Ch. 10. Black Train Blues

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,In that case, I'll remove the pin.

[Philulhu]

Howard,Can you confirm your action this round, please?

William gripped the head of the pin and managed to lift it about an inch before it stuck fast. It looked as if the pin was held in place by the pressure of the drag of the carriages opposed by the forward momentum of the train. William realised if that pressure could be eased, the pin should come free!

Behind him, Lawrence landed a punch that landed with a fleshy ‘smack!‘ The creature switched its attention to the young farmer and both tentacles tried to wrap themselves around him to prevent further attacks. He avoided one attack, but the second caught him around the neck and started to squeeze...

OOC,Tentacle#1: Grapple - [dice]0[/dice] Tentacle#2: Grapple - [dice]1[/dice] Lawrence - you require a successful grapple roll to counter.

[HoneyDog]

Howard tries to wrestle the tentacle away, but cannot hold it.

Grapple,Grapple 25: [url=https://orokos.com/roll/844848]Grapple[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]87[/b]

[Mr. Handy]

"The train's moving too fast!" calls William. "We need to slow it down before I can decouple it!" If nobody else is able to do it, William will go for the brakes and apply them.

[Bullfrog]

Grapple 25%,[dice]0[/dice]

Lawrence struggles to escape the tentacle's grasp, but can't wrench himself free.

[Philulhu]

The train controls were a bewildering maze of pipes, levers and dials. Which one would William choose?!

OOC,NB. The creature is holding on to the red bar at 45 degrees in the middle of the picture. Can you indicate what William is going to do?

Neither Howard nor Lawrence could get purchase on the sweaty tentacle that had encircled Lawrence’s throat. He could feel his eyes bulging in his head and he couldn’t breathe! He felt himself being pulled into the creature’s embrace as it gave a gurgling howl of triumph!

Lawrence,Can you check against CON x 10, please?

[Bullfrog]

OOC,Do you mean ×5, or am I mistaken?

[Philulhu]

OOC,You’re checking to see if Lawrence is suffocating, which starts at CONx10 if I’ve read the rules right?

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,I'd have thought that the red bar at the 45 degree angle was the brake lever. There's also that lever in the lower left that could be it, or the one on the lower right. Can I make an Idea roll or a skill roll to determine where the brake controls are?

[Bullfrog]

OOC,I am mistaken, then

CON 18×10=180,[dice]0[/dice]

Lawrence kept on kicking despite the tentacle encircling his neck, desperately trying to free himself from the creature's grip.

Grapple 25%,[dice]1[/dice]

[Philulhu]

William,Yes, make an Idea roll, please.

[HoneyDog]

Howard tries again to loosen the creature's grip, but it is too strong for him.

Grapple,Grapple 25: [url=https://orokos.com/roll/845383]Grapple[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]29[/b]

[Mr. Handy]

William has a pretty good idea of where the brake is.

OOC,Idea roll (80% stat) about where to find the brake: [dice]0[/dice]

[Philulhu]

William,The controls to the right look like they are for the brakes: [img]https://i.postimg.cc/RZrgXhyJ/634-C462-F-47-D8-4-E8-B-91-B2-D1-B0-C7242301.jpg[/img] The red lever controls the brakes for the engine, being rotated to apply it. The black lever (bottom right) controls the brake in the coaches.

[Mr. Handy]

William rotates the red lever on the right first to slow down the engine, and then pulls the black lever below it.

[Philulhu]

As William spun the brake handle, the train lurched alarmingly and the wheels screeched as the forward momentum and the deceleration of the brakes fought against each other! The change in speed caused everyone to stagger forward and there was an angry hissing sound and the rank smell of burning flesh as the creature crashed into the firebox!

The brakes for the carriages then caught and the force pulled the engine backwards and everyone found themselves being pushed towards the back of the footplate, perilously balanced over the gap between the engine and tender!

OOC,Howard - your attempt to escape has a +20 bonus this turn. Actions?

[HoneyDog]

OOC,I think you mean Lawrence, not Howard?

[Philulhu]

OOC,Sorry, Lawrence, not Howard, although if Howard is trying to help Lawrence, then the same bonus would apply.

[HoneyDog]

Howard tries to retain his hold on the creature.

Grapple,[url=https://orokos.com/roll/845804]Grapple[/url]: [u]1d100[/u] [b]66[/b]

[Bullfrog]

Grapple 25%+20% (45%),[dice]0[/dice]

Lawrence tears himself free from the creature's grasp, taking a second to regain his breath.