Chapter 7: The Castle U.S.S. Enterprise

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo

The rat man runs.

If stopped by an attack, he'll attack back if possible:
Attack with Fauchard Fork (THAC0 18): To Hit: [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14 Damage vs. s/M: [1d8] = 6, vs. L: [1d10] = 10

[Inferno]

Castle U.S.S. Enterprise, The Barren Wasteland
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Mad Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Four. Night. March 28th, 912 CY





In the garden of unearthly horrors....



...before the adventurers can react, the strange mutated animals of the post-apocalyptic wastes are upon them!

Horrifically, the horned lizard monster (Ba) ensnares Adrock with its sticky, ten foot long tongue!



The sorcerer-priest cannot escape. (Action rendered moot. See below*) Adrock is slowly being dragged toward the behemoth's ravenous, fang-filled jaws!

Meanwhile, with a droning buzz nigh to deafening, the colossal flying insect (Mo) spews thick clinging strands of silk upon the nearby adventurers!



Most of the heroes evade it but Tullia is trapped like a fly in a web! (Legs only. Arms are free. May still attack, speak, etc. But no movement is possible.) Unfazed, the valiant ranger draws her bow and fires two arrows into the mammoth moth! It screeches in pain and anger!

Vast dread leathery wings eclipse the ceiling as the airborne terror (Ro) swoops down upon Moniqua! SKRAAAA!



The robot huntress' iron skin withstands the tremendous monster's grasping talons! She retaliates with a hurled javelin that whistles wide!

The turtle leviathan (Ga) descends upon Jack with deadly claws! (8hp damage)



Jack counterattacks with his mace but the fearsome strike deflects off the reptilian juggernaut's impervious shell!

And the king of the irradiated monsters (Go) hears Maskelyn's chanting and sees him peering out the sundered wall!



With frightful speed, it barrels down upon the rodent-like gnome, thrusts its giant head into the iron chamber, and brutally rends the conjurer with sword-like teeth, disrupting his sorceries! (6hp damage)

Fiefo, Hans and Ko-Nan flee into the darkness to the southwest. They turn and see their friends are trapped and cannot follow!


Actions?! (*Adrock gets two actions. The first goes before all others)


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:



Behind the DM Screen:

PCs surprised? (1-2): [1d6] = 2 Yes. Well, mostly.
PCs are surprised except Ko-Nan and Tullia. Rather than a full round of only the Monsters, Ko-nan and Tullia acting, I'll assume Ko-Nan and Tullia warn their friends.
This means, this round, initiative will work like this:
I'll roll initiative to see who acts first: Ko-Nan and Tullia, or the monsters.
Then the loser of that roll will act.
Then finally, all PCs except Ko-Nan and Tullia will act last in the round. Here goes:

Initiative: Ko-Nan and Tullia: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 5 Monsters win.
Baragon charges Adrock: [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12 Hits.
Rodan charges Moniqua: [1d20+2] = 5+2 = 7, damage: [2d4] = 4 Misses.
Fiefo, Hans, Ko-Nan, Tullia: Save vs Paralyzation: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 15, [1d20] = 14, [1d20] = 10 Only Tullia fails.
Moniqua: Save vs Paralyzation: [1d20] = 16 Saves.
Gamera charges Jack: [1d20+2] = 19+2 = 21, damage: [2d4] = 8 Hits for 8hp damage.
Godzilla charges Maskelyn: [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11, damage: [2d6] = 6 Hits for 6hp damage.
Tullia: Arrow damage: [1d6] = 3. Second arrow: to hit: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d6] = 5 Second arrow also hits.

PC Status:

• Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
  Hans the Shrewd: Mole-Man Cleric/Thief 2/2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/16, Spells: 4/4 1st level
  Jack: Wolf-Man Cleric 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 17/25, Spells: 4/4 1st level, 1/1 2nd level
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, Light spell, Ensnared
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 8/14, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Moniqua: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 32/32
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/31, No movement possible

PC Magic:

• Light (Adrock): Duration: 74 rounds.

