairs? I have no doubt some one, or thing as the case may be, will be along shortly to inspect the results of that cacophonous explosion and tidy up any loose ends, namely us." He gestured with his cane to the group, keeping a watchful eye on the door, keen aware of their vulnerable location should they find themselves flanked by attackers.

20. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #100

    Ayna nodded and kept her Uzi at the ready, standing close beside Mr. Creed, alert for danger and uncertain where they were going from here. "I don't get why they wired up the robot in such an obvious manner though, why not hide the bomb inside it so we can't see it coming, or just wire the room and detonate it when we walked in?" She shrugged, "I wonder if maybe the machine in control of this place is testing us, to see how bright us topsiders really are?"

21. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #101

    Asha nodded, letting out a sigh of relief that no one seemed injured, pulling out her flashlight and kneeling down to assist Carnegie in the robots salvage, hoping int he dim light Carnegie wouldn't notice Aha's tail curled part way under her skirt. "That was a hell of a bang, I wonder if the town felt the shake from it?" She tossed the question to the room, her thoughts becoming more focused on the task at hand and dangers awaiting them deeper in the complex.

22. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #102

    Carnegie shifted the toaster in her grip as she examined its underbelly, tilting it to give Asha a view. In response to the doc, she said; "...Prolly tajk a soldering iron ta attach dis cable agin, but dis battery majt lajkly be a few hunnred notches better den regular ones. So's we's back ta lookin fer a workshop... N'd Ah'd really hanker ta see the vents workin agin iffin we's gunna be in 'ere much longer..." She added, and bent down to pat Elvis reassuringly. She took the moment to steady her own jittery nerves.
    
    She straightened and winced at Anya's words. It was a real shame about Dot12, but all things considered, he wasn't really human. Maybe more like a really smart pet you had hardly gotten to know. It was a scary thought, to be inside the belly of the beast like this, every camera an eye, every denizen a potential clawed limb or fang. She shrugged in response and looked around, trying to orientate herself among the changed scenary. Had they already opened all the doors on this level?
    
    She shrugged again at Asha. "Wouddn't count on it, we're pretty far away fra home..." What a disheartening thought. She cleared her throat and reached out for an awkward pat on Asha's shoulder paired with a weak smile intended to undo her words.

23. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #103

    Carnegie's eyes settled on the two yawning doorways on the north side of the cafeteria.  The robots always seemed to have come out of one of them.
    
    

24. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #104

    "Dot12 came outta dere." Carnegie indicated. "Dat's one a de rooms we 'avent checked yet." She said and readied her stun stick, making her way slowly towards the unknown doorway.

25. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #105

    Ayna nodded and leveling her Uzi at the door way, stepping side ways and carefully advancing ready to leap for the nearest section of cover should it prove necessary.
    
    (GM, perception roll please?)

26. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #106

    Elvis whined and followed her hesitantly, trailing a short distance behind, his belly brushing the ground and he pawed his way forward looking up at her fearfully.

27. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #107

    "I recommend caution." He said quietly, probing the floor ahead of him with his cane as he walked, checking dutifully for weak spots the blast may have caused, even if it looked structurally sound to the eye. "Once you have acquired all the parts will we need to return to Kinnebac for you to assemble your device, or are you capable of doing so in the field as it were miss Roberts?"

28. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #108

    With a nod Asha drew her handgun and flicked on the light, advancing at Carnegie's side wordlessly, cautiously panning the light  to expore the darkened room ahead and illuminate any hostiles or traps within.
    
    Calling for a Gm Perception Roll please.

29. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #109

    Carnegie slowed down to walk beside the doctor and spoke in a hushed tone. "De only thang dat concerns me s'time, doc. As long as Ah've got de tools, Ah could pick sumthang together, but it'll tajk a while Ah reckon. De better part uva day or so. With de air-vents not workin rajt, Ah dunno iffin dat's tajm we've got ta spend. Dat computer majt sooner suffocate us all, including its hostages." She said with worry written all over her face, but she immidiately shrugged it off.
    
    "In either case, Ah reckon all we's kin do s'try. So rajt naow, a workshop's wut we need ta be lookin fer."

30. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #110

    The robots room was a workshop - sorta.
    
    A large table equipped with a small crane - probably just powerful enough to handle a couple hundred pounds, with what appeared to be good light fixtures - assuming there was power.
    
    Shelves with a few boxes, including a rather large on the bottom shelf.  A select of what appeared to be charging cables hung from a box labeled 'Charging station'.
    
