THE NEW VANGUARD! HAUNT Issue #11 with Special Guest Star Steeplejack!

The Haunt forms a huge ear he puts over the cellar door just before Steeplejack opens it, to listen for anything before opening it.

ooc: Off the top of my head, listening for the ticking of a time bomb, breathing, cocking of a weapon, shuffling of feet, etc.

With a giant ear Haunt listens...

He can hear... words not of an Earth born language. He can also hear something else. Sniffling. Mumbling.

A childs' voice... in Hindi, Haunt thought...

Steeplejack crouched next to the hatch, looking at the padlock securing it shut.

OOC Danger Sense 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,6,+0 Total:13 (23) vs
OV8 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,3,+0 Total:5 (13)
+4 (to 14) vs RV8 +3 Diff so RV11=3 RAPs

The door was alarmed AND booby trapped. Still, Steeplejack was the world's greatest thief... he hoped.

Haunt hears something else. Thudding footsteps of several heavy beings going up stairs... the click of weapons...

OOC You may not have enough time to pick the lock and disconnect the security system Dave/Steeplejack but you can try if you want. Haunt you hear the footsteps getting louder and knew they'd be outside the house very soon!

Admin wrote:OOC You may not have enough time to pick the lock and disconnect the security system Dave/Steeplejack but you can try if you want. Haunt you hear the footsteps getting louder and knew they'd be outside the house very soon!

Steeplejack knew that the next few moments would prove whether he had the skills of grace under pressure. Moving quickly his nimble fingers attempted to disarm and disable before the surprise party burst in on their attempt to get to the boy.

OOC: Going for it, regardless I want to try and get to the boy, we can skip out on this if we get him, as we'll be one objective greater and then we can nab the grail, or at least attempt to.

Sj

"They're coming up the stairs, arming their weapons and I hear the voice of a child down there," the Haunt tells Steeplejack as he readies himself for battle. "Take out the skinny guys with the guns first or we are doomed."

The Haunt molds himself to the root cellar door's moulding, using chameleon to blend in with it so it seems he is a part of it. Probably won't give him surprise but it might.

OOC Steeplejack knew this would take a minute to pull off and that was assuming he could do it at all!

Dex 13 + 5D thief + Roll(7d12)+0: 10,8,9,12,4,2,11,+0 Total:23 (No doubles??) (36) vs
OV10 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,7,+0 Total:9 (22)
+5 (to 18) vs RV10 + Diff 3 so RV13=5 RAPs

Steepljack CAN override the system... but needs to be uninterrupted for 1 MINUTE whilst he's doing it...

The seconds tick by...

Then Haunt, with his enhanced hearing, hears thudding footsteps and huffing...

He sees... a man round the corner, dressed in a typical brown suit of the age. His angry countenance betrays his motivation however...

OOC Steeplejack needs four rounds (16 seconds) at the hatch to get it open after nearly forty five seconds have passed with him poking, prodding and pulling at wires and wooden panels to get at the booby trap under the hatch...

Initiative... Roll(2d12)+0:
5 Haunt (31)
4 MUTON (24)

Haunt is faster and though he sees an ordinary man in front of him, somehow knows his eyes are deceiving him!

which attack has less minuses? Devastating or Critical? Whichever it is, I'll take that one. Morph hands in the ever faithful giant mallets and clobber the guy. Also turn up the Fog just one AP in range.

Haunt formed his hands into giant mallets and brought them down on the fellow!

OOC Dex 10 + 6D Weaponry + Roll(8d12)+0: 8,2,9,5,5,9,6,7,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 5,12,+0 Total:35 (45) vs
OV8 - Surprise 4 Diff 3 + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,8,+0 Total:20 (31)
+5 (to 20) vs RV12 - 6 Crit Blow + Diff 3 so RV9=11RAPs. MUTON is on Body 1/12

The fellow gets pounded into the floor and staggers to his feet, morphing into his true form!



Steeplejack ignores the battle going on behind him as best he can, reaching into a small hole he's made to probe about for wires and examining them...

OOC Roll(2d12)+0:
10 Haunt (36)
12 Muton (32)

Haunt doesn't need to crit blow this time so...

