Ch.12b. Caught somewhere in time

[Bullfrog]

I'll wait to see what Phil says before I make the roll, just to be sure.

[Silver Priest]

Alex winces as Lawrence strikes out at Brophy once again. Nonetheless he continues to chant, knowing that if he stops any chance he had of getting the others home would be lost. He holds his hands out in a placating matter, hoping all of the violence would cease.

[Philulhu]

Can I have a POW roll from everyone and then I’ll decide how it ends?

[Bullfrog]

https://www.orokos.com/roll/912515

[Silver Priest]

1d100

[Mr. Handy]

William remains completely focused on returning home.

POW x 5 roll (65% stat) concluding the ritual:
d%
Critical success!

[Philulhu]

Lawrence’s fist pounded into the side of Brophy’s head and he was sent staggering, his feet splashing through the mix of the sickly green liquid and the fuel that spilt from the jerry can. Worse was to come for him, however. The librarian’s eyes snapped open as her chant came to a climax and she brought her hands together sharply, then dragged them apart again, with what appeared to be a glowing white bone between them. She twisted her hands sharply and there was a sickening ‘crack’, following by an agonising scream from Brophy as he collapsed to the floor with the splintered end of his shin bone protruding from a bloody rent in his trouser leg.

The man with the lighter laughed and flicked the wheel on his Zippo, a spark flying from the flint to light the wick, before he tossed it casually in Brophy’s direction. Even before it landed in the fuel on the floor, the vapour ignited and flames blossomed around Brophy, singeing his hair and causing him to scream anew, before they started to burn across the floor in the direction of the pentagram.

The dog yelped and shied away from the flames. The shape in front of William almost disappeared as Alex and Lawrence stepped back but William’s focus was razor sharp and as he concentrated every fibre of his body the outline solidified again, hanging in the air like some unholy mirror showing indistinct dark scenes of another realm.

The youth with the air rifle brought the weapon up to his shoulder and took aim at them again. ”Kill them!” she snapped, and he pulled the trigger.

Sorry, no critical hit under 6ed rules. I’m not sure that’s going to matter much for Brophy, though.

Air rifle - 1d100 (That’s a miss).

You have one action each before the flames reach you.

[Bullfrog]

https://www.orokos.com/roll/912590
Here's the damage, just for the fun of it.

"Gla’aki ymg' hafh nyth'drn! H' tharanak wgah'nagl l' cahf! Iä! Iä! Gla’aki! Iä! Iä!" Lawrence staggers quickly back to his circle, transfixed with maniacal glee as he watches Brophy get consumed by the flames. He no longer stumbled over the words, now raising his voice into an exultant shout of deranged joy.

[Silver Priest]

Alex suspects that these people are rivals of Brophy, perhaps servants of his old master. Either way they did not seem friendly, and it seemed unlikely they would listen to reason. They were outgunned, and those flames were getting closer.

Having no other recourse he continues to chant, putting everything he had into it. There only chance seemed to be getting the ritual to work to send them home. He had no confidence that this new group would let them go even if they explained things.

[Philulhu]

You may have to do something more than just chant… …

[Bullfrog]

Might Lawrence's insanity grant some insight to this situation?

[Philulhu]

Possibly, although fits of homicidal rage and clear thinking aren’t natural bedfellows

Homicidal or not, however, Lawrence can see that there are just moments before the flame reaches the fuel near them, so he might think about how they might escape.

[Bullfrog]

Fair enough. Would that be an INT×5?

[Mr. Handy]

I have an idea. Am I allowed to share it with the others, or should I just go ahead and do what I'm thinking of doing?

[Philulhu]

Entirely your call, Mr Handy. In-game time is of the essence, however, so if you stand around chatting, you will notice it getting very much warmer…

[Mr. Handy]

Still chanting, William leaps through the apparent portal that has opened in front of him, hoping that it will get him out of here and that the others will follow. Anywhere has to be better than here.

[Philulhu]

As William disappeared, the shape immediately began to lose its structure and the view started to fracture like broken ice on a pond…

[Bullfrog]

Wait, the portal was manifested? I must have misread.

Lawrence, still screaming in inhuman tongues, throws himself into the portal with reckless abandon. He didn't know where he was going, and honestly, he wasn't in the state of mind to be concerned about his destination. He wanted out of here, now.

[Silver Priest]

Alex attempts to follow the others, knowing that to stay here would be certain death.

[Philulhu]

As they dived for the fracturing portal, the petrol around them ignited and searing flames instantly roasted any exposed flesh and scorched the air in their lungs.

As the passed through the strange portal, the heat was replaced with bone-chilling cold and they felt once again the mind-wrenching sensation of travelling, blind and unseeing, while simultaneously aware of the enormity of the depths of time and space and things that lurked on the threshold of human understanding.

Even as their overloaded brains lapsed into unconsciousness, they could still hear Brophy’s agonised scream, like an ice-cold stiletto to the base of the skull, following them, haunting their nightmares as they fell… …

- - - - - - - - -

So ends the current chapter. Where will our investigators end up next?