Hilda stared at the beasts, not in surprise but wondering if they meant harm. Most animals knew to avoid humans, and those that didn't usually didn't want to get in the way of a creature they didn't know, unless they had no choice.

Or, she thought as the beasts raised their bristles, grunted, and pawed the floor, some animals were just mean.

Already with her bow out and arrow ready, she raised her arms, drew back the arrow, and let it fly at the nearest badger.. boar... thing. But it was too hasty a shot, and did little more than annoy them. Quickly, she tossed aside her bow and drew her shield, ready to take one of the beasts on the heavy wooden war-board. 'There are beasts here!' she cried to her teammates.


OOC:
Standard: shoot bow @ Ratel #1, attack 12, damage 6, presume that's a miss
Free: drop bow
Move: draw shield

Sidestep: +1 dodge Defense vs all foes, raising Defense to effectively 16

13:52, Today: Hilda rolled 12 using 1d20+3. attack, shoot bow.
14:03, Today: Hilda rolled 6 using 1d6+1. damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:17, Sat 01 Feb 2014.

As Vasandra shoots one of the Ratel with her Zat, she hits it. The Ratel is a bit shocked by the shot but he does not fall unconscious. However, it is afraid and start to flee.

When Hilda tries to shot at the second Ratel, he somehow manage to dodge the arrow and starts to run in her direction. He then tries to scratch her with his claw but Hilda's leather boots are a good protection.

20:32, Today: The Keeper rolled 9 using 1d20+4. Ratel 2 - Fort vs Zat.
20:39, Today: The Keeper rolled 10 using 1d20+4. Ratel 1 - Atk Roll.

---

Map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...2ZngDiGZ0bzSwes/edit
Combat Tracker: https://docs.google.com/spread...;usp=drive_web#gid=1

DM NOTES
You are now in an encounter. It is divided in stage. Each people in the same stage need to play before we go to the next stage but during the same stage, each player can play when they want.
This mean that both Hilda and Vasandra need to play before the first Ratel can play but they can Hilda can play first if she wants even if her initiative is lower. This is done to make encounter run smoothly.

INITIATIVE : ROUND 1
Stage 1: Vasandra Tourmaline, Hilda
Stage 2: Ratel1, Ratel 2
Stage 3: Rajip Mojdar, Kaspar Radoslaw Gorski, Gavin <-- Current
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:11, Sun 02 Feb 2014.

Upon hearing Hilda's alerting cry, Rajip sprang into action, running straight for the door. As he approached, he cought a glimpse of a furry something reaching for the Cimmerian's legs. He didn't wast time: in an instant, he lifted his P90 and, while almost at point-blank range, pulled the trigger.



23:45, Today: Rajip Mojdar rolled 17 using 1d20+3. Ranged attack at ratel 1.
00:07, Today: Rajip Mojdar rolled 5 using 1d10.  Damage roll.

GM, verify if I got the rolls correctly, please. BTW, P90 does offer the single-shot mode, right?

As Rajip starts for the door where the fighting is going on, Kaspar raises an arm and points in that direction,

"Sargeant, take charge at the door." Kaspar orders, "Close it if you have to, but don't let anything inside here. And protect Captain Tourmaline."

As he's speaking, Kaspar heads towards the other door; specifically, he heads to the button inside this chamber that will close the door -- which, after a quick look out into that hallway, he presses.

"Gavin," Kaspar calls over his shoulder, "just in case we need it as an escape route, try and figure out how to operate this transit device.  Just don't activate it, yet.  If you can..."

((Way to go, Rajip! You just shot the family dog! They just want to play!))


Gavin was having a hard time reading the script around the floor circle. It possibly had to do with the embellishments on the lettering, since it seemed to change the form of letter somehow.

08:58, Sun 02 Feb 2014: Gavin rolled 10 using 1d20+6 ((4)) for Gavin's language check (Ancient) on the floor.

Moving over to the 'altar', he seemed to have a bit more luck, but with the sudden appearance of some furballs in the hall, the major suddenly wanted a miracle!

08:59, Sun 02 Feb 2014: Gavin rolled 16 using 1d20+6 ((9)) for Gavin's language check (Ancient) on the altar.
09:00, Sun 02 Feb 2014: Gavin rolled 1 using 1d4 ((1)) for spending one Action Die for a quicker read.


"This appears to be a ring transporter, Major, not a full-blown stargate," Gavin answers to the major's back as he moves away. "If it just goes to the moon, then we shouldn't have to tap in any address. We just hit the button and it works. Maybe."

Hilda snarled at the badger-boar with just as much viciousness, kicking it off her boot and quick-drawing her axe. She flashed the blade past its head, but couldn't get the angle right. Nevertheless, she was enjoying this. 'I think we've found dinner!' she crowed, and side-stepped around the beast to let the others shoot it while its attention was focused on her. She was fully into a defensive stance now.


OOC:
Move: draw axe
Standard: attack 6, miss
Free: 5-ft-step left
22:41, Today: Hilda rolled 6 using 1d20+3. axe attack.

Sidestep: +2 dodge Defence vs Ratel #1, raising Defence to effectively 17
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Trying her best to avoid hitting an ally with the often surprisingly deadly Zat gun Vasandra misses wide when firing two quick shots at the still active badger thing, likely startling it more than harming it.