    A few loose batteries, some brushes, some odd cans with red buttons on top, a a plastic jug of what appeared to be lubricant were visible, as were a number - four- of locked storage units in the wall.  The doors were metal and no hinges were evident.  Each had a small rectangular opening about a centimeter wide and half as much high, and an indicator light currently showing very dim red.
    
    
    
    

31. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #111

    Carnegie glanced at the other doorway before looking into the robot room. "Well! Looks lajk we struck oil." She said and clapped her hands together in joy. She gave the doors a second glance, hoping they weren't automated. She strolled in and started unpacking her gear onto the table, without getting too close to the crane arm. "Uhm, if sum of yous coudd mabbe pry open those lockers, Ah'd be mighty pleased. In de mean tajm Ah'll get ta work buildin de gizmo." She said with a look back. She started rummaging through the shelved boxes, taking inventory of what was available to her.
    
    She then did a test run of the equipment, checking for power. Warning everyone to stand clear of the crane arm, just in case.
    
    If everything checks out and nothing unexpected happens, Carny'll be getting to work. I'll be back Thursday so if you need rolls; (14, 15, 8)

32. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #112

    Asha turned and nodded, heading over to the lockers and patiently taking her time to open them, laying any belongings of worth out on a table for everyone to see.

33. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #113

    The small rectangles turned out to an interface port of some type - they were not physical locks Asha could pick. It looked like it needed a computer or similar device to interface with.
    
    There was no power to the desk, so the crane was not running. 
    
    The big box drew Carnegie to it like a moth to the flame.  It was labeled "Yankee Systemics Steward 7", ".7 HC Rated" "24 hour Operating Cycle".
    
    Cracking the cardboard open revealed a sea of bubblewrap surrounding something that looked very much like..
    
    Dot 12.
    
    
    
    

34. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #114

    Carnegie drew in breath. "Dot12?" She mumbled. Or maybe one of his brothers? In either case, the last robot had been used against them. But then again, he had had explosives taped to him, so maybe the robot itself didn't pose so much of a threat on its own.
    
    "Ah found un' a Dot12's brothers. Shoudd we boot 'im up? On de un' 'and, it'd be good ta 'ave sumune walk me through the stuff's dat's 'ere. But a course dere's the possibillity 'e majt be a spy iffin 'e's connected ta de computer somehow..." She shrugged.
    
    "We ain't got ny'power either... 'e majt know how ta get it up n' runnin agin. N' Ah prolly need power un' way a de other ta majk any use a de stuff dat's 'ere. So, uhm dere's dat..."
    She brushed some hair from her face and looked around for guidance.

35. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #115

    Elvis padded alongside his master, the sight of the newly packaged Dot-12 making him pant in eagerness, the memories of the same figure bringing food still fresh in his mind, other thoughts of noise and fear momentarily forgotten.

36. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #116

    "I would recommend being careful, perhaps just taking the pieces from the non functional robot would be a better move?" The doctor suggested, leaning on his can and looking around in wonder at the level of sophistication the underground complex possessed.
    
    "Medically speaking it is perhaps for the best the ventilation is shutdown for now, otherwise the cadavers in that other room would be spreading their odor and sickness to the rest of the facility." He gave his companions a nod, the silence of the place a start contrast to the noise of the surface world he had long since become accustomed to.
    

37. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #117

    Ayna nodded absent mindly, her thoughts more focused on the dangers still hidden in the depth of the facility, and the nearness with which they had all been blown to pieces.
    
    "I really dislike explosives," She said to herself quietly, memories of another explosion in her past, and the life it cost unbidden memories that threatened to overwhelm her calm exterior.
    

38. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #118

    "Anyone got a crowbar?" She asked her friends, eyeing the lockers with curiosity. "Hopefully these lockers can be forced, otherwise whatever's inside is staying that way until we find an computer of some kind."
    
    She paused at the thought looking up from the panels, "Was there any kind of pocket computers on the bodies in that other room?"

39. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #119

    Slinging the shotgun, Creed pulls off his backpack and unstraps the crowbar tied to the side before offering it to Asha. Pulling the old book from its case, Creed started to study the contents in the hopes of it offering some advice before staring at the missing sections.

40. Re: Chapter 3: Choices

    #120

    Asha took the crowbar with a nod of thanks, pausing for a second to eye the damaged book before returning her attention to the locker and trying to pry it open. "So Mr. Creed, what's the story behind that book? Ever read the missing parts?"

Therafter · All categories · Guildhall