Run #5: Your Fifteen Minutes Of Pain

[Drew Buddy]

Doc thinks back to their recent encounter.

"Well, the last ones we ran into were between 1-2 meters tall, which would put them at about 2-4 meters long. So I'm going to go with 3 meters."

[GM Nick]

Johnny Denim laughs.

"Oh, such a kidder! But that's correct! You have successfully answered four questions and Mr. Elf answered two. Well, ladies and germs, that does it for our trivia round!"

The manacles un-clamp and sink back into the floor.

"I'll now turn you over to team brawn, who are preparing for their challenge!"

[John]

Max stares daggers at the host, whose attention now shifts to Rawhide and Tyros. Slumping against a wall, Max closes his eyes to try to ease the pounding in his head.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc kneels beside Max, and looks him over.

"Doesn't look like any real damage was done. Best use a stim patch before the next round."

Doc turns and stares coldly at the retreating form of Johnny Denim. Pulling off his microphone, he mutters,

"You just made my list, pal."

[GM Nick]

The spotlights converge on a spot below the podium, illuminating Tyros and Rawhide. The odd pair is standing in the middle of some kind of court.

"You' might want to raise your voices and put your hands together, because it's time for RIOOOTT BALLLLLLL!"

The crowd reaches an apocalyptic din, drowning out all other noise. A few stray, hurled beer bottles land on the ground nearby.

A silver sphere, about 1 meter in diameter, appears in front of Tyros as a hidden elevator brings it up to level.

"The rules for riot ball are simple: Take the 100 kilogram ball across the court and drop it in the basket. But, make sure to watch out for these guys!"

A series of spotlights spring to life and illuminate a dozen fully armored men with assault rifles at the ready, standing on the wall surrounding the court.

"Those are rubber bullets, folks, so they probably won't kill our contestants! But let's help 'em out, shall we?"

One of the gunmen tosses a riot shield down to Rawhide, which clatters at his feet.

"Oh, and one more thing... the ball is equipped with an internal chemical ballast. The ball gets heavier the faster that it moves! Now--let's give 'em a countdown!"

The crowd begins to chant a countdown.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

[Elliott]

Tyros frowns down at the riot shield, which at best is big enough to cover only half his body. "This is a stupid game. Use the shield Rawhide and I'll take care of the ball" With a wiggle of his fingers (centering), Tyros dissapears (invis, f4). In the second that follows as everyone recovers from his vanishing troll act, Tyros moves quickly from his original position to out of the way, over against the wall and flips down the visor to his helmet.

[GM Nick]

[ Tyros, Spellcasting + MAG + 2 (Power Focus) = 7 ]
[ Tyros, Resist Drain, WIL + LOG + 1 (Centering) + 2 (Foc. Concentration) = 3 ]

Tyros vanishes from sight and the crowd gasps.

Rawhide plucks up the riot shield and grimaces as the gunmen turn their attention towards him.

"Thanks a lot, Tyros! What now?"

[Elliott]

From his place invisible against the wall, Tyros lifts his arms as if carrying the sphere (centering) and propels it across the court (levitate, f3, which lifts 600kg and moves 3 meters a turn).

[GM Nick]

[ Tyros, Spellcasting + MAG + 2 (Focus) - 2 (Sustaining) = 7 ]
[ Tyros, Resist Drain, WIL + LOG + 1 (Centering) + 2 (Foc. Concentration) - 2 (Sustaining) = 4 ]

The sphere begins to rise as Tyros channels energy to lift it.

(( How fast do you want to move it? ))

Rawhide raises the riot shield in preparation for the barrage.

[Elliott]

(I'll move it the full 3 meter per turn. That's slower than someone carrying it would probably move so I doubt it's going to suddenly go to 600kg, which is like 1300 pounds)

[GM Nick]

"Frag it! Move that thing, Tyros!"

Rawhide spins in a circle and hurls the riot shield like a discus.

[ Rawhide, Throwing Weapons + AGI = 3 ]
[ TV Goon, REA = 1 ]
[ TV Goon, BOD + 6 = 3 ] **3P DAMAGE**

One of the goons stiffens as the riot shield slams into him. He falls backwards off of the wall. His assault rifle clatters on to the court.

Rawhide snatches it up. "Can you do something about some of these guys? I can't shoot 'em all!"

The dwarf opens fire.

[GM Nick]

[ Rawhide = 55 ]
[ Goon1 = 24 ]
[ Goon2 = 21 ]
[ Tyros = 20 ]
[ Goon3 = 18 ]
[ Goon4 = 18 ]
[ Goon5 = 17 ]
[ Goon6 = 12 ]

Rawhide fires a wide burst, tracing across 3 of the gunmen.

[ Rawhide, Automatics + AGI - 6 [RC] - 2 (Multiple Targets) = 3 ]
[ Goon1, REA = 3 ]
[ Goon2, REA = 2 ]
[ Goon3, REA = 2 ]

[ Goon2, BOD + 6 = 2 ] **16S DAMAGE**
[ Goon3, BOD + 6 = 1 ] **17S DAMAGE**

Two of the goons collapse, as the third narrowly escapes the barrage.

[John]

Max gets to his feet and moves to the edge of the pit as the gunfire erupts, watching this violent ballet play out below him. He can't help but feel a pang of pride over the three guards that he already sees have fallen by Rawhide's hand.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc looks down with concern, but also with delight at how thoroughly the tables have been turned.

"Bastards never knew what they were in for," he chuckles to Max.

[John]

Max chimes in, shouting exhalations to his cohort,

"THAT'S RIGHT, RAWHIDE! PUT 'EM IN FRAGGIN' WHEELCHAIRS! LET 'EM PISS INTO BAGS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!"