Dex 10 + Weaponry 6D + Roll(8d12)+0: 3,3,7,11,8,6,4,1,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,1,+0 Total:13 (23) vs
OV8 + Diff 3 + 4D Acro (1D Weaponry) + Roll(6d12)+0: 4,1,9,9,11,9,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 5,3,+0 Total:26 (37) Attack Missed

The Muton blasts with a laser rifle!

OOC Can he see through the fog?

Thermal Vision 5 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,9,+0 Total:15 (23) vs
Fog 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,8,+0 Total:9 (17)
+3 (to 8) + Diff 3 (11) vs RV8=3 RAPs. The Muton can see through Haunts fog!

Dex 8 + 1D Weaponry + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,8,3,+0 Total:18 (26) vs
OV10 - Diff 3 +  Roll(2d12)+0: 11,4,+0 Total:15 (22)
+3 (to 16) vs RV14 - Diff 3 so RV11=5 RAPs damage. HAUNT IS ON BODY 9/14. Absorb with HP?

The Muton blasts at Haunt and scores a hit, burning the heroes' shoulder!

OOC initiative... Roll(2d12)+0:
11 haunt (37),1 Muton (21) Haunt is up. You may want to allocate some dice to defence. Only a naff roll on your follow up attack meant this guy is still standing...

ooc:   Regeneration would let me heal up all that damage how fast?  If it is less than 15 minutes, I will pass on spending HP.  If it is more then I will absorb 3 points.  Let's go 3/3 on the dice and hit him again regular attack.

"How you doing there," he asks Steeplejack as he has his little tiff with the Muton.

OOC Haunts healing is practically instant. He recovers damage every 16 seconds...

Dex 10 + 3D Weaponry + Roll(5d12)+0: 7,12,6,6,5,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,3,+0 Total:17 (27) vs
OV8 + diff 3 + 2D Defence (3D Weaponry) + Roll(4d12)+0: 11,8,7,6,+0 Total:19 (30) attack missed

Muton blasts back...

Av8 + Weaponry 3D - diff 3 + Roll(5d12)+0: 12,9,2,7,2,+0 Total:21 (29) vs
OV10 + 3D Acro + Roll(5d12)+0: 8,5,8,10,11,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,1,+0 Total:25 (35) Attack Missed

Roll(2d12)+0:
4 Haunt (30),10 Muton (30) Haunt acts first (higher Dex)

Same again. This round, next, then Steeplejack has unhooked the security system...

Av10 + 3D Weaponry + Roll(5d12)+0: 6,10,12,9,3,+0 Total:22 (32) vs
OV8 + 2D Acro (3D weaponry) + diff 3 + Roll(4d12)+0: 6,6,2,4,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,12,+0 Total:33 (44) Attack Missed

Muton attacks...

OV8 + Weaponry 3D + Roll(5d12)+0: 7,1,7,5,1,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,4,+0 Total:20 (28) vs
OV10 - Diff 3 + Acro 3D + Roll(5d12)+0: 10,10,3,10,5,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,12,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
6,2,+0 Total:52 (59) Attack Missed

Roll(2d12)+0:
10 Haunt (37),11 Muton (31) Haunt is up...

AV10 + 3D Weaponry + Roll(5d12)+0: 1,12,4,7,4,+0 Total:8 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,11,+0 Total:21 (31) vs
OV8 + 2D Acro (3D Weaponry) + diff 3 + Roll(4d12)+0: 1,6,12,12,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 3,7,+0 Total:34 (45) attack missed

AV8 + 3D Weaponry + Roll(5d12)+0: 5,6,12,7,5,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:19 (27) vs
Ov10 + 3D Acro - Diff 3 + Roll(5d12)+0: 4,3,12,3,1,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,1,+0 Total:11 (18)
+4 (to 17) vs RV14 - Diff 3 so RV11=6 RAPs. HAUNT is on 3/14 BODY

Finding once again that strange time distortion effect was hampering his every move, Haunt comes off worst in a tangle of bodies and blasting of laser weapons as the lawns are churned up and smashed with the fighting getting fierce! The Muton is on his last legs, Haunt isn't far off...

