Track 10: Sympathy for the Devil

[jp1885]

Tony raises an eyebrow at the sound of the explosion.

"Well I was prepared to talk this thing out like gentlemen, but threatening to blow up my friends is beyond the pale old chap."

He lashes out again, hoping to surprise and tip the fellow into the water. If he succeeds, he'll pilot the boat back to the shore. If he fails then he'll continue to grapple with the miscreant.

[Mr. Handy]

Seeing that Tony is still on the boat, Liz points her EMP device at the helicopter and activates it.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Tony raises an eyebrow at the sound of the explosion.

"Well I was prepared to talk this thing out like gentlemen, but threatening to blow up my friends is beyond the pale old chap."

He lashes out again, hoping to surprise and tip the fellow into the water. If he succeeds, he'll pilot the boat back to the shore. If he fails then he'll continue to grapple with the miscreant.

Spoiler:

DEX 18 again. The dice roller here seems to have disappeared, so I'm using an external link:

https://rolladie.net/

You'll have to trust me.

1d20: 13 damage 1d6: 6

Tony smashes his stick dead center into the man's head, sending him flying out of the boat and into the water, where he vanishes from sight.

Spoiler:

To operate the boat, DEX 14 - 3 for no head for mechanics = 11

1 d 20: 17

Unfortunately, it seems that the boat's controls are labeled only in Norwegian, so Tony is unable to bring it to shore.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Seeing that Tony is still on the boat, Liz points her EMP device at the helicopter and activates it.

The helicopter's blades spin wildly out of control, filling the air with a ear-splitting shriek. The chopper tilts at an acute angle just as another rocket flies out of it.

Spoiler:

let's call this DEX = 9 - 3 for going out of control = 6. Using external die roller

1 d20 = 18

The rocket goes flying into the air, exploding at a great height, causing no damage as fragments of the shattered weapon fall into the sea.

Spoiler:

Let's see where the chopper crashes 1-10, the sea. 11-19, the land. 20, something else.

1 d20 = 9

The chopper crashes into the ocean, sinking quickly out of sight.

Meanwhile, the other gunman, now weaponless and without allies, heads out to the open sea in the other boat at a rapid pace. Jan shakes his fist at him, cursing in Norwegian.

[jp1885]

Tony continues to wrestle with the boat controls, knowing that the vessel is the only way to get his friends off the island.

[SunlessNick]

Zara takes stock of her injury, while casting anxious glances in all directions (she's not assuming the gang are in the clear now).

[Mr. Handy]

Liz quickly helps Zara with her injury now that the immediate danger has passed.

[SunlessNick]

"Is Jan ok?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Tony continues to wrestle with the boat controls, knowing that the vessel is the only way to get his friends off the island.

Spoiler:

Let's try one more time. DEX 11 off-site die roller: 9

With helpful advice from Jan, who shouts instructions in a voice that would have done a Viking proud, Tony is able to bring Astrid to shore safely.

After all the excitement, as Jan and Zara do their best to recover from their injuries, with the help of the others, a eerie silence descends upon the island. The seabirds, frightened off by the noise, are wary of returning. Even the constant wind grows calm, and the ever-present mist grows heavier.

"They be back," Jan says, indicating the spot from which the other boat took flight. "We leave? Or you want explore, find out what this about?"

[jp1885]

"I wonder if we should poke around a little before we leave," Tony suggests. "Try to find out what's been going on here."

[SunlessNick]

"Someone took the food from the station," Zara says. "They might need help."

[Mr. Handy]

"Agreed," says Liz. "We must get to the bottom of the mystery and help whoever needs it."

[SunlessNick]

"The guy I shot," Zara asks slowly. "Did I kill him?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Jan, who the investigators know, from casual conversation, to have been, as a very young man, a member of the Norwegian resistance during the Nazi occupation of his homeland, is familiar with dead men. He doesn't have to examine the fellow very closely to determine that he has been killed.

"Mourn not," he assures Zara. "You are good soldier. He was enemy."

He does not care to deal with the dead man any further, suggesting that he be allowed to throw him into the sea.

[jp1885]

“Let’s see if this chap has any information on him before we tip him into the sea...”

Tony searches the body of their assailant, while wondering whether he’s seen the black bird symbol anywhere before.

[Mr. Handy]

"It's all right, Zara," says Liz. "He was trying to kill us. It was self-defense. I understand how you feel, though. I don't think anyone in that helicopter I brought down survived either, but they were about to kill our friends."

[SunlessNick]

"Thanks," Zara says to Liz, offering a wan smile to Jan too. "I know you're right. Has he got anything that'll help, Tony?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

“Let’s see if this chap has any information on him before we tip him into the sea...”

Tony searches the body of their assailant, while wondering whether he’s seen the black bird symbol anywhere before.

Spoiler:

WIS 11 + 3 Sharp Eyes = 14; INT = 7 off site die rolls 2d20: 7, 10

The symbol of the black bird does not suggest anything in particular, but, examining the dead man closely, Tony finds a tiny white tablet, disguised as a button on the fellow's shirt. Other than the weapon he was carrying, there does not seem to be anything else of interest.

Meanwhile, Jan has been examining the ground where the large footprints were left.

Spoiler:

I'll give him training in tracking, so no penalty. Average WIS of 9. Snow helps, but rain and wind hurt, so those cancel out.
off site die roll 1d20: 15

"Cannot tell where big one went," he says, after returning to join the others. "Where you think?"

He explains that the northern half of the island, where they are now, is at a lower elevation than the southern half. Journeying in any direction other than due south or southeast, they would remain on the lowlands until, reaching the sea. The path to the southern tip of the island is longer but rises less steeply. The path to the southeast is shorter but steeper, and it ends at the highest point of the island. Whichever way they decide to go, they will pass many lakes.

A topographic map retrieved from Astrid confirms this. (The tiny star at the top marks the meteorological station.)

[jp1885]

“High ground perhaps?” muses Tony.

He shows the others the pill he found in the dead assailant.

“I’m thinking suicide pill. If I’m right, these chaps are serious; we shouldn’t hang around too long.”

[SunlessNick]

"Looks like he wanted to get well away from the weather station, and that place would do it," Zara adds.