Ch.13a. All Unquiet on the Western Front (Alex, Lawrence, William)

[Philulhu]

Soldier’s POW vs Lance-Jack’s POW - 1d100

The soldiers shifted uneasily but a sharp word from the Lance-Jack steadied their nerves. It was noticeable however, that they stood aside to let Lawrence, Alex and William take the lead…

As they moved into the crypt, the rich, coppery smell of blood assailed their nostrils with an underlying smell of death - like the nearby battlefields, but worse. As they came into the crypt itself, they could see more than a dozen men, some with obvious injuries and some without. Perhaps they were the ones who had lost loved ones, who hoped for their return?

Before the stone altar stood Carter, leaning heavily on his crutch, joining in the chanting fitfully, looking concerned at how events were playing out. Next to him was Nurse Zenna, her uniform cast blood red in the unholy glow from the wall of flesh on the other side of the altar, from where a humanoid figure was straining to pull itself loose…

SAN roll, please.

[Mr. Handy]

"This is not happening," mutters William.

Sanity roll (current level 61) for seeing the thing in the wall:
d%

[Silver Priest]

1d100

A widening of Alex's eyes are the only sign of the terror he feels. He looks towards Carter. "Don't listen to her, Carter! This won't get you what you want!"

[Bullfrog]

Sanity 59: 1d100

"Open fire on the nurse and the wall!"
Lawrence's blood runs as cold as ice, but his hands remain steady as he takes aim at Nurse Zenna and pulls the trigger! He wouldn't be running from the un-natural forces of the world, not this time; it was time to crush the head of this serpent under his heel.

Rifle 50%:1d100

[Philulhu]

Lose 1d3 SAN.

A Persuade roll could be appropriate here.

The rifle is a Lee Enfield .303. It fires every other round and does an impressive 2d6+4 damage.

[Silver Priest]

1d100

[Mr. Handy]

William manages to (mostly) shrug off the willies.

Sanity loss (current level 61) for seeing the thing in the wall:
1d6/2

[Philulhu]

Soldier’s firing: 1d100, 1d100, 1d100

One shot went wide but two more hit the wall of flesh, causing the creature that was emerging from it to shudder in pain. None of the shots had been aimed at Nurse Zenna! Despite everything before them the soldiers could not bring themselves to fire upon her! Lawrence had had no such qualms but his shot had flown wide.

Carter blinked at the unfolding scene. Alex had tried to get him to see reason but had failed and the soldier screwed up his eyes and resumed chanting.

The creature from the wall continued to move into the room, growing in stature, stretching the flesh to breaking point until splits started to appear in the skin, splits that exposed a black fire burning inside… …

[Bullfrog]

William, Alex! Deal with Zenna and Carter! They're the ones calling up that god-forsaken thing!"
Lawrence backs away as he ejects his spent cartridge and chambers the next, hoping desperately that he'd be able to cycle in that next round fast enough to blow that wall-creature's head off before it could get to his companions.

[Silver Priest]

I'm guessing Alex can't keep trying to persuade Carter every round? I know you usually can't keep trying a skill but given the situation is evolving I'm wondering if I can try again here. No worries if not, just want to confirm so I know my next action.

[Mr. Handy]

Without a gun, William closes the distance to Nurse Zenna, hoping to knock her unconscious with a blow from one of his crutches.

[Philulhu]

I think in this situation it’s one attempt only. It doesn’t appear to Alex that Carter will listen to reason.

[Silver Priest]

Alex's eyes are filled with sorrow that as Carter continues the chanting, but he has no time too focus on that now. Instead he rushes towards Zenna and tries to help William by hitting her with his bayonet.

OOC:   Don't have the stats but assume my chance to hit is 25

1d100[/roll]]

[Philulhu]

Nurse Zenna’s eyes blazed as Alex stumbled past her with the bayonet and her chanting took on a mocking tone as she saw how little effect they were having! ”Iä! Mordiggian! Iä! Come, Lord of Flesh! Return limbs to your followers! Let us be made whole again! Iä! Iä!”

As she spoke, Mordiggian emerged fully from his fleshy restraint, rent gobbets of bloody tissue falling to the floor. Before them stood a vaguely humanoid shape, roughly seven feet tall, comprising a mass of writhing black wires, as if some of the barbed wire of the battlefield had taken on a hellish life of its own! Within the creature, sparks and flames swirled, igniting and extinguished in an instant, although it threw off no heat - by contrast, the temperature within the crypt suddenly plummeted and breathe fogged the air.

The ‘head’ turned in their direction, though it was little more than a rough shape with no eyes or mouth, and spoke in a deep, cold voice that echoed with aeons of suffering and slaughter. ”WHO SUMMONS MORDIGGIAN?!” it intoned.

I think it’s SAN check time again, don’t you?

[Mr. Handy]

William manages to keep some semblance of rationality. "It was her," he says, pointing at Zenna.

Sanity roll (current level 60) for seeing Mordiggian:
d%

[Silver Priest]

1d100

Alex looks towards Carver. "You see what you have done!" He screams.

[Bullfrog]

SAN 59: 1d100

Lawrence's mind races as he gazes upon the form of Mordiggian, The Returner of Limbs, and he begins to mumble to himself under his breath, his teeth uncontrollably chattering. What could he do against a god? He was weak. He was powerless. He always was, ever since the start.
"Mordiggian... Mordiggian..."

[Philulhu]

This is a biggie, I’m afraid. Mordiggian is a Great Old One, after all.

If you made your SAN roll, lose 1d10 SAN. If you didn’t make it, roll 1d100 - fingers crossed… …

[Silver Priest]

1d10

Alex seems more morally outraged anyone would summon this loathsome creature than terrified by it, but he still fears they might not be able to kill it alone with such a small group.

[Bullfrog]

This may well be the end of Lawrence Gilman, but it's been a good run and all things must eventually end. Even anti-supernatural vigilante farmers.

San loss 1D100: 1d100

Lawrence isn't stark raving mad yet, but he's not far from it.