26 – Flash! Bang!

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(You’re still in the arena (Map Area #6) – except for Vash, who has retreated into the concession (Map Area #8). Lord Sogor has entered the arena from the citadel (Map Area #11). There are no mongoliant guards within melee range, but there are about seven scattered around the arena at medium and long range from your party. The stands are filled with ‘civilian’ mongos, cowed into silence by Lord Sogor.)

(Jumrak acts on Initiative count 15; all the other PCs are at 5. Lord Sogor will act on Initiative 8 + 2 = 10. All the other mongos will act on 2 – 1 = 1.)

(Repeated from last post…) Lord Sogor turns to face you, pointing the blaster pistol in your direction. His cunning gaze seems to quickly assess your situation. “What is the meaning of this, manlings?” he says. “You are too early for our festivities; I am curious – why so impatient for your deaths?” He grins with malice and awaits your response…

(Cobb provides a running commentary for the PCs who don’t understand Gutterspeak.)

“Impatient for our deaths?” thinks Jumrak. “I don’t think so! I wonder how we can get through that half-plate armour of his – I don’t think he’d be spewing blasphemous filth if he didn’t have the armour and his gods-damned blaster.” Whispering to his companions: “This place would erupt if we could take out Lord Sogor.” Unfortunately, Jumrak is not in any position to do much about it. He keeps his mouth shut for the moment (and readies an action to strike any foes that move to melee range).

In a booming voice unmarred by his hideous deformations, Lord Sogor speaks. “Do not try my patience, manlings. Why are you here?” (He readies an action to fire at the first opponent who makes a hostile move.)

Kronic whispers: “Well… Someone that can talk should definitely talk now…” He eases up, but keeps the rifle in hand and ready (safety off). “We should stick to the plan.” he suggests. “Offer our assistance for healing, we may have to barter ourselves as entertainment even to get out of this one… given time to heal of course. I still want to get revenge on the slavers and perhaps we can arrange a business deal with Sogor to the effect we take out the slavers and arrange to bring him back prisoners…”

Meanwhile, Thrak keeps his held action to shoot anything that comes close enough and appears threatening, and does his best to size up all the opposition, hoping to take advantage of Exploit Weakness if the opportunity presents itself.

Cobb remains silent (other than to translate for the others), figuring that his words would probably provoke the mongos more than help the party.

The seconds continue to roll by… The mongoliant crowd, visibly uncomfortable at the silence, begin to twitch and squirm in their seats.

Thrak mumbles strongly to both Vash and Cormac that they better get smooth talkin’ pretty quick, ’cause this big fellow apparently means business what with killing one of his own because he chose to run rather than stay and fight. Again, he encourages talk of the group’s heroic defense and our worth as contributors to the festivities. Something at least to placate him into further conversation to see if we can talk our way out of this mess…

Vash continues to inconspicuously back into the concession… Looks like he wants nothing to do with this situation!

And the mongoliant guards hold their actions, waiting for directions from their Lord.

Cormac’s Plan

Shaking himself out of his distracted trance, Cormac remembers something that might come in handy right about now – Cobb has a grenade that he found on one of the mongoliant’s bodies! “Cobb – the grenade!” he whispers (in Unislang, to avoid provoking Lord Sogor or the guards). Since Cobb is close after his comment about rousing the slaves, he tries to disguise his suggestion by pretending that he’s trying to keep them from attacking – he carefully puts his arms in the air as to suggest that the party holds back in respect for Lord Sogor, and turns to Cobb as if he needs to be held back the most and whispers, as if a parent would to a misbehaving child, “put the grenade in Sogor’s mouth if you get the chance.” Cormac has seen Cobb’s accuracy in action and hopes that he can perform under pressure. He worries briefly about the time delay on the grenade but refocuses.

(Hell, why not! It’ll be exciting, at the very least. 50 XP to Cormac for the plan. Sorry to put you on the spot, Cobb!)

Cobb stares at Cormac for a moment, gape-jawed. “You want me to do what with the what?” A few more seconds pass. “Okay. Whatever. You only die once.”

Cormac steps forward again, short of his foes, but hopefully enough to give Cobb room and simultaneously conceal his movement. Speakly slowly, clearly and in deference, “Oh, most magnificent Lord Sogor, truly an honour to be graced an audience with you!” Cormac kneels, pauses and returns to his feet, hoping no one takes advantage of his exposed neck. “We are blessed to have been given the opportunity to provide our services as the opening act, and hope that we will have the chance to entertain you at future events.” Now for the risky part. “How would your eminence like us to finish our performance?”

(Another big Charisma check for Cormac. It’ll be DC 30 to amuse Sogor enough that he becomes friendly, and DC 25 to confound him enough that he doesn’t shoot you (for now). Roll is 17 + 9 = 26; enough for a partial success. 25 XP to Cormac.)

(And yes; I realize it was impossible for Cormac to roll higher than 30 without some other assistance. You’ve already killed several of his men, do you think Lord Sogor is a pushover?)

