(073) Wind and Sand

Waysoftheearth's Hinterlands PBP

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Post by Eris » Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Lucky Olaf, not realizing just how lucky he is, makes the leap to the deck of the wooden skiff and tries to dive into the hatch, down below the gunwales, or otherwise get out of sight of the worms!
You know you're going to kill Olaf one of these rolls. ;) And it might just be this turn as either the worms get him, or the skiff and a ton of sand rolls over on top of him.
:(
[f=4]Manfreid the Fighter (MV 9", AC 3/5, HD 1+2, hp 10/10, FC Man+1, N) silver mail+helm, sword+shield[/f]

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Post by coffee » Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:09 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Next worm that comes too near the skiff is going to get Dieter all over him. I'll aim for the side/back (avoiding the maw, you see) and carve my way inside.

Is there anything, hair or flappy skin or something, to hold onto while astride a worm? Just checking.
[f=4]Karl the Fighter (M 9", AC 4/6, HD 1+2, FC Man+1, hp 9/9) mail+shield[/f]

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Post by doctorx » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:15 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Josiane looks at the dagger Highbough presses into her hand in some confusion, then gasps as the Ancient Elf near-flies away into the sandstorm.

"Be safe, my friend..." she whispers after him.

But then Helmut is bundling her inside the skiff. Battered, bruised and somewhat at a loss for a better idea, the Vagabond Knight complies, hoping that the vessel is too large for the devil-beasts descending upon them to swallow whole... :(
Having some internet connection problems at the moment, so posting might be a little sporadic. Apologies. Will get back to normal asap.

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Post by ehiker133 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:41 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Desmond seriously considers climbing inside the clam shell-like device that held the air elemental, spikes or no. But for the moment, he just holds his position huddled next to it.
[f=47]Dougal Blackfoot (MV 9", AC 6, Lvl 4, HP 10/10) [/f]
[f=59]Goldwen (Sagacious* Abbess, MV 9′′, AC 6, HD 2+1, HP 9, FC 2 men, SV C3, L][/f]

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Post by heartless » Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:47 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Ashtad still in the wooden skiff stays below under one of the strong wooden beams in the ship. Praying to her god for protection and wisdom for what to do next.
[Hinderlands]Kianna the Elf Sister-Fighter-Medium, Elf Maiden, Fighter/MU/Cleric 1/1/1
[Hinterlands-Netherworld] Ashtad Engel (the flaming arrow), Human Maiden, Marksman 2
[Moria] Lady Éohild (Noble of Rohan), Human Women, Fighter 3

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Post by mgtremaine » Mon Apr 27, 2015 12:42 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Wen fits another arrow and quickly calculates his next move. He will shoot and keep as much distance as possible from the worms.
I'm not totally clear on the distance to the nearest fortress. I assume it is far, as in many turns of movement, not something we can run to in a combat situation. Besides the crashed ship is there anything that can provide defense for this game of cat and mouse?
[f=4]Wen the Pale, Elf Hero/Spellbinder (MV 12", AC 9, HD 4/2, hp 11/11, FC Hero, L) helm, bow[/f]
[f=47]Kiplyn Sorefoot, Hobbet Thief (Lv: 4 AC: 5 Hp 12) Leather+Shield+Dagger, Sling[/f]
[f=59]Tass Purrfoot (Agile Hobbet Varlet, MV 9′′, AC 7, HD 2, hp 8, FC 2 men, SV T7, N)[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:25 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Eris wrote:You know you're going to kill Olaf one of these rolls.
It won't be me that gets him killed ;)
coffee wrote:Is there anything, hair or flappy skin or something, to hold onto while astride a worm? Just checking.
They're like regular garden worms, only much bigger and harder; the carapace is harder than leather instead of softer than jelly. So; no, not exactly.
mgtremaine wrote:I'm not totally clear on the distance to the nearest fortress. I assume it is far, as in many turns of movement, not something we can run to in a combat situation. Besides the crashed ship is there anything that can provide defense for this game of cat and mouse?
The nearest fortification is a quarter-mile to, maybe, half-mile distant. Certainly not reachable in a short run. The dune crater is pocked with bubbled-black rocks--some up to the size of men--but dozens of these were flung heedlessly about as the worms burst through the rim of the crater. The only other "feature" is the implacable stone Ring, leaning lob-sided and partly buried in the sand about thirty or so yards from the hull...
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:03 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Highbough continues to flee into the wind and dunes, drawing two of the huge worms, surging and snapping after him! It is not nearly so easy to lose them as he predicted, and even after clearing several ridges, the worms are still lumbering perilously close after him, kicking colossal showers of sand up as they unstoppably drive through crests and pass over troughs!
Highbough's movement rate would be superior to the worms' on a firm plain or well-trod road; but these sandy dunes are poor footing, so it is touch and go. The ref decides to use the wilderness evasion rule (why not?) to decide whether Highbough draws clear of the worms. He's very definitely smaller, so he needs a throw of 3-6 to draw clear: 1d6=3, so Highbough surges ahead. Now the worms need a throw of 4-6 to stay in the chase, else they have fallen behind and given up: 1d6=4! The chase continues next turn...
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:11 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Back at the skiff hull...