OOC initiative Roll(3d12)+0:
5 haunt (31),9 Steeplejack (43),9 Muton (29)

Steeplejack looks up from the hatch and sees Haunt struggling against the Muton. This time distortion effect was really muddling things up! He was now back in the fight (with the booby trap and alarms disconnected) and able to act!

OOC Steep, Haunt then the Muton...

Haunt 3/14 Body
Muton 1/12 Body

Admin wrote:OOC Steep, Haunt then the Muton...

Haunt 3/14 Body
Muton 1/12 Body

Flying in with a martial arts kick, Steeplejack was taking no chances, things were about to get wild with reinforcements attending in earnest and having lost the element of surprise he was keen that they ended back up on the front foot.

OOC: Ok going for 4 attack 1 defence with Martial arts. Then hoping we can get down to the cellar having disarmed the traps.

Sj

The same attack I've been doing, if it is needed.

Steeplejack whistled in with a super fast karate kick!

OOC Dex 13 + 4D M Arts (that would reduce your possible defence dice by 4D and you only have 4 Defence dice with 7 Acrobatics. May as well use all five for attack in that case. If you wanted to keep 1D over for defence you'd only use 3D attack. Using 5D I assume a Crit Blow) so 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 12,11,7,5,9,10,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,7,+0 Total:29 (42) vs
OV8 + Crit Blow 4 + 2D Acro (3D Weaponry) + Roll(4d12)+0: 9,10,5,3,+0 Total:19 (31)
+5 (to 16 Str) vs RV12 - 6 CB so RV6=10 RAPs. The Muton is DOWN and OUT

The Muton goes flying across the garden and crashes into a stone wall, slumping unconscious.

Haunt staggers but knows his pliable body will heal if given chance. His mega ears pick up running feet though and he knows they don't have long before that guys buddies turn up...

"More coming up the stairs," he warns his partner. He readies himself to bash the first one he sees with his mallet hands.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"More coming up the stairs," he warns his partner.  He readies himself to bash the first one he sees with his mallet hands.

Steeplejack nodded but went back to the cellar doors, now no longer trapped and threw them open to take a look inside...if the prince's brother was here, he didn't want the aliens making off with him and trying to distract them from the escape by sending expendable buddies at them both.

OOC: Ready to attack but keen to find out if the brother is here...

Sj

The approaching ADVENT aliens were coming from the house rather than the cellar and Haunt turned to see the first of them - the dreaded 'Thin Man' round the corner and take aim with a gun!

A muton and the last Chrysallid appeared at his sides and the heroes knew they were in trouble!

Ignoring them, Steeplejack leapt down the stairs into the dark cellar and along a corridor, checking side doors and listening to his danger sense.

It warned him...

OOC Danger Sense 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,6,+0 Total:16 (26) vs
OV4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,2,+0 Total:10 (14)
+5 (to 15) vs RV4=11 RAPs

That a man with a gun stepping into the corridor was more than he seemed... in fact his danger sense told him he faced a FACELESS shape changer a heartbeat before the thing morphed into its true, awful shape!



OOC Haunt faces THREE aliens above ground and Steeplejack faces a Faceless (no pun intended) in the cellar! Haunt is about 50' away from the trio and acts first. Steeplejack auto wins initiative against the Faceless. You're up.

OOC Haunt faces THREE aliens above ground and Steeplejack faces a Faceless (no pun intended) in the cellar! Haunt is about 50' away from the trio and acts first. Steeplejack auto wins initiative against the Faceless. You're up.


The Haunt puts every skill he has into offense in an all or nothing attack against his most feared ... I mean, hated foe!  The Thin Man!  Not sure I want Critical or Devastating Attack here, the one that has the best chance to take him down in one shot.  Will spend HP for more dice for attack and damage.  Two dice for each maybe?

Use his wonderful "sports glasses" for telescopic vision, stretching to reach and Omni-arm/Weaponry.  And 3 APs range of Fog, if possible.  As much as I want to go killing attack here, the Haunt will restrain and use his every handy mallet hands against him since he is still a superhero and wants to avoid killing.

Admin wrote:
OOC Haunt faces THREE aliens above ground and Steeplejack faces a Faceless (no pun intended) in the cellar! Haunt is about 50' away from the trio and acts first. Steeplejack auto wins initiative against the Faceless. You're up.