Lord Sogor is visibly taken aback. “Performance?” he bellows. From the crowd, a lone mongo begins chanting: “Blood. BLOOD. BLOOD!” Sogor lowers his weapon, then reaches down and pushes a button on the device at his belt; for an instant a shimmering field surrounds his body. “Proceed. he orders, his voice strangely muffled now. The crowd burst into cheers. “Blood for the Blood God!” they shout.

“What the f%^$ do you want me to f&*%#@& do now, braniac?” asks Cobb as panic sets in.

“Follow my lead – everybody! And Cobb – get that grenade handy!” Cormac answers. Not giving the group any time to respond, he begins the show…

Cormac bows low to Lord Sogor, then to the crowd. Like a troupe of poorly-trained amateur actors, the rest of you do the same (except Vash; he’s staying right where he is in the concession). The crowd roars with enthusiasm. Then, in a purposeful stride, Cormac walks calmly and confidently in the direction of Lord Sogor. With slightly less theatrics, the rest of you follow.

Lord Sogor grins at first – but when you start to get too close, his hand drops to his pistol again. (DC 15 Perception check for Cormac, 15 + 3 = 18.) Cormac sees the move, and quickly drops to his knee in a formal pose. “Oh great and mighty Lord Sogor, we hope that our antics here today will serve to amuse you!”

Kronic, getting into the spirit of things, makes a show of standing at attention/guard position, hoping that it will help.

Thrak drops the car door in favour of brandishing the pistol and rifle with both hands and keeping a grip on the polearm with his tail. He figures he looks a little less defensive and more heroic with the rifle instead of cowering behind a rusty hunk of steel.

Jumrak scowls and waits to die, hoping that he gets a chance to take out a few mongos first.

And Cobb calmly reaches into his pocket to huck the grenade…

Death and Despair

(Okay; Lord Sogor let you get to medium range before reaching for his gun. Your Charisma checks will have to beat his Intellect check, otherwise he’ll decide that it’s all a trick and get a shot in before Cobb can throw the grenade.)

(Charisma checks are Cormac 2 + 9 = 11, Kronic 19 + 3 = 2, Thrak 13 + 1 = 14, Jumrak 11 + 1 = 12, and Cobb 15 + 2 = 17. Cormac gets the low roll at 11! Lord Sogor’s Intellect check is 13 + 7 = 20. Guess he’s smarter than you figured.)

“I am not amused, manlings!” says Lord Sogor as he draws his pistol and fires at Cormac! (Attack roll is 7 + 8 = 15; Cormac is flat-footed with Defense 13 and is hit! Damage is 14 points!) Cormac screams as he is engulfed in a nimbus of flaming plasma, which quickly turns him into a charred corpse! (Cormac is dead; no Lucky rerolls this time!)

Cormac’s screams still filling the air, Lord Sogor shouts to the entire arena: “No creature makes a fool of Lord Sogor! You will beg for mercy before I feast on your hearts!”

While Sogor is spouting threats, Cobb yells “Cormac!” and lobs the grenade… (Ranged touch attack by Cobb, modified by -1 for distance: roll is 7 + 2 – 1 = 8. Cobb spends a Luck Point to retry; roll is 11 + 2 – 1 = 12. Not great, but good enough!)

The throw is true, but about a foot away from Sogor, the grenade bounces harmlessly off some sort of invisible shield. It falls to the ground at his side, seemingly inert. “Fools! I am invulnerable!”

Then the grenade explodes into a ball of shimmering, blinding light, and a sound like a million fingers scratching on chalkboards fills the air. The effect makes you want to shut your senses off and escape deep into unconsciousness… and it’s a hundred times worse for Lord Sogor.

(You had an Ancient flash-bang grenade, used to incapacitate foes without killing them. Lord Sogor’s deflection shield provides no defense against its effects. At melee range, he needs to make a DC 20 Endurance save: 7 + 10 = 17. He spends a Luck Point to retry: 5 + 10 = 15. No dice. Cobb gets 150 XP for what’s about to happen.)

(Meanwhile, at medium range your group needs to make DC 15 Endurance saves. Kronic rolls 8 + 5 = 13, Thrak 19 + 3 = 22, Jumrak 11 + 10 = 21, and Cobb 13 + 4 = 17. Kronic fails, the rest succeed.)

Lord Sogor groans and falls to the ground in a heap. Is he unconscious, or dead? The crowd gasps, then panicked screams begin to rise from the stands. The armed slaves, seeing an opportunity, take advantage of the opportunity to launch an assault on the stunned guards. Moving en masse, the chained humanoids use their weapons against the mongoliants nearest to them.

All of you are stunned for a moment (no actions for 1 round). Then you quickly regain your senses, as chaos reigns in the mongoliant arena.

Well, all of you except Kronic… He’s dropped to his knees and is covering his face with his hands. “Guys? What happened?” he says, his voice panicked. “I can’t see!” Then he freaks out, tries to stand, and stumbles to the ground. “I’m deaf!” he shouts! “I’m blind and I can’t hear!”

What are your actions?

~ by K-Slacker on 31-Aug-07.