January 05 - The Doom Train

[SaintMeerkat]

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"Brilliant idea," Archie said as he slipped his thumbs beneath his sturdy leather belt, thankful that he'd gained a few pounds recently so that his pants didn't immediately drop to his ankles as soon as he removed it. "It might take two belt hooked together for our purposes. Would one of you two gentlemen be so kind... It should be safe. I promise to return it unharmed...if I return at all," he said, laughing darkly.

"I don't even want to think about where you would end up if you fell off. I am sure it wouldn't be London."

[robertod]

The plan works. The investigators manage to lure the undead to the third car. Then they run towards the now empty first cars. Eventually, the group reaches the coal tender. As they turn their gaze towards the locomotive and its footplate, they see to figures coming out from there. They are two undead. They are dressed as train drivers. One of them has a shovel in his hand. He points it at the investigators in a threatening way. They are moving towards the coal tender. All the other undeads are now in the third car, but they are slowly approaching.

[Mr. Handy]

"Looks like we're going to have to knock these two off the train," says Felicity. "I've still got some fight left in me. Ooh, I know! Anyone got a flask? If we pour it out under their feet, they might slip and fall off."

[aine]

“Hmm, I only have a hip flask and I don’t think it would be worth the waste to create such a small puddle.” Clarence replies. He draws his sword again, “Come along, Andrew, let’s clear the way.”

Sword, add 2. Roll: 6

[Mephistophilis]

'Aye, let's get rid of these blighters,' says Andrew. He draws his pistol and takes aim at the engineers, trying to use the force of the round to knock one of them off the locomotive.

F(pd2)1d6+2

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie pulls out his gun. "I will avenge my friend," he shouts, aiming at one of the undead in the locomotive. "This one's for Alfie, you brute!"

Spoiler:

I am spending one point from my Firearms (currently 6).

1d6

[Mr. Handy]

"Grab that shovel if you can!" calls Felicity as she tries to push one of the engineers off the train. "It'll make it easier to shovel that coal."

Scuffling roll (2 points spent) trying to knock a zombie off the train:
1d6+2

[robertod]

Felicity grabs one of the undead and tries to push him off the train, but the creature grabs her too. The two are stalled. The zombie is resisting and swinging, on the edge of the car. He is hit in the chest by Andrew and Archie's bullets, but the impact of the shots are not enough to knock him down.The other undead is skewered by Clarence's sword and also suffers blows from Randolph's club. Black blood slowly gushes from the cut he got in his belly. The shovel he was holding falls to the coal of the wagon floor. The undead reaches out to Clarance and holds him in his arms. Meanwhile, Henry runs to help Felicity push the other creature off the train.

1 + 1d6 = 4

1d6 Firearms damage to undead is halfed = 3

1d6 Firearms damage to undead is halfed = 3

1d6 Damage = 3

1 +1d6 = 5

[Mr. Handy]

Should we post our actions for the next round?

[robertod]

OOC:   Yes, please post actions.

[aine]

Clarence attempts to wrench himself free of the zombie’s grasp and thrust it from the train.

I’ll use both points of scuffling for this: 1d6 roll: 1 gulp!

“Help!” He cries.

[Mr. Handy]

"Get your hands off of me!" cries Felicity as she tries to shove the zombie loose with all her might.

Scuffling roll trying to knock the zombie off the train:
1d6

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie roars in frustration as the creature refuses to go down. He maintains his interval from his target and squeezes off another shot, hoping this will be enough.

Spoiler:

Firearms is currently 5, and I am spending 1.

1d6

[Mephistophilis]

Seeing Felicity getting the better of her attacker, Andrew turns his attention to Clarence who is fumbling ineffectually with his sword. 'Keep your hands to yourself you blighter!' shouts Andrew, closing to point blank range he shoots the monster in the face.

F1d6+2

[robertod]

Using a force he didn't know he had, Randolph uses his improvised club to strike at the undead creature that is facing Felicity. The body sways and momentarily loses its balance, so that the woman is able to push the monster out of the wagon. As the creature falls,the being emits a prolonged scream that fades as the train moves away, running throught the desolate plains of the unnatural landscape.

The bullet fired by Andrew hits the other undead in the face. An eye and a piece of the skull fly away with a trickle of blackish blood. But an unnatural force still guide the creature. It feels no pain. A mass of dead flesh that moves, that wants to assemble living flesh to itself. It will do so as long as the limbs are able to move. The hideous, bloody head approaches Clerence's arm and is about to bite into it, with its drooling misshapen mouth.

Henry calls the group's attention. His face is full of terror. He points his finger at the first car. The other undead have just reached the roof and are now staggering towards the coal truck, in a chorus of chaotic moans.

OOC:   Post for the next round

[Mr. Handy]

"Cheers! We've got to separate the cars!" calls Felicity, hurrying to the coupling and working to detach it.

[Mephistophilis]

'Dammit, these things won't stop,' curses Andrew, dropping his pistol into a pocket and swinging at the monster's head, trying to knock out away from Clarence, and off the train.

FFL1d6, ah damn. I'm out of points in Scuffling.

[aine]

Clarence makes a last ditch attempt with his sword to slice off the hand that is drawing his own arm closer and closer to the snapping jaws of the zombie.

Weapon, spending last point. Roll:6

[SaintMeerkat]

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"Hurry, Felicity! They're almost upon us," Archie yelled, firing off another shot.

Spoiler:

Firearms is currently 4, and I am spending 1.

1d6

[robertod]

Felicity is helped by Henry and the two manage to separate the coal wagon from the rest of the cars. Clarence pulls his arm away from the creature's bite. Randolph hits the undead with a club blow. The walking dead collapses to the ground. With a kick, Randolph throws his body off the wagon.
The investigators eventually reach the coal tender and then the footplate, the structure on which the locomotive driver and fireman would stand in the cab to operate the steam locomotive. The locomotive is still running, but no one is in the cab. The footplate is covered with wooden floorboards and comprises a large metal plate that rests on top of the locomotive frame. It takes up the full width of the locomotive cab, and in depth it extends from the front of the cab to the coal bunker on the tender. The coal in the firebox appears to fuel a fire that can last indefinitely.
Randolph and Henry begin to hand-shovel more coal into the firebox. The heat of the fire increases. The train´s speed increases consequently. The investigators feel the sudden thrum and click of car wheels slowly rolling and clattering over solid iron rails and wooden sleepers. Out of the windows they see dark English countryside on a late winter’s morning. Randolph leans against the window, suddenly old and tired, his face suddenly aged, his body shrunk, his back bowed.

Suddenly, everybody hears desperate whistle blasts from ahead. Their train is indeed steaming outbound from London on its old track, but a coal train is struggling ahead on the same track, and an alert brakeman has sounded the alarm. Collision is imminent and nearly unavoidable.