[GM Nick]

The goon that narrowly escaped Rawhide's marksmanship fires back.

[ Goon1, Firearms + AGI - 4 [RC] = 2 ]
[ Rawhide, REA = 2 ]

Rawhide dives to the side, barely escaping.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc is slightly taken aback by the ferocity of Max's cheering.

He shrugs and turns back to the ring while pointing his thumb toward Max, and calls,

"Yeah! What he said!"

[Elliott]

Tyros moves the ball as quickly as his spell will allow, steadily covering 3 meters every couple of seconds.

"Hold on stunty, if you don't want to shoot them all, just hide behind the shield. I'll have the sphere to the end of the court in a few seconds..."

((How far is it to the end of court?))

[GM Nick]

(( About 30 meters. ))

Johnny jumps up and down on the platform and points at the court.

"Release the goalie!"

A massive troll, easily a foot above Tyros, saunters through a hidden door on the opposite end of the court. He slams two gloved hands together and barrels towards the ball like a deranged linebacker.

Rawhide swears something that has to bleeped, even on primetime trideo.

[John]

At the sight of the troll Max's blood instantly boils. This doesn't exactly seem like a fair fight! Thinking quickly, the elf reaches for one of the thrown beer bottles that has landed near to his position, picks it up, and launches it at the troll!

[GM Nick]

Max's throw is pitifully short.

He watches as the beer bottle bounces down a carpeted stair next to the platform. He hadn't noticed it amongst all the commotion. With a big enough jump, one could reach the perimeter wall encircling the riot ball court...

[John]

Max hates trolls.

Rearing back about ten paces, Max gets a running start at the ledge and jumps for the platform.

[Elliott]

Tyros raises an invisible eyebrow at the oncoming troll. Dropping fully in to the flow of his magic, he takes one hand and points it at the troll, two fingers outstretched towards its eyes (centering) (mind control, f3). The amount of magic flowing in the area is now palpable as Tyros maintains his invisibility and continues the trajectory of the floating sphere.

With a snarl, the troll goaly suddenly turns its attention to the guards above it.

[GM Nick]

[ Max, Gymnastics + AGI (3) = 4 ]

Max sprints towards the end of the platform and leaps across to the stairs. He sets down nimbly several meters from the remaining gunmen, who now look unsure as to who to shoot.

[John]

Max rushes the closest gunman, grabs his gun, and kicks him in the back of the knees.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc looks at the distance to the stairs, and sighs. He doesn't have the gymnastics training of the elf.

"Hey, throw me a gun, if you can!" He calls down.

Using his commlink, he starts scanning for the node controlling the flying cameras...

[GM Nick]

[ Max, Unarmed Combat + AGI = 3 ]
[ Goon6, Unarmed Combat + AGI = 1 ]
[ Goon6, BOD + 6 = 3 ] **2S DAMAGE**

Max grabs the goons gun and kicks his legs out from under him.

[John]

The gun in hand, Max drops to one knee to stabilize his aim and fires on the next closest goon.

[GM Nick]

[ Tyros, Spellcasting + MAG - 4 (Sustaining) = 4 ]
[ Troll, Willpower = 1 ]
[ Tyros, Resist Drain, WIL + LOG + 2 (Foc. Concentration) + 1 (Centering) - 4 (Sustaining) = 2 ] **2S DAMAGE**

Tyros now has control of the enormous troll!

[GM Nick]

"This is just the kind of carnage we like to see," chortles Johnny Denim.

[ Max, Automatics + AGI - 2 (Multiple Targets) = 6 ]
[ Goon6, BOD + 6 = 1 ] **14S DAMAGE**

Max fires a burst of three rubber bullets at the goon whose gun he just stole. The man staggers back off the edge of the wall, losing consciousness.

He turns and fires another burst at the closest gunman.

[ Max, Automatics + AGI - 2 (Multiple Targets) - 1 (RC) = 7 ]
[ Goon5, BOD + 6 = 1 ] **15S DAMAGE**

The expertly placed shot immediately renders the next victim unconscious.

[GM Nick]

One of the two remaining gunmen turns and fires on Max.

[ Goon4, Firearms + AGI - 6 (RC) = 2 ]
[ Max, REA = 3 ]

Max flattens himself as the rubber bullets fly overhead.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc looks on the firefight with a measure of satisfaction. He continues to scan for a node controlling the wireless camera drones.

[GM Nick]

(( The ball is about halfway across the court. ))

Tyros feels a tremor as the ball's density increases substantially.

[ Rawhide = 54 ]
[ Max = 37 ]
[ Goon1 = 23 ]
[ Goon4 = 16 ]
[ Tyros ]

Rawhide takes aim and fires a burst at one of the gunmen.

[ Rawhide, Automatics + AGI + 1 (Aim) = 6 ]
[ Goon1, BOD + 6 = 2 ] **12S DAMAGE**

A direct hit to the cranium sends the goon sprawling!

[John]

Max fires two bursts at the last remaining goon, tracing up and across his body with a small hail of rubber bullets.

[GM Nick]

[ Max, Automatics + AGI = 2 ]
[ Goon4, REA = 0 ]
[ Goon4, BOD + 6 = 2 ] **8S DAMAGE**

[ Max, Automatics + AGI - 1 (RC) = 2 ]
[ Goon4, REA - 2 = 1 ]
[ Goon4, BOD + 6 - 2 = 2 ] **8S DAMAGE**

Max squeezes off a barrage of rounds that incapacitates the last gunman.

The crowd goes wild.