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo turns and scans the situation, crosshair overlay picking out targets and hovering before moving to the next. He pulls out his short bow and aims as it alights and lingers on the giant moth:

Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 16): To Hit: [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 6

Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 16): To Hit: [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 3

[wolfpack]

adrock cats sleep in the lizard that has him with its tongue. assuming it falls asleep he will move up and kill it while it sleeps

[Yrkoon]

Hans the Shrewd

The intrepid moleman scuttles forward to within range, and a low, oscillating hum rises as he begins twirling his sling. With a grunt, he looses a projectile at the great horned lizard!

Attack w/sling [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18
Damage w/sling vs. S/M [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2, vs. L [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

"Iithius be praised!"

[Captain Kinkajou]

Moniqua

In response to the winged creature's attack, Moniqua's systems are prompted to send an irritatingly repetitive warning message scrolling across her visual cortex.

< WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING DANGER... >

Despite the constant distraction, the robot huntress is initially more perturbed by her wildly inaccurate javelin throw. She rewinds the last few moments and replays them in her mind's eye, zeroing in on the javelin's trajectory as it sails past the large creature, missing it by some distance before disappearing into the foliage.

< WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... INITIATING TARGETING SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS. RECALCULATING TARGET TRAJECTORY. RECALCULATING MISSILE TRAJECTORY. RECALCULATING INTERCEPT.... WARNING DATA MISMATCH. TRAJECTORY CALCULATOR OFFLINE... WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... REBOOTING TARGETING SYSTEM... TARGETING SYSTEM REBOOT FAILURE. TARGETING SYSTEM OFFLINE. TARGETING SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS OFFLINE. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR >

The alarm becomes increasingly irritating and Moniqua tries to shut it off.

< INITIATING WARNING MESSAGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING MESSAGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN FAILURE. TRY AGAIN (Y/N) WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... ABORT WARNING MESSAGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. LAUNCHING COURSE OF ACTION SELECTION SUBROUTINE >

< WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... MISSION OBJECTIVE = GET TO SOMEWHERE SAFER FOR ALL OF US.

• FRIEND=TULLIA <> SAFE.
• FRIEND=MOLE HANS <> SAFE.
• THIS SYSTEM <> SAFE.
• ALL OF US <> SAFE.

... WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... COURSE OF ACTION SELECTED. COURSE OF ACTION SELECTION COMPLETE >

Having weighed up the available options, the metal skinned amazon defiantly draws her scimitar and makes a stand between < FRIEND=TULLIA > and the monstrous beasts.

Scimitar (THAC0 18): ToHit [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5, damage vs S/M/L: [1d8+3] = 4+3 = 7
ooc: The US dice roller hates me!

"< FRIEND=TULLIA, YOU ARE IN DANGER. ARE YOU ABLE TO FREE YOURSELF? >" Moniqua asks flatly, in her robotic monotone.

< WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... TARGETING SYSTEM OFFLINE. WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... >

[Urson]

Maskelyn
Maskelyn falls back further into the iron room. He suddenly stops, going pale. He stands stock-still and closes his eyes, attempting to dispel the illusion of a gigantic lizard trying to eat him.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan races back with a roar and axe held high to strike down upon the creature holding Adrock.

Attack: THACO (20): [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16 / Damage: (S/M: [2d4+3] = 5+3 = 8 / L: [3d4+3] = 5+3 = 8)

[Scott308]

Jack

While he understands the danger they are all currently in, Jack cannot help but be giddy at the prospect of a potential Wildlife badge! If they can just survive this encounter... Unfortunately, his studying of the bizarre creature in front of him forces his attention away from his weapon, which bangs harmlessly on the giant turtle's shell once more.

Mace +1 (20): [1d20+1] = 5+1 = 6; Damage: [1d6+3] = 5+3 = 8; Damage Large: [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

She will try to break free of the webbing stuff. In the meantime, she will take two more shots at the moth thing.

long bow/arrow-to hit [1d20] = 19 long bow/arrow damage [1d6] = 5

long bow/arrow-to hit [1d20] = 11 (don't think that hit but if it did...) long bow/arrow damage [1d6] = 2

Take that, you overgrown insect!