OOC: 09:22, Today: Vasandra Tourmaline rolled 8 using 1d20+6. Zat Attack.
09:22, Today: Vasandra Tourmaline rolled 8 using 1d20+6. Zat Attack.

Rajip succesfully shot at one of the ratel, inflicting many damages. The ratel growled and started to enrage. The creature was now so angry that both Hilda and Vasandra were unable to hit him. It was like if his skin was now made of rock.

Inside the room, Kaspar was able to easily close the door, offering some protection to the team.
Because of all the noise around him, Gavin had a hard time to read the Latin text. On top of the Major deduction, he was able to identify two new words. "All-Mighty" and "Sakar". The last one sounded familiar.

At the altar, Gavin was now sure that the device could send them to the Moon. But even if there was no need to write an address, they would at least have to use a combination of symbols to get up to the Moon, these symbols acting like some sort of password.

During his research on the altar, he noticed that a message was now appearing, flashing repeatedly. But he was not able to describe it at the moment as he was focused on the altar's symbols.

In the hallway, the ratel bited Hilda at the leg. The other animal was now out of sight.

11:32, Today: The Keeper rolled 19 using 1d20+4. Ratel 1 - Atk Roll.
11:33, Today: The Keeper rolled 2 using 1d3-1. Ratel 1 - Dmg Roll.

---

Map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...2ZngDiGZ0bzSwes/edit
Combat Tracker: https://docs.google.com/spread...;usp=drive_web#gid=1

DM NOTES
@Rajip : the P90 have a single-shot position. And the damage rolls are 1d10+1. :)
Rajip, Kaspar and Gavin, you are up to play.

INITIATIVE : ROUND 1
Stage 1: Vasandra Tourmaline, Hilda
Stage 2: Ratel1, Ratel 2
Stage 3: Rajip Mojdar, Kaspar Radoslaw Gorski, Gavin <-- Current

The beast was enraged, and so too was Hilda, wide-eyed with a savage grin, baring her teeth and snarling at it like a berserker. She was enjoying this! She kicked the badger-boar off her leg, then slapped axe against shield. 'Come on!' she roared.


OOC: The DR 3 granted by the tactical deployment vest should reduce that damage to 0.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Kaspar started across the chamber, heading towards the combat.  In his haste he unthinkingly placed a foot into the circle on the floor -- then suddenly hopped backwards with a shout of "Shiesse!".

Turning and walking around the circle, Kaspar raised his voice to be heard over the gunfire at the doorway.

"Dammit, either put down whatever is out there, right now, or get back in here and shut the door!  I will not have anyone on this team injured by some kind of animal attack!  So kill it, or drive it away, but do it now!"

Kaspar finally comes to a stop just behind the battling group, craning his neck in several directions to get a glimpse of whatever it is that they are fighting.

"Holy Mother of God, it's taking this much effort to kill a freaking dog!?  Sargeant Mohar, kill that thing, now! Use a grenade, if you think you need to; I authorize the use!"

Rajip had heard the major shouting out orders but it they were too close to the ferocious creature to change strategies now. This time, however, he had the chance to bring the gun closer to the animal's head  and pull the trigger again.



OOC: I seem to be hitting harder now, is it enough to bring it down?

18:49, Today: Rajip Mojdar rolled 7 using 1d10+1. damage.
18:48, Today: Rajip Mojdar rolled 17 using 1d20+3. Ranged attack at ratel 1.

Once again, Rajip hitted the ratel, hurting it badly. The animal was now losing a lot of blood and was almost dead. One last hit should finish him.

---

Map: https://docs.google.com/drawin...2ZngDiGZ0bzSwes/edit
Combat Tracker: https://docs.google.com/spread...;usp=drive_web#gid=1

DM NOTES
Gavin, it's your turn. :)

INITIATIVE : ROUND 1
Stage 1: Vasandra Tourmaline, Hilda
Stage 2: Ratel1, Ratel 2
Stage 3: Rajip Mojdar, Kaspar Radoslaw Gorski, Gavin <-- Current

Gavin couldn't see the creatures, but they almost sounded like some vermin on his world. With Rajip and Vasandra blocking the doorway, there wasn't much he could do anyway, so he decide to move around behind the altar. That way, he'd have some sort of obstacle between them and him, if they broke through the others.

That was when he noticed the message. Even as he focused on what it said, he hoped it wasn't a countdown!

Imminent Earthquake

The two words were clear enough so Gavin had no difficulties to translate them.

Gavin couldn't recall if there had been some sort of protocol for such an event, but he was pretty sure the trainers hadn't offered any way to announce it! He hesitated for a moment before he thought of something.

"INCOMING! EARTHQUAKE!" he shouted out even as he wondered if the people who created the device meant the same thing by the word 'imminent' as he did. After all, if they live to be a thousand years old, then 'imminent' might mean any time in the next decade.

Since the major was fairly close, Gavin offered an explanation.

"The altar just displayed an 'imminent earthquake' message."

Hilda ignored Gavin's wild cry, instead leaping past the wounded badger-boar to get behind it, to get it between herself and Rajip. It didn't know which way to turn. She swung her axe at the beast, but even wounded it quickly moved away. Or maybe she had little combat experience against animals much lower down. Yeah, that was it. She certainly wasn't just a crappy warrior.


OOC: Hey, yeah, I can tumble. Tumbling past Ratel #1 to move to a flanking position opposite Rajip. Tumble 18 vs DC 15, success!
19:21, Today: Hilda rolled 18 