The Past is Prologue - The Accounts of Clarke, Archer & Finn

[Grognardsw]

At the sound of Archer's threat and cutting of the rope, the Turks scramble for handholds while excitedly talking among themselves.

"Gentlemen, remain calm!" yells Horace Whateley from the back. The Turk in front of him seems to translate this for the others, and they do not draw guns.

"Mr. Archer, what a coincidence," says Whateley with surprising calmness. "What brings you to this big rock?"

From around the bend, the hidden Dr. Clarke, Dr. Morgan, Edith and Emre overhear the conversation.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Clarke:

Dr. Clarke keeps quite and low to the ground. He has had enough confrontation today and is not looking to be involved. All he wants is to get Edith and the remained of his expedition back to the hotel where it's safe from flying creatures.

[Inferno]

Sam Archer, private eye:

“Horace, you’re surrounded! If any of these men go for their guns, we’ll blow your goddamn head off! Not theirs. Yours! You saw what I did to Merrick! Tell them to drop their weapons! NOW!”

"Mr. Archer, what a coincidence," says Whateley with surprising calmness. "What brings you to this big rock?"

BLAM!!

Archer wasn't having any of it. He had fired a warning shot a foot over Whately's head.
"Don't move. Or the next one goes between your eyes. Tell your men to crawl back down the mountain! NOW! If any of them pull a gun, you get it, Horace," Archer snarled. "Do it!"

[Grognardsw]

"You heard the man, let's move back down," says Whateley to the Turk in front of him, who translates it for the others. They begin to negotiate their way down single file. Whateley, last in line, watches as the men move carefully past him. When the fourth man is moving past, Whateley scampers next to him behind the bend, using the man as cover!

Having the gun ready gives you automatic initiative, should you want to do anything.

[Inferno]

Sam Archer, private eye:

Archer won't kill Whately's human shield in cold blood.

Without the rope, Whately's men would advance slowly under gunfire. It seemed they've reached an impasse.
The detective awaited Whately's attempt to resume negotiations, his gun still pointed at him.

Archer was also interested in the position of Whately's translator. Were he to be shot, Whately wouldn't have any troops.

[thesniperknight1]

Dr.Morgan seeing the situation get even more intense with them now stuck between flying abominations and some sort of gang? He hides the strange artifact within his coat and lowers his head trying his best to hide.

[Grognardsw]

Sam Archer, private eye:

Archer won't kill Whately's human shield in cold blood.

Without the rope, Whately's men would advance slowly under gunfire. It seemed they've reached an impasse.
The detective awaited Whately's attempt to resume negotiations, his gun still pointed at him.

Archer was also interested in the position of Whately's translator. Were he to be shot, Whately wouldn't have any troops.

I may have been misunderstood. Whateley, as previously posted, was last in the line coming up the Mountain. Going back down, he is still "last" as in last in the line, and being passed by the Turks in front of him as they climb back down. The implication from your post being you wanted Whateley to stay. Whately used the fourth man passing him as a partial shield for himself to scamper behind the bend. That bend being the same one I mentioned in the earlier post. So, at the moment, Whately is out of sight, two Turks remain in sight, and three Turks are out of sight.

That said, anyone with a gun at the ready gets first initiative (unless the opponent has one too, then it's normal Initiative by Dex.), so if you wanted to do something as Whateley was making his move you can.

[Grognardsw]

From behind the bend, Whately yells out: "Put away the heater, Archer! Let's be civilized about this. I have a half-dozen men coming up behind me. If there's gun play, you won't make it out alive!"

[thesniperknight1]

Dr.Morgan hears the words of warning and speaks to his companions, "July 1, 1862 In the civil war, at The Seven Days Battle, field commander General Robert E. Lee fought The Union Army of the Potomac, led by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, which was over 100,000 men strong yet was steadily driven away from the ultimate goal of securing Richmond with strategic positioning and well thought tactics, history tells us that we can survive this......assuming that you are as cunning as Robert E. Lee of course"

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Clarke:

"That very comforting Francis but I fear Mr. Archer follows the view of Colonel Robert Alexander former commander of the US Army 77th Infantry Division. 'It is again impressed upon every officer and man of this command that ground once captured must under no circumstances be given up in the absence of direct, positive, and formal orders to do so emanating from these headquarters. Troops occupying ground must be supported against counterattack and all gains held. It is a favorite trick of the Boche to spread confusion…by calling out “retire” or “fall back.” If, in action, any such command is heard officers and men may be sure that it is given by the enemy. Whoever gives such a command is a traitor and it is the duty of any officer or man who is loyal to his country and who hears such an order given to shoot the offender upon the spot. WE ARE NOT GOING BACK BUT FORWARD!' I don't see Mr. Archer allowing Mr. Whateley to gain any territory already taken."
Dr. Clarke looks down onto Edith concerned for her.
"How are you doing my dear? Does your ankle hurt much? We will be out of here soon and back somewhere safe, I promise."

[Grognardsw]

The two Miskatonic professors debate historical points while around the bend Archer confronts Whateley and his Turks.

Edith squeezes Dr. Clark's arm and responds: "It is sore but I can walk on it. My god what have we gotten into here? What were those things? If those were ancient caves, and the pictures on the walls, and the..." She trails off unfinished, shaking her head as if to rid herself of the memories.