[Inferno]

Castle U.S.S. Enterprise, The Barren Wasteland
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Mad Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Four. Night. March 28th, 912 CY







In the strange alien garden, the adventurers are ambushed by giant monstrous creatures! Adrock the sorcerer-priest of antiquity urgently casts an arcane spell that places the gargantuan lizard into an enchanted slumber. It succumbs and collapses to the underbrush! The grotesque tongue still adhered to him, Adrock moves to the dreaming reptile mammoth and grimly bludgeons it to death in its sleep!

Seeing their companions trapped, the party vanguard turns back to lend their aid! Hans scuttles forward and looses a slingstone at the gigantic buzzing moth, wounding it!



Fiefo also charges to the rescue of his friends, and stabs the enormous insect with his cursed ancestral fork, impaling it in a viscous spray of ichor! The colossal broken moth crashes to the ground, dead!

Ko-Nan the barbarian joins the charge, lunging toward the closest enemy that yet lives, and hacks open the immense flying reptile with his merciless ax! The wounded beast still lives! Defending her friend, Moniqua the robot huntress attacks, but her scimitar clangs off the beak of the prehistoric bird of prey!

Unable to get free of the steely silk that binds her legs, Tullia nocks an arrows and fires it into the reptile avian! The unerring missile sinks to the feathers in its leathery neck.



"SKRAAAAAA!!!" Gravely injured, the bat-winged giant tries to escape with its life! (Ko-Nan and Moniqua get free opportunity attacks against Rodan next round, if desired, in addition to their regular actions.)

Nearby, young Jack is fascinated with the impregnability of the turtle leviathan's shell as his mace rebounds off it again!



The vast monster tries to rend the cub scout with its razor sharp claws but Jack comes out of his reveries and he thrusts his shield between its savage talons and his throat just in the nick of time!

Meanwhile, inside the empty iron chamber, the illusionist tries to convince himself this is all an illusion. Closing his eyes in this effort prevents him from dodging any attacks. But nothing happens! When Maskelyn slowly opens his eyes, the reptile king is gone! Was it all a mirage?

No, the towering thunder lizard has seemingly lost interest in Maskelyn and now stomps south, investigating the commotion at the heart of the fray! He bellows a bloodcurdling roar to herald his frightful coming!



His dread shadow falls over Moniqua, Tullia and Ko-Nan as he looms above them! Then the fearsome monster continues past them to the remains of the sundered moth creature! He roars again before brutally ravaging the bloody corpse of his hated enemy in a gruesome red feast!


Actions?!



Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory. X = dead.

Map:



Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 2, Monsters; [1d6] = 1 Party wins.
Gamera attacks Jack: [1d20] = 12, damage: [2d4] = 7 Misses.

PC Status:

• Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
  Hans the Shrewd: Mole-Man Cleric/Thief 2/2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/16, Spells: 4/4 1st level
  Jack: Wolf-Man Cleric 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 17/25, Spells: 4/4 1st level, 1/1 2nd level
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 3/5 1st lvl, Light spell, Ensnared
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 8/14, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Moniqua: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 32/32
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/31, No movement possible

PC Magic:

• Light (Adrock): Duration: 73 rounds.
  Sleep (Adrock): Target: Baragon. Duration: 4 rounds.

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[Urson]

Maskelyn
Maskelyn blinks, relieved that his desperate gamble didn't end up killing him. Aallll righty then! he shouts, quoting Ventura (who is rumored to have been another incarnation of The Gray Bugs). He hurries toward Jack's position, hoping to help the young Cub Scout. He'll try to stay out of the beast's range, dodging and yelling to try and distract it.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan tries to slice open the Rodan creature quickly before darting across the path to engage another foe.

Attack: THACO (20): [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13 / Damage: (S/M: [2d4+3] = 3+3 = 6 / L: [3d4+3] = 9+3 = 12)

If the rodan creature yet lives, he attacks again (otherwise he'll move to the G0) for this attack (if possible to do). His hunger and thought of roasted meat distracts him.

