Episode 18: Heroes of Carcosa

[crusssdaddy]

Fated clings to Snarf and tries to rouse him from his mania, kicking Snarf's flanks, tugging the reins, thinking intently very sweet thoughts of Fated and Snarf frolicking in sun-dappled forests, etc.

Fated holds his breath as they plunge beneath the waves.

[Mushgnome]

Round 2 of the Kraken Battle

The force field has 10-100=78hp and is slammed by 6 tentacles for 6d10=37 damage, reducing the force field strength to 41hp.

Those riding Andre, Big Daddy, Big Mama, Princess, and Pegasus realize they cannot fire out through the force dome at the tentacles; what is their action instead?

Snarf doggie-paddles toward the kraken with Fated holding fast in the saddle. They pass safely under the tentacle attack and swim toward the creature's body. The half-submerged body-sac is enormous, the size of a small island, with its own ecosystem of seaweed, barnacles, anemones, crustaceans, and other symbiotic marine life-forms. The Kraken is ancient and powerful indeed! Fated coos sweet psionic melodies and Snarf gets a re-save, this time he rolls a 19 and comes back under control of the rider.

Meanwhile a swarm of 37 spider-ticks threatens the dino-riders on the pier...

[Mushgnome]

9 of the spider-tick-parasites swarm over Little Brother, rolling 3, 5, 1 which isn't good enough to penetrate his plate barding.

The remaining 28 latch on to the big tasty medium horse dinos, rolling 14 dice, 6 hits:

( 3 + 5 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 1 + 5 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 4 + 5 )

That's 2 hits, randomly select: Big Daddy and Princess each take 1dd blood-sucking damage!

Big Daddy: 9d12 ( 5 + 7 + 11 6 + 5 + 4 + 11 + 9 + 6 + 6 ) = 64 - 5 = 59
Princess: 4d8 ( 5 0 + 1 + 1 + 5 ) = 12 - 5 = 7 and is wounded 1HD!

The dinosaurs instinctively counterattack with their natural weapons!

Big Mama (m): 9d6 ( 1 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 5 ) = 4 kills
Big Daddy (m): 9d6 ( 1 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 ) = 5 kills
Little Brother (h): 8d6 ( 1 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 2 + 6 + 1 + 3 ) = 2 kills
Princess (m): 3d6 ( 1 + 1 + 4 ) = no kill
Andre (m): 9d6 ( 1 + 1 + 5 + 5 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 ) = 4 kills
Grekk (l): 9d6 ( 3 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 ) = 2 kills
Pegasus (l): 4d6 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 3 ) = no kills
Big Al (m): 8d6 ( 4 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 6 ) = 2 kills

That's 19 kills and only 18 of the ticks threaten. It's too dangerous to try and shoot them while they're feeding on the dinosaurs! What's the plan?

[crusssdaddy]

[Can Fated see an eye or eyes or sensory apparatus on the Kraken? Does it have the usual beaked mouth thing? Do I still have 1 foam canister left?]

[Mushgnome]

Nov 26, 2012 3:39:03 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

[Can Fated see an eye or eyes or sensory apparatus on the Kraken? Does it have the usual beaked mouth thing? Do I still have 1 foam canister left?]

Yes on all counts. If you're thinking what I'm thinking, that would be a prime example of Fantasy Combat as I described at the start of this thread.

[ehiker133]

Sgt. Cannibal orders his pikemen to continue attacking the parasites while he directs Andre to bite at them with his enormous teeth.

Once Shade and The Deep One Minion are back on the dock, they will likewise attack the ticks.

[crusssdaddy]

To quote Capt. Kirk, I take it the odds are against us and the situation is grim... sounds like fun!

Fated rushes toward the Kraken's maw on Snarf, dodges whatever he needs to dodge, chucks the foam canister into the Kraken's mouth, and then gets the frack out of Dodge.

[Deleted]

Grand jams the Howdah gun back into his jury rigged saddle holster and draws his trusty saber.

"Come on there lads," he yells to his Punjabis, 'Have at them now. The devil makes work for idle hands and all that!"

Then with a cry of "Tally-ho!" he urges Pegasus back into the fray, swinging at the nearest crab-spider-tick thing.

The Punjabis, though not having a clue what Grand was talking about, redouble thier efforts to protect the dinosaurs, if for no other reason than to save thier own skins.