Wen lets fly another--mid air, slo-mo--missile as he leaps backward off the deck to keep as much distance between himself and the incoming worms as possible. It's a deadly shot into the gale force wind, drawing the monstrous worm directly after him, and with scarcely a lead on it Wen decides he had better keep running!

At the same moment Olaf all but throws himself below as Dieter stands fearlessly on the deck with the passage-sized mouth on a pile-driver-worm diving to engulf Olaf... and him and the whole aft of the deck. Dieter gestures an attack, but how does one attack a landslide? It's too late to think about that; the impossible mass of the worm crashes violently onto the deck gouging up all and sundry masts and rails and rigging, in an abysmal din. Dieter is, amazingly, flung aside by the impact rather than swallowed!

Below deck, our nervous crew have barely a moment to pull Olaf in before there is a most horrific earth quake! The entire boat is shaken like a child's toy, and everyone inside is toppled helplessly about. A dozen beam and rafters are split, and a score or more decking planks are ripped free as the worm tractors overhead, but the hull isn't completely sundered yet.

But it is moving! And quickLEEEEEEYY!!

Dieter hits the sand amid the din and rolls to his knees. The wind and sand are spitting fierce in his face again, and the din is immense. The tail-part of the huge worm is still passing by some dozen feet away, punishing the skiff--which is sliding down into a giant sinkhole-tunnel left behind the worm! Matter of fact, the sand is running out from under Dieter too! The whole battlesite is sinking down into the sand-canyons burrowed out by the worms!
Wen's shot 1d20=16 hits for 1d6=6! damage, pulling the worm at him for sure.

At the point of impact, initiative is checked: 1d6; Dieter=6+1, worm=1.
Dieter attacks 1d20=1, miss.
Worm attacks 1d20=8, hits AC 3 by 2 pips, so a hit but not enough to swallow. 2d6=10 hit points damage, so Dieter is down to 4 hp.

The ref decides the skiff itself has 2 hull dice (larger than a "boat" but smaller than a galley), and rolls them up: 2d6=11! So she was a capable little craft when Olaf first commandeered her. The initial crash landing caused 2d6=4 damage; not enough to genuinely scuttle her. Now this latest worm battering does a further 2d6=7 damage so the ship is ruined insofar as air-worthiness goes, but let us suppose the hull itself can sustain as much damage again before being totally destroyed.

Dieter (F5) hp 22 12 14 4
Skiff HP 11+11 7+11 0+11

Your orders for next turn people?
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by mushgnome » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:57 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Highbough continues the only sane course of action, which is to flee from the hungry hungry annelids! He hopes that a well-timed series of jumps will throw the creatures off his trail. While he is in the air, does he see any interesting landmarks or signs of life?
Nice shot Wen! I've got these two; you should be able to handle the others with the humans' help. ;)
[f=59]Stern (Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]

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