21 – Mongoliant Fury

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(You’re still on the docks (Area #10) and there’s a large artillery gun pointed at you (Area #2). Surprise round is over; current initiative order is Cormac 20, Jumrak 15, Thrak 14, Vash 10, then Kronic and Cobb (both at 5). The mongoliants get to roll initiative now; the artillery gunners get 12 – 1 = 11, the blaster rifle guard gets 10 – 1 = 9, and the polearm guard gets 5 – 1 = 4.)

The chaos of battle builds as you realize the peril you are in.

Thrak pieces together their discussion in the boat on the way over and applies what perspective he can to where Cormac is pointing and what possible threat could be up there… The artillery piece! It must be manned! “Don’t take the mongoliant down yet!” Thrak shouts to the rest of the group. “Stay between him and the guns, and pray they won’t sacrifice their own!”

Cobb’s bravery begins to waver. “Damn! That gun might just punch a hole through the damned wall! Okay, I have an idea. How about we hold our fire and pretend that the goons attacked us? They couldn’t have overheard anything from that distance so we’ll tell them that we came in peace, told the guards as much and when we stepped from the boat, the one over here said ‘kill them’. We just fought to defend ourselves, yadda yadda. We just have to figure out an excuse for their leader…”

Peering at the menacing artillery piece, Cormac is (justifiably) worried about getting shot to pieces. Time for action, not words! Being that the gun is quite far, and it’s dark to boot, Cormac decides that a little camouflage might be in order. He tries to scan for an object large enough to hide him, but light enough for him so he can use his power to make a moving shield. Aha! That rusted car door will do the trick. Hopefully the gunners won’t notice a slowly moving piece of debris…

(Cormac stops concentrating on his ‘Read Thoughts’ power and spends his last 5 ISP to manifest ‘Telekinesis’. The rusted car door provides a +4 cover bonus to Defense.)

Ignoring Thrak and Cobb’s suggestions, Jumrak continues in his efforts to take out the wounded mongoliant. (Attack roll is 13 + 5 = 18; hit for 13 damage!) Grunting with effort, Jumrak lunges towards his foe with his fire axe overhead. The mongoliant tries to raise his polearm to block the blow, but to no avail. The axe splits the abomination’s head like a ripe melon, and the giant mutant falls backwards off the dock, landing in the shallow water underneath with a splash.

(Good work! Defeating the mongoliant is worth 1,200 XP, split evenly between the PCs.)

The mongoliant vanishes from Thrak’s limited field of view as it falls from the dock, and he looks up with foreboding at the artillery nest where Cormac was pointing. He can’t see much up there, but he knows it must be bad. He curses to himself and the dark in which they’re mired. He resists the urge to pull out his pistol and fire impotently up in the direction of the huge gun. (Thrak holds his action for now.)

(Now for the big guns! I figure that the gunners would go for Cormac (the apparent leader), Jumrak (who just killed their ally), or Thrak (‘cuz he’s a big glowing mutant). Whoever makes the lowest Luck check is the target! Rolls are: Cormac 7 + 2 = 9, Jumrak 4 + 4 = 8, and Thrak 10 + 1 = 11. Sorry, Jumrak.)

(Artillery gunners roll 17 – 2 = 15. Ha; Jumrak has 16 Defense!)

Chunks of the dock disappear suddenly in a burst of splintered wood and debris, followed by a sound like a golf ball being hit – but much, much louder. The big gun seems to be firing some sort of flechette artillery; long slivers of metal are stuck in parts of the dock. They’re also stuck in Jumrak’s tire tread armour; but the (lucky) burly mutant is unharmed!

Vash quickly grabs the large polearm, which the dead Mongoliant’s let fall to the dock when he died. Gripping it awkwardly, he points it at the blaster-armed Mongo hiding behind cover at the end of the docks. “To the side of the building. I don’t think it can get us there! The angle is too hard to reach.”

(The savant is right; you’ll be out of line-of-sight of the artillery if you rush the remaining mongoliant. 25 XP to Vash for that piece of advice.)

(In the meantime, the blaster-armed mongoliant fires at Jumrak. Attack roll is 11 – 2 = 9; another miss)

Following Vash’s advice, your entire party rushes the crouching mongoliant. A bright line of searing light flashes again from the creature’s blaster rifle, missing all of you. These creatures seem quite unskilled with the high-tech weaponry that they are using!

Moving with reckless abandon, Thrak, Kronic, and Cobb charge over the low barrier and attack the mongoliant. (Thrak’s roll is 11 + 6 = 17, Kronic’s double attacks are 7 + 6 = 13 and 11 + 6 = 17, Cobb rolls 3 + 2 = 5. Thrak hits for 4, Kronic hits twice for 8 and 5.) Swarming the hapless mutant, Thrak wings him with his heavy wrench and Kronic slashes the creature to ribbons. The creature bellows with rage and brandishes his Ancient blaster as a club… “Blackthorn will PAY!” he roars (in Gutterspeak).

You now have a decent view of the large domed structure from up close. Partially buried by rocks, there’s an entrance to the dome near your location (Map Area #8). The original doors are ripped out of their frames, and through the open doorway you see a disturbing sight: This ruined area appears to be used by the mongoliants as a kind of “guard station”, and is lit by two crude coal braziers. Two mongoliants, each armed with a rifle of some sort, peek around the corner at the commotion.

Well, you’re out of sight of the big guns now – but in range of some new guards. And how will get back to your boat?

~ by K-Slacker on 03-Aug-07.