[kipper]

Breath and her two henchwomen-fighters fire upon the Tentacles with their guns. Her two henchwomen-specialists draw their saxes and hack at the parasite attached to their mount, Princess.

[Deleted]

Loyal Beast of the Unknown Master shouts to his wraiths Shades of the undead destroy the crabs attached to the dinosaurs!

Loyal Beast of the Unknown Master continues to slash through little crabs along with Big Al

[Deleted]

Apothecaria frantically searches her satchel for something useful and finds ... SALT! She hands the packet of salt to her lieutenant and orders her to hurl it into the beast's eyes!

edit to insert omitted word

[Mushgnome]

Round 2 of the Kraken Battle continues

Fated to Die attempts Fantasy Combat against the mighty Kraken! (attacks as a Giant)

Fated needs 11 vs. giant and rolls 2d6=3. His aim with the foam cannister is accurate, but it does no more damage to the kraken than a squirt of shaving cream would do to a human!

The kraken only needs 6 to hit a Hero and rolls 9. It applies suction to create a huge funnel-shaped vortex in the water; Fated and Snarf must roll saves vs. dragon breath! Fated needs 13 and rolls 14; he swims clear of the vortex and takes only 6hp (reducing him to 19hp) from the buffeting action of the waves. Poor Snarf needs 15 and only rolls 4; he is swept into the kraken's maw and swallowed whole!

[Mushgnome]

Apothecaria's lieutenant fires a packet of witches salt into the fog in the general direction of the kraken's eye! I'll be generous and say the odds are approximately equal to horsebow vs. unbarded horse at long range (11 or better on 2d6) and the roll is: 10

The salt packet misses the eye and ruptures against a barnacle, powdering one side of the creature's face. Unfortunately it has no effect on the salt-water-dweller's tough skin.

[Mushgnome]

"Fire!" commands Breath of New Moon. Her own howdah attacks (arquebus vs. unbarded horse at short range needs 6: 9, 12, 2, 8) hit for 3d10=13hp, destroying 1 of the 6 tentacles and wounding another.

Maw and Blade fire their own guns, both barrels: 11, 12, 9, 12 for 4d10=20hp, destroying the wounded tentacle plus one other (the creature now has but 3 attack-tentacles showing above the water).

From each tentacle-stump, 2 tentacles grow. Now there are 9 tentacles.... the Kraken is a Hydraken!

[Mushgnome]

Now to deal with the pesky parasites.

Shade climbs onto the pier and wails away with his seven-headed flail. (6 to hit vs. plate) 8, 5, 5, 2. He kills 1 of the 18 ticks and now there are 17.
His Deepwan sidekick grabs a pike and rolls 9, killing 1 tick (16)
Scion and Stalker stab with their saxes and roll 7, 8; the short blades are ineffective against the ticks' tough armor.
Loyal Beast only needs a 6 to hit with his greatsword and rolls 8, splitting a tick in half (15)
The Wraithlings roll 6 and kill 1 tick (14)
Grand needs 10 to hit with his saber and rolls 9... a near miss!
The Punjabis back him up and roll 5, 6, killing 1 tick (13)
Sgt. Cannibal and his men roll 18 dice and kill 4 ticks (9)

I could use some tactical advice how to NPC Minion and his bone men, Gunnery and his orange men, and Fated's ulfire men (since he isn't there to command them himself). Did I skip/forget anyone?

[Deleted]

Dec 1, 2012 12:57:22 GMT -6 Mushgnome said:

Did I skip/forget anyone?

Apothecaria sends her troops to fight against the ticks.

[Mushgnome]

Dec 1, 2012 13:56:48 GMT -6 @dubeers said:

Dec 1, 2012 12:57:22 GMT -6 Mushgnome said:

Did I skip/forget anyone?

Apothecaria sends her troops to fight against the ticks.

What is their mode of attack?

[Deleted]

They will use their spears.

[Deleted]

OOC: As far as tactics I say ranged guys on the tentacles and melee focus on the crab ticks until we can wipe them out.

[Deleted]

Dec 2, 2012 23:14:54 GMT -6 @aquebman said:

OOC: As far as tactics I say ranged guys on the tentacles and melee focus on the crab ticks until we can wipe them out.

seconded.

[Deleted]

ooc: okay, sounds good to me.

At the advice of her lieutenant, Apothecaria signals her troops to break out their slings and attack the tentacles, she gets hers out, too.

