Track 11: Spooky

[jp1885]

P suggests making some kind of Faraday Cage suit for the putative driver. Perhaps a diving suit, suitably altered?

[Mr. Handy]

"Many cars are already practically Faraday cages," says Liz, "unless of course they're open-topped or a window is open. The rubber tyres are natural insulators, so if a car is hit by an electrical discharge, it will go into the ground without harming the driver. This is why they say that if there's a lightning storm, you're safer staying in your car and waiting for it to pass than being outside. Although a modified diving suit would help in case the car is breached. The only other thing we've got to do is find a suitable car - and find someone reckless enough to drive it. I'm a fairly good driver, but I'm not the best." She looks around outside for one.

[jp1885]

“Excellent point. I dare say we are too pressed for time to find a suit. I too am not the best driver, but will step into the breach if need be. There must be a vehicle rental place nearby, hm?”

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Have any drivers just stopped at the chaos, rather than getting out of there? (Or are there any parked ones we can hotwire?)

Some people have abandoned their vehicles and run off in terror. Some of them have even been left with the keys in the ignition and the motors running.

Spoiler:

d106d206d20oops, those 6d20 were supposed to be 6d126d12

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The vehicles:

1. A dark blue delivery van ("The Jolly Baker Bread and Snack Cakes")

2. A bright orange Bentley (good grief, what were they thinking with that paint job?)

3. A white convertible with the top down (looks like a car for Barbie)

4. A turquoise Rolls Royce (does it belong to someone traveling with the driver of the Bentley?)

5. A personal van, with a very nicely spray-painted image of a dolphin jumping over the ocean on one side and frolicking mermaids on the other side (The "Son of a Beach" and "If this van's a-rockin' . . ." bumper stickers don't add anything to the effect)

6. A shiny gray convertible (Ken's?)

[jp1885]

“We should borrow a car each to increase our chances,” P declares. “I will take the Rolls.”

[Mr. Handy]

"The convertibles are right out," says Liz. "We need enclosed vehicles. The vans are probably our best bets. I'll take the delivery van, if I can."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The two vehicles are simple enough to operate. The bakery van is full of extremely soft white bread and a wide variety of snack cakes, so there's not much room for anything else. The passenger seat and back seat of the Rolls are covered with ordinary cardboard boxes, also limiting the room. As one would expect, the van runs nosily, while the Rolls whispers like a dream.

Meanwhile, the being steps off the road and into a nearby park, chasing people away from picnic tables and knocking down palm trees with apparent glee.

[SunlessNick]

Zara takes the other van. She also tries to get ahead of the others - if anyone is to take the risk of driving into the thing it should be her.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz makes sure the doors and windows are fully closed before starting the motor. She remembers that people here drive on the wrong side of the road, which is to say the right side, as she follows Zara's van toward the creature.

[jp1885]

Watching the girls driving off towards the entity, P starts the Rolls and drives off on a slightly more circuitous route. If the creature tries to dodge Zara or Liz, then hopefully P ‘can cut him off at the pass.’

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

DEX rolls, in order of speaking, to drive, because you have to get off the road and into the park. Zara, Liz, P = 13, 12, 5
If Zara succeeds, Good Sense of Direction will help.3d20

Somewhat taken aback by what some American has done to the Rolls -- good grief, are those fuzzy dice? -- P winds up stalling the engine. Meanwhile, Liz and Zara successfully surround the entity, driving the vehicle into the grassy park, dodging bushes and trees with great skill. Zara, in particular, is able to drive into the thing, which sends a bolt of lightning-like energy bursting into the sky, and cutting the size of the being in half. It lets out a roar of pain. So far, so good, but the downside is that the effect also kills the vehicle's motor completely; Zara is unable to move it in any direction. Is it safer to stay inside it, or jump out and run away?

[Mr. Handy]

"Stay in the van!" Liz calls to Zara. "The electricity can't get you in there!"

[jp1885]

Tearing down the fluffy dice and muttering curses in Latin, P restarts the engine. Hopefully he can catch up with the girls and continue with his outflanking manoeuvre!

[Mr. Handy]

Liz tries to drive into the entity without colliding with Zara's van, hoping to finish the thing off completely.

[SunlessNick]

Zara remembers the point of taking closed vehicles and doesn't get out of the van. But she does yell "It's me!" hoping to distract the thing and stop it hurting anyone else.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

dex 5 againd20

Determined to teach this grotesquely decorated vehicle who's master, P is able to gain control of the Rolls and make his way to the other side of the being, which seems to take no notice.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

dex 12d20

While attempting to reach the entity, Liz runs over the curb separating the street from the park at a bad angle, causing one of the tires to burst and getting the van stuck halfway up the sidewalk. The being pays no attention.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

wis = 11d20

Zara's shout draws the attention of the being. It draws near the vehicle, careful not to touch it. It communicates with her through some sort of telepathy.

Child! Do you not know that there are far worse things than I waiting for you? Only I can protect you from them. Come to me!

[jp1885]

Swinging the Rolls so that it faces the creature, P accelerates towards it.