Steeplejack jumped back to where Haunt was, if they were going to face these foes then they were going to do it together.

OOC: So leap over to the others so I can work with Haunt and attack the nearest one. When the faceless comes out of the Cellar I'll turn back on him, depending on how Haunt gets on. But I'll aim at the thin man first that pesky gun toating nasty needs taking out and fast.

Sj

OOC Initiative...



Steeplejack sprints up the steps and bounds across the garden to where the 'Thin Man' was. The creature, human like but... 'stretched' and decidedly strange in appearance, was taking aim at Haunt!

OOC Crit Blow Steep Dex 13 + 3D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(5d12)+0: 9,5,3,9,9,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,10,+0 Total:30 (43) vs
OV12 + 3D Acro (2D Weapons) + 3 Diff + Roll(5d12)+0: 4,3,10,3,9,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,1,+0 Total:14 (29)
+5 (to 16) vs RV6 +diff 3  - 6 CB (3RV)= 13 RAPs. THIN MAN IS DOWN and OUT

There is a crack as Steeplejack strikes the Thin Man on the jaw and he spins, tumbling through the air and crashing into a wall, quite limp.

The Chrysallid swings at Steeplejack, it's deadly spine covered leg dripping with poison!

OOC Dex 9 + 3D M Arts (0 Acro) + Roll(5d12)+0: 11,5,6,8,2,+0 Total:19 (28) vs
OV13 + 1D Acro - Diff 3 + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,5,5,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,8,+0 Total:30 (40) Attack missed

Steeplejack ducks, spinning then rolling backwards to spring onto his feet, leaving the Chrysallid swiping at air!

Haunt sees the Thin man has gone down and targets the Muton, surrounding himself with Fog and stretching an arm out with his binocular eyes zooming in on his target...

OOC CRIT BLOW Haunt AV10 + 6D Weaponry (0D acro) + Roll(8d12)+0: 4,2,8,7,12,7,9,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,10,+0 Total:35 (45) vs
Muton OV8 + Diff 3 + 3D Acro (2D Weapon) + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(5d12)+0: 8,4,8,10,1,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
6,2,+0 Total:24 (39)
+3 (to 18) vs RV12 -6 Crit Blow +3 Diff (9RV)=9 RAPs damage. Muton is on Body 3/12

Delivering a smashing blow to his opponent Haunt sees it stand on its feet albeit planted a few inches into the turf of the garden. The Muton can hardly see Haunt so fires at Steeplejack who is closer!

OOC AV8 + 2D Weapon + Roll(4d12)+0: 6,4,3,10,+0 Total:16 (24) vs
OV13 - Diff 3 + Range 1 + 1D Acro + Roll(3d12)+0: 1,6,5,+0 Total:11 (22)
+2 (to 15) vs RV20 - 3 Diff so Rv17= No Damage.

Steeplejack throws up a shield of Earth which springs up from the ground to protect him! The blast fizzles harmlessly away as the Earth shrinks back down again!

The Faceless emerged from the cellar and tried to peer through the fog...

OOC Thermal Vision 5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,11,+0 Total:19 (24) vs
Fog 8 - Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,8,+0 Total:13 (18)
+3 (to 8) vs RV8 - 3 Diff= 3 RAPs

The Faceless ignores Haunts fog and strides towards him, swiping at him with a claw!

OOC Haunt buys 2D for defence and is on HP52

Dex 8 + 3D m arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 4,6,9,10,4,+0 Total:8 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,3,+0 Total:18 (26) vs
OV10 + 2D HP - Diff 3 + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,8,10,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:33 (40) Attack missed

Deftly avoiding his foe Haunt knows only a reasonably powerful blow will take out the Muton but to do so he might have to ignore the Faceless towering over him...

OOC Oops forgot to remove the Thin Man. Ignore him he's out of it.



As you can see the Muton needs only a tender tap, the Chrysallid and faceless are on full health. You can multi attack if you want to strike more than one, but its obviously harder to hit... Steep then Haunt. Haunt if you want to use your dice action to heal that's your call.

Yeah, regen hasn't kicked in yet, so let's buy a heal.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Yeah, regen hasn't kicked in yet, so let's buy a heal.