[crusssdaddy]

Fated sends a sad thought regarding brotherhood and whatnot to Snarf, to ease his presumably short-lived torment within the Kraken's maw. Then he Phelps it back toward the pier, hoping to cling inconspicuously to a piling.

"Shoot something!" he cries out desperately to his men.

[Mushgnome]

Dec 3, 2012 20:28:39 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

Fated sends a sad thought regarding brotherhood and whatnot to Snarf, to ease his presumably short-lived torment within the Kraken's maw.

Snarf's panicked thoughts translate roughly: "Who turned out the lights???" But he does not seem to be in physical pain.

[Mushgnome]

OOC: Gunnery and Minion and their men have available ranged attacks, but they can't fire at the tentacles through the force field. I'll allow them to ready their missile fire so if the tentacles smash through the force field, they will get an immediate readied ranged attack, cool?

Apothecaria's 4 remaining henchmen and Fated's men are outside the force field, so I'll resolve their attacks now.

The 4 slingers roll a single die: 3, not good enough... their tiny sling stones cannot damage the massive, rubbery tentacles.

Fated's men are out of ammo (having fired with both barrels in the previous round) so they hastily reload and I'll let them be part of the Round 3 missile volley.

Anything else for Round 2? The order of action for Round 3 will be: missile attacks outside the Shield, tentacles, (if shield falls) missile attacks inside the Shield, melee attacks. If any of the heroes are attempting Fantasy Combat then please specify.

[Deleted]

Apothecaria and her troops regroup.

"Spears!" she commands. As one, the doughty band snaps their spears into throwing position and ready a (it is to be hoped) more effective missile volley.

[Deleted]

Loyal Beast of the Unknown Master continues his dedication to wiping out the crab ticks and commands his wraiths to do the same, while focusing on protecting the dinosaurs.

[ehiker133]

The Shade of the Evermore crouches down on the wooden planks of the pier, watching the tentacles, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. He admired Apothecaria's earlier attempt at throwing salt in the monster's eyes, regardless of how ineffective salt in the eyes of a salt water monster would be. But maybe something else in the eye of the behemoth would make it want to depart the pier and take its crab things along with it. But he needs a distraction... his mind jumps back to waiting in the basement of the Miskatonic University Library and one of the paintings he saw on the wall there - a battle of two gigantic sea creatures.

Suddenly, there it is - a small gap in the seemingly random whipping and flailing of the tentacles. But maybe they aren't so random. And here is the chance to prove it.

With all seven of his own tentacles acting as one, he pushes up off the deck, launching into the air towards the kraken's giant orb-like eye, bone spear thrust out in front of him. At the same time, he communicates the image of a giant battle-scarred sperm whale rising up out of the deep waters and heading towards the pier directly at the kraken.

He attempts to drive his bone spear into the soft fleshy eye.

[Deleted]

"That's the ticket, lads. Give them the old what for!" Grand urges his Punjabis while he circles around behind them and reloads his howdah gun.

[Mushgnome]

Round 3 of the Kraken Battle

The sun pierces the fog and the now 9-tentacled Hydraken is revealed in all its horror!

Initiative (let's try a new house-rule that Hero-tier PC's roll individual initiative):
Fated 6, Shade 6, Kraken 4, Breath 1, rest of the party 1, parasites 1

Dec 10, 2012 8:45:42 GMT -6 ehiker133 said:

The Shade of the Evermore ... attempts to drive his bone spear into the soft fleshy eye.

The Shade of Evermore rolls 2d6 on the Fantasy Combat Table = 12! (he needed 11 to hit "giant")

Shade inflicts his choice of: critical hit for 4dd damage (1 die/level), or push back attack for 1dd damage (base 0 damage plus 1 die because he beat his "to hit" number by 1) plus additionally the kraken is forced back 1 move (and no longer threatens the party on the pier in melee). Your decision?

Fated to Die has simultaneous initiative to Shade and may act as he wishes, Heroic or conventional combat rules---your choice. Perhaps an heroic deadeye shot from the seashell derringer he keeps squirreled away?

Then the kraken will act, and then the rest of the party simultaneous with the parasites.

[Mushgnome]

[Can I get a quick roll call who is still active in the game? Maybe a quick run-down of the troops and dinos under your command, to paint the picture where everyone stands.]