Attack: THACO (20): [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9 / Damage: (S/M: [2d4+3] = 4+3 = 7 / L: [3d4+3] = 12+3 = 15)

[Yrkoon]

Hans the Shrewd

Shrewd is Hans the Shrewd, and he is generally a capable judge of character. There is something in the bearing of the terrific bipedal lizard suggestive of goodness and mercy - a subtle implication in the way it brutally dismembers the gargantuan moth. The loud popping sounds of joints being wrenched apart are to his undersized ears like frothy cleansing bubbles gently bursting in a basin full of warm water.

"A patron of beauty, is he?" the moleman wonders. "The legendary 'Sugar Daddy'?"

Could he be wrong? All possibilities seem legitimate in this unearthly garden of deep, luxuriant moistness and lurking horror, so he does not fully trust his own instincts. He scuttles into the foliage to hide.

Hide in Shadows (requires 15 or less) [1d100] = 8

"Iithius' creamy concealer!" he whispers, somersaulting into the leafy underbrush.



OoC: Hans advances towards Fiefo.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Moniqua

Seeing the giant bat-winged reptile screech and flop around with < FRIEND=TULLIA'S > arrow deeply embedded in its leathery neck, Moniqua makes the most of the opportunity to swing at it with her scimitar.

Scimitar (THAC0 18): ToHit [1d20+1] = 14+1 = 15, damage vs S/M/L: [1d8+3] = 7+3 = 10

< WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING DANGER... THIS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK... WARNING DANGER... >

Despite the constant distraction of the repetitive warning message still scrolling across her visual cortex and her targeting systems remaining offline, the robot is close enough to the large creature to not need them.

ENGAGE MANUAL OVERRIDE

Then, seeing < FRIEND=TULLIA > is unable to free herself from the web of silk, Moniqua begins determinedly trying to free her. I'm assuming a combination of hacking at the silk to free things up a bit where she can and then pulling - but whatever makes sense.

MISSION OBJECTIVE = GET TO SOMEWHERE SAFER FOR ALL OF US. FRIEND=TULLIA <> SAFE. COURSE OF ACTION = FREE FRIEND=TULLIA.

[Scott308]

Jack

Seeing that the giant turtle-monster appears invulnerable to attack where protected by its massive shell, the young wolf-man swings his mace at a lower angle so as to avoid the thick carapace covering the back.

Mace +1 (20): [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16; Damage: [1d6+3] = 6+3 = 9; Damage Large: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

[wolfpack]

Suddenly a memory comes to Adrock, one form when he was young a ancient prayer

Oh, no, they say he's got to go
Go, go, Godzilla (yeah)
Oh, no, there goes Tokyo
Go, go, Godzilla (yeah)

History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of man
Godzilla!

As he recites it he runs for the table they saw when they entered

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

Seems she is not going anywhere, for the moment.

She is working on getting free of the webbing, and will be grateful for Monique's assistance. She doesn't want to expend any more of her arrows, and hopes to be able to recover the two she shot at the monsters.

Oh, thank you, Monique. It is time to get out of here, as soon as I can get free of this blasted webbing.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo, seeing the reptilian giant is busy, peeks beyond its thrashing tail to see the scout with his hands full, battling the turtle creature. He scuttles around the dead moth to the right and runs to help skewer the turtle right in the jacksie.

I think Fiefo can't attack this turn? But just in case:
Attack with Fauchard Fork (THAC0 18): To Hit: [1d20+1] = 14+1 = 15 Damage vs. s/M: [1d8] = 2, vs. L: [1d10] = 3

[Inferno]

Some quick housekeeping...

I think Fiefo can't attack this turn? But just in case:

Neither Fiefo nor Ko-Nan can charge this round because they both charged last round. And their chosen targets are each more than 1" away. So both will take movement as their action (aside from Ko-Nan's free opportunity attack on Rodan).

Also, Yrkoon: Moving forward, as per the house rules, I'll roll for things like hiding in shadows where the PC shouldn't be aware of success or failure.

Thanks.