Steeplejack turned back on the faceless monstrosity and about turned to face it and see if he could put it out of its misery.

OOC: GO in as before we attack and see if we can't send this thing packing whilst Haunt takes on the others.

Sj

Multi-attack the other two while Steeplejack handles Faceless with Crit Blow. I'm feeling like maybe the dice won't roll a 1 on me, like it does every 3rd or 4th time.

OOC When Steeplejack attacks his Attack outweighs his Defence. That means he has more attack dice than defence dice to use so you are effectively being shortchanged with every attack. To use the full five dice you'd have no dice at all on defence. To use four dice, no dice on defence. Use three? 1 die defence. Use two? Two for defence. If you have balanced attack/defence you could split the 5D up as you see fit.

Crit Blow Steep AV13 + 3D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(5d12)+0: 11,8,5,5,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
10,4,+0 Total:30 (43) vs
Faceless OV8 + 3 Diff + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,6,+0 Total:17 (28)
+5 (to 16) vs RV12 +diff 3 - 6CB so 9RV=7 RAPs. The Faceless is on 5/12 Body.

Delivering a spinning kick and several punches, Steeplejack feels his tux shred up further but knows he's pummelled the Faceless pretty well.

Haunt is feeling rough round the edges but knows his body is forming up, healing, regenerating... if he gave it a moment to do so.

OOC Healing in combat is your dice action. I assume the priority is to wallop these guys...

Crit Blow MULTI on two Haunt AV10 + 6D Weaponry + Roll(8d12)+0: 9,3,6,5,1,5,6,6,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,12,+0 Total:28 (38) vs
OV 9 + 2D Acro (muton 3D weapons) + diff 3 + Roll(4d12)+0: 5,6,2,9,+0 Total:15 (27)
+5 (to 20) vs RV13 - 6 CB + diff 3 so RV10=10 RAPs. Both the Chrysallid and the Muton are DOWN and OUT just leaving the Faceless.

The Faceless swipes at Steeplejack...

AV8 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 1,2,7,7,9,+0 Total:3 FAILED ATTACK



Steeplejack gets stuck in!

CRIT BLOW Av13 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 9,11,1,3,10,2,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,8,+0 Total:35 (48) vs
OV8 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,10,+0 Total:18 (29)
+6 (to 17) vs RV12 + diff 3 -6CB so RV9=8 RAPs. The Muton is DOWN and OUT!

With an uppercut and karate kick the faceless is slammed into a wall and rolls down like sludge...

The garden outside the house is suddenly quiet.

The heroes move into the cellar and down the corridor, checking side doors until they come to the last (where stairs into the house meet). It's locked but that doesn't bother either hero as the door cracks open, hinges loose. A young boy, probably ten or 11, is crouched in the corner, curled up and fearful. He's dirty, filthy even and chained to a wall. His skin isn't so dirty that the pair can see the tint to his skin. His colouring, his clothing... "Hello?" he asks in an accented voice.

The pair have found the young prince.

"You handle this," The Haunt tells Steeplejack, "I'm going to send those guys back to where they belong."

He goes back up and looks for the time stones on each of them, removing them as he finds them, then he "runs", turning his lower half into a bicycle, until he get far enough away to make them disappear.

ooc: Would really love to get my hands on that neutralizing gun but I imagine all their equipment goes back too.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"You handle this," The Haunt tells Steeplejack, "I'm going to send those guys back to where they belong."

He goes back up and looks for the time stones on each of them, removing them as he finds them, then he "runs", turning his lower half into a bicycle, until he get far enough away to make them disappear.

ooc:  Would really love to get my hands on that neutralizing gun but I imagine all their equipment goes back too.

Steeplejack turns to the young man. "Hello, I imagine you've been through something of an ordeal you brother sent us, knowing as he did he would be watched. We are...friends and are here to bring you safely to him. If you would just relax a moment I will free your bonds and get you out of here."

Ever cautious to make sure there were yet no nasty surprises and traps to trick the heroes, Steeplejack took not of his danger sense and his other skills to help free the boy safely.

OOC: Assuming this goes well

Then he leads him out of the place to catch up with his compatriot.

Sj