Episode Two - The Plot Thickens..

[jaysun81]

Seeing no need to be discreet Jonathan shouts to his associates saying, "Is everyone alright? Perhaps we should beat feet?" As he keeps an eye on the door, and attempts to remain covered from the upstairs shooter.

[carnage_lee]

Jonathan, Rachel, Nellie, Roxburgh & Ponsonby - Outside of Fen House

Roxburgh, Rachel, Nellie (and an unconscious Ponsonby)

Roxburgh scrambles to his feet with enormous relief at being freed from under the bulk of Bill's corpse. "Well that was a close shave! I could feel my ribs cracking, don't you know." he says a little breathlessly. "Damned man was harder to put down than a charging 'Bull Elephant'... almost as large too!" the renowned hunter looks down at the still body, perhaps imagining the fearsome and almost bestial face might look stuffed and mounted in his trophy room. "Good shooting." he adds smiling at Rachel.

Jonathan's shouted queries attract another shot from the upstairs window, perhaps the rose-bushes are not quite good enough cover?

Spoiler:

carnage_lee rolled 7d6:
5, 5, 4, 6, 3, 4, 3

- Jonathan can have 3 more dice on his defence roll to allow for the darkness and cover.
Edit no need to roll (pool of 9 dice is 4+ average) so the shot goes wide... but will the next one?

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   So, what's the plan? The people in Fen House could out-flank you by coming around from the front door (there are at least 3 people in the house). Someone will have to carry the unconscious Ponsonby, Jonathan is the strongest and could carry the youngster without being slowed down too much (he's also the worst shot). Escaping means going back down past the 'games room' and across the front garden to the lane and then finding the cab that you'd instructed to wait 'aways down the lane'. Or you can take refuge in one of the out-buildings but that'd result in a shoot-out. Jonathan should be able to get to where the others are without any problems (especially if he shoots the shotgun first) - the people in the house would take some moments to work out what was going on.... Sorry for the slow pace - I'm suffering with my 2nd cold in two weeks. I'll try and recruit people to take over Nellie and Roxy (to take control of them after this scene).

[jaysun81]

Jonathan realizing that it was pure luck that he brought the hound down and that he lacks any skills with a firearm decides to fire off one barrel of the gun into the air. Figuring it would be best to regroup with his friends, and get the shotgun into qualified hands he decides to break from cover and head towards his friends once he discharged the gun.

OOC:   Firearms is an "Untrained Skill" for Jonathan. So I use my base Attribute (which is Dex: 2) and apply a -2 penalty, which lowers it to 0.Considering I have no SP left, and I don't have the benefit of an uncanny dodge I'm gonna gamble and run.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," Rachel says to Roxburgh. "Of course, it was my fist that finally brought him down. We have to get Ponsonby out of here and back to the University post haste, so we can thwart the plot." She spots Jonathan on his way to join them and reloads her pistol to replace the bullets she's fired. "He can carry the young man. I'll help cover our retreat."

[carnage_lee]

Jonathan, Rachel, Nellie, Roxburgh & Ponsonby - Outside of Fen House

Roxburgh favours Jonathan with a hearty slap on the back by way of welcome and takes the proffered shotgun and handful of cartridges and hastily ejects the spent cartridge and re-loads.

"I'll cover our backs, Mrs Steele if you would be so kind as to lead the way and cover the front door we should be able to make for the lane. You too Miss Bly. he adds, handing Nellie his re-loaded pistol.

Jonathan takes a few moments to make sure that he has a good hold of the unconscious form of Ponsonby they set off, Nellie and Rachel quickly moving to along the side of the house and stopping at he corner. The front door remains closed, the coast is clear.

Spoiler:

You caught a fleeting glimpse of the man in the upstairs room, not a good look by any stretch of the imagination, but something about the man was familiar...

OOC:   It would only be a matter of a handful of seconds to rush up the driveway and onto the lane. Bushes and trees that line the lane on either side would offer some protection from view and make shooting from the House difficult. Your only difficulty then would be to find the coach that you arrived in.

[Mr. Handy]

"Almost there," says Rachel, using the greenery for cover as she leads the way, keeping her eyes peeled for the coach.

[jaysun81]

Jonathan follows after his companions all the while wondering about what - or rather who - he saw mere moments ago.

[carnage_lee]

Jonathan, Rachel, Nellie, Roxburgh & Ponsonby - Outside of Fen House

Rachel takes point, her revolver gripped in her hand, with Nellie and Jonathan a few paces back, making your way along the lane. Your speed of progress is somewhat hampered by the fact that Jonathan has the unconscious form of Ponsonby slung over his shoulder. It only takes a few minutes for Fen House to disappear from view behind hedges and bends in the lane.

The sounds of hurrying footsteps reveal Roxburgh as he rushes to catch up; "Those scoundrels are not following us but they may be making plans to vacate the house. They must know that we will bring the authorities down on their heads once we reach Cambridge." he says, panting slightly. With a nod he then drops back a little distance and you know that the renowned hunter is covering the retreat.

Your footfalls seem to echo loudly in your ears as you hurry along the lane, the darkness pressing around you...

Spoiler:

You recall that Alf said he would wait about a mile from the house and you wonder if the sounds of the fight outside Fen House would have reached his ears and if so would they have spooked the driver into leaving his position? At your current pace, as Jonathan is encumbered with the unconscious form of Ponsonby, you estimate it will be at least half an hour before you get to where your waiting vehicle ought to be.

