Ch. 9 Copperhead Road

[Mr. Handy]

William keeps trying to free himself from the tentacle that's slowly strangling him.

OOC,I think that last one was supposed to be CON x 8, and the one before CON x 9, but I succeeded either way. Roll to get free of the tentacle: [dice]0[/dice]

[HoneyDog]

Finding himself airborne, Howard tries to control his landing but connects with the ground painfully.

Jump,Jump 25: [url=https://orokos.com/roll/789310]Jump[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]29[/b]

[Bullfrog]

Lawrence briefly hesitated upon hearing his friend's voice, but he wasn't about to let others die from his own inaction. Wiping more blood and sweat from his face, he made a break for the gas cap, taking up the matches in his hands as he called to the others:
"Everyone, get away from the truck!"

[Philulhu]

OOC - Lawrence,How do you plan to set fire to the truck?

[Bullfrog]

OOC,The plan is fairly simple: Lawrence is going to make a makeshift wick from fabric, however he can get some, light the "wick" on fire, stick it in the gas tank, and run like there's no tomorrow.

[Philulhu]

Lawrence spun the gas cap free of the tank and dropped it in the road. A rag tucked into the chassis made for a handy wick, which he stuffed into the filler pipe. It soaked up the fuel greedily and caught readily when Lawrence applied a lit match.

In the cab, William felt the grip around his neck slacken as he managed to get fingers between his neck and the tentacle. Outside the cab window, he saw another tentacle whip forward, breaking the window glass and trying to wrench the driver’s door open.

At the rear, Thomas found himself pushed none-to-gently off the back of the truck, and in the direction of Howard, who was lying winded in the road. On the flatbed on the back of the truck, James was bent over, twisted in agony. He howled in pain, looked up and shouted, ”Ruuunnnn!!!”

[Mr. Handy]

William tries to slip free of the tentacle and scramble out the passenger side door to get as far away from the truck and the tentacles as he can.

[HoneyDog]

Howard staggers to his feet, wondering what's going on.

[Bullfrog]

"Howard, get away from the truck, now!" Lawrence frantically shouts as he sprints away from the truck, trying to get as much distance between himself and the imminent explosion as he can.

[HoneyDog]

Bewildered, Howard begins to get away from the stalled truck.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,Is anyone going to help me get out of the truck?

[Bullfrog]

OOC,I thought he was out of the truck, but I fear it may be too late to intervene, now.

[HoneyDog]

OOC,It seems like James is trying to open the door to let William out.

[Philulhu]

OOC,Strength roll for [b]William[/b], please.

[Mr. Handy]

"Help!" calls William from inside the truck, still unable to break loose from the tentacle.

OOC,STR x 5 roll (40% stat) to break free of the tentacle: [dice]0[/dice] Please don't blow me up!

[Philulhu]

The gas tank exploded with a deafening bang! and the whole truck shook. Burning fuel flew everywhere - into the road, over James and into the cab through the broken rear window, where it set fire to the shoulder of William’s coat, flames licking up his neck and causing his skin and hair to crisp and burn.

The explosion ignited the now ruptured fuel line and from their prone positions where they had been thrown by the force of the explosion, Lawrence, Thomas and William could see the flames flicker along the underside of the truck and into the engine, where more fuel and oil caused the fire the surge anew.

Keening in pain with blackening scars developing across his body as the flames engulfed him, James made one final effort, simultaneously wrenching open the cab door and shoving William out into the road, where he fell facedown onto the packed earth, flames burning away his jacket and starting to scorch the skin beneath!

”Go... .. friends... ...” whispered James, barely audible through heat-blistered lips, before his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the bed of the burning truck.

OOC,[b]William[/b] - Fire Damage [dice]0[/dice] SAN checks - [b]Howard[/b]/[b]Lawrence[/b] - please check against SAN as a result of witnessing what has happened to [b]James.[/b] [b]William[/b] - please check against SAN as a result of catching fire.

[Mr. Handy]

In a state of panic, William rolls on the ground away from the flaming truck in a desperate effort to extinguish his burning clothes.

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 64) for catching on fire: [dice]0[/dice]

[HoneyDog]

SAN,SAN 48: [url=https://orokos.com/roll/790657]SAN[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]29[/b]

Seeing William's predicament, Howard runs towards him to help him extinguish the flames.

[Bullfrog]

Sanity 60,[dice]0[/dice]

Lawrence stands horrified by what has become of his friend, but mostly maintains his composure; after all, that was just a monster in James' body, right?

[Philulhu]

OOC,William - SAN loss: [dice]0[/dice] It isn’t William’s night... ... I forgot to ask for a check for shock last round, as William lost half his hit points. Mr. Handy, can you check against CON x 5, please? If he’s still conscious, then we can decide what to do about his sanity loss. Thomas - SAN check (80%) - [dice]1[/dice] Howard/Lawrence: What actions are you taking (if any) to help William?