[thesniperknight1]

Dr.Morgan nods, "Well, I think we should ready a Distinguished Service Cross for Mr.Archer's future heroism........may god have mercy on us all"

"Indeed! What were they, they looked noting like any animal I have seen before, were they protectors of Selene? Or Endymion's grave? Truly fascinating! We stand on the brink of history staring down at what must have been perceived as gods once", he remembers what those 'gods' did to his friend and his smile turns to a shameful frown then he hides his face and sits down.

[Inferno]

Sam Archer, private eye:

From behind the bend, Whately yells out: "Put away the heater, Archer! Let's be civilized about this. I have a half-dozen men coming up behind me. If there's gun play, you won't make it out alive!"

Archer snarled, "I figure that without a rope, their hands will be too busy hanging on to throw much lead.
"Horace, think. If we wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already." The detective let that sink in for a moment. Then:
"Send your men down the mountain. And come out here with your hands empty. It's the only way we'll talk to you."

Let me know if Archer ever gets a clear shot on Horace's interpreter. Thanks.

[Grognardsw]

The two remaining Turks round the bend out of sight as Archer and Whateley exchange words.

There is silence for about 5 seconds, then a Turk sticks his head and hand out for a moment and shoots a .32 pistol! The bullet hits rock ledge that Archer is partially concealed behind.

- Initiative by Dex will apply. Turk's Dex: [3d6] = 8 Archer goes first.
- Turk shot at Archer [1d100] = 44 with minus for cover, damage [1d8] = 5 Miss.

[Inferno]

Sam Archer, private eye:

From behind the bend, Whately yells out: "Put away the heater, Archer! Let's be civilized about this."

There is silence for about 5 seconds, then a Turk sticks his head and hand out for a moment and shoots a .32 pistol!

"So much for civilization," Archer growled as he coolly squeezed off two shots at what few parts of the Turk he could see. Both missed.
Archer took cover and waited for another chance to blow someone's head off.

.38 Automatic: (60%): [1d100] = 70 , Damage: [1d10] = 3
.38 Automatic: (60%): [1d100] = 97 , Damage: [1d10] = 9

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Clarke:

Blam! Blam!
The sound of gun fire exchange echoes off the mountain side. Dr. Clarke already laying down on his back trying to get as much cover as possible, crouches down even further as to put himself into an almost fetal position as he press close to Edith's body in a futile exempt to shield her. He cowers his head into his chest and wonders if all this noise will get the attention of the flying beasts from the cave. Dr. Clarke cries out in frustration "This is not how a scientific expedition is supposed to be!"

[Grognardsw]

On cover in gun fights, the percentage of cover you have (in Archer's case, 20%; the Turks 90% when they stick their head/gun out to shoot) translates to the percentage penalty the shooter has to hit. So if a Turk has a 40% pistol skill, hitting Archer comes with a -8% penalty (20% of 40), so he needs a 32%.

The distance between Archer and the Turks around the bend is about 20', which falls outside point blank range (point blank is double your chance to hit.)

About 10' above/beyond Archer is another bend that curves out of sight. Around there is where the rest of the party is.

[Grognardsw]

Two turks peek around the rock, aim their guns, and fire!

Archer fires first with his Dex., if he wants to.

2nd Turk Dex. [3d6] = 9

Around the bend, Emre whispers to Dr. Morgan and Dr. Clarke. "I think is another way down. Longer and some danger spots without rope. But no guns!"

As Emre points in the direction, the investigators suddenly hear a buzzing and flapping. A hundred yards up northeast are two of the nightmare creatures.

[Inferno]

Sam Archer, private eye:

Archer snarled to show his eye teeth as his gat threw more hot lead down the path.

BLAM! BLAMM!

One bullet for each head.
.38 Automatic: (60%): [1d100] = 80 , Damage: [1d10] = 8
.38 Automatic: (60%): [1d100] = 20 , Damage: [1d10] = 8

This was nuts. There was nothing for it. He'd run out of bullets soon enough. He had to think about hightailing it up around the bend. The detective tried to find a pattern in the appearance of Turkish heads. He needed to time a retreat, to reach better cover, to force the Turks to move up the path where they'd be sitting ducks ready to be cut down by his heater.

Archer gnarled over his shoulder: "Hey Perfesser! Any of you armchair generals speak Turkish?!"

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Clarke:

Lifting his head from his chest "Yes, Mr. Emre please lead the way."
Lowering back down to Edith he speaks softly to her. "We are leaving now Edith. Part might be difficult be I will help you with it. You'll be safe soon."
He then turns to Dr. Morgan "Francis, are you up to this?"
About to reply, Dr. Morgan is interrupted by an unseen voice.

Sam Archer, private eye:
Archer gnarled over his shoulder: "Hey Perfesser! Any of you armchair generals speak Turkish?!"

Dr. Clarke changes looks with Dr. Morgan. Did Francis have such skill in that language? Then realizing his laps of sense a dumbfounded expression decends across his face. Mr Emre, but of course the professor would alway look to one of his own first.

Shouting to be heard over the gun shots he exclaims to Mr. Archer. "Yes, yes we do! Mr Emre is with us. He is Turkish."

Speaking softly that Mr. Emre and the group could only hear. "Mr. Emre, I do not know what Mr. Archer has in mind but maybe you could relay our willingness to yield and what terms are necessary for our surrender. If negotiations fail we will escape by the alternative route."