Spoiler:

Do you stick together? Does it make sense for the ladies to march ahead and make best speed to get to the waiting coach and get it driven back to Jonathan and Roxburgh? If Rachel and or Nellie were to rush on ahead they could reach the cab in half the time .. but what about the villains that were left in Fen House? Are you safer together?

[Mr. Handy]

"We must get back to Cambridge quickly to foil the plot," says Rachel. "Nellie and I should hurry ahead and retrieve the cab."

[jaysun81]

While carrying Ponsonby, Jonathan nods at Rachel's comment and says, "Excellent idea."

[carnage_lee]

Jonathan, Rachel, Nellie, Roxburgh & Ponsonby

Rachel and Nellie rush ahead to meet with Alf the cabbie, unencumbered by the need to move as slowly as Jonathan they soon disappear from sight as they rush along the road-way.

After fifteen minutes or so they reach their cab and the breathless ladies explain the need to travel back up the lane to collect their friends. Within a few moments they're in the cab and Alf is urging the horse along the dark lane to collect Jonathan, Ponsonby and Roxburgh.

It's only s couple of minutes later that the cab drawn up as the form of Jonathan comes into view of the oil-lamps. Roxburgh takes a position beside Alf as the inside of the cab is too cramped for more than four people.

"Where to now then?" says an obviously curious Alf.

Spoiler:

The cab is facing back the way you fled from Fen House, that's the way back to Cambridge (you have to pass by Fen House); it's journey of an half an hour or so to get back to Trinity College. The other direction would take you to the small village of Grantchester - five minutes journey.

Ponsonby looks no worse, though he does need medical attention.

It's currently coming up to 10pm (that's my gut feeling, if you don't agree let me know).

[Mr. Handy]

"Back to Trinity College, and quickly," says Rachel. "There's not a moment to lose!"

[carnage_lee]

Jonathan, Rachel, Nellie, Roxburgh & Ponsonby

Roxburgh nods imperceptibly "You heard the lady, speed is of the essence, the boy requires medical assistance." he barks, re-enforcing Rachel's order.

Alf shakes the reigns while making a clicking sound and the horses start moving, the iron bound wheels making low rumbling noises as the speed picks up. Within a matter of minutes you draw past Fen House. No one is in sight but may windows are lit, the house is still occupied. Your passage doesn't draw any response from within the house and continue northwards along Grantchester Road towards Trinity College.

Spoiler:

I've decided that the group is in a 'Growler' cab.

As your carriage slows to take the turn onto Barton Road a loud report sings out in the night followed by a zinging whine as the bullet ricochets off of the iron cover of the left-hand side lamp. The noise of the shot causes one of the horses to pull sharply to the left and the carriage sways alarmingly, wheels clipping the kerb-stones, the iron hubs creating a shower of sparks.

With a clatter of hooves a smaller carriage moves past another shot rings out and both your horses pull up, snorting and whinnying. The other carriage pulls past and, leaning alarmingly, makes the turn onto Barton Road.

Spoiler:

inside the 'Growler' needs to make a Difficulty 2 roll using their DEX rating, followed by a Difficulty 4 using Perception.

Spoiler:

Dex:

carnage_lee rolled 3d6:
1, 3, 5

Perception:

carnage_lee rolled 5d6:
2, 6, 2, 2, 6

Taken totally unaware by the events Roxburgh finds himself almost thrown from the bench-seat, he only manages to stop himself from being flung off the carriage by dropping the shotgun and finding something to hang on to. The shotgun clatters to the pavement.... luckily the hammers were not cocked and the shotgun fails to fire.

[Mr. Handy]

Graceful as always, Rachel manages to maintain her balance. She almost, but not quite, sees something out of the corner of her eye.

Spoiler:

Don't we get to double a primary attribute when we roll against it? If so, Roxborough may still succeed.

DEX 4 roll (Difficulty 2):

Mr. Handy rolled 4d2:
1, 2, 2, 1

Perception 5 roll (Difficulty 4):

Mr. Handy rolled 5d2:
2, 1, 1, 2, 2

[carnage_lee]

Nellie Bly

Spoiler:

DEX 3:

carnage_lee rolled 3d6:
6, 6, 6

Perception 8: Take avg of 4

The sudden jolting of the carriage doesn't seem to bother Nellie, not only does she seem barely to move but she also keeps a tight grip on Ponsonby and stops him from being thrown about.

As the other carriage flashes past she catches a good look at the driver; it's someone she recognises but doesn't get a good look at the gunman his face obscured by the smoke from his pistol, as he fires the shot that goes wide as the carriages pass. "Dr. Choker... and someone else!" she exclaims.

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

Can I return fire? I presume there was time to reload my revolver.

[jaysun81]

OOC:   Dexterity: 2 (DIFF 2) jaysun81 rolled 2d2: 2, 2 Perception: 5 (DIFF 4) jaysun81 rolled 5d2: 1, 1, 1, 2, 1

[carnage_lee]

Spoiler:

I don't think there would be time between the near crash and the other carriage overtaking and then making the turn. Rachel would have to be on the off-side of the coach facing forwards to be in a position to get a shot off out of the window (in the door), which in all probability would be up. How about a difficulty 5 on initiative?

[Mr. Handy]

Rachel moves quickly to return fire at the other coach, but she is just a hair too late, and it is out of her line of sight. "Quickly, we must catch up to them!" she calls.

Spoiler:

Initiative 7 roll (Difficulty 5):

Mr. Handy rolled 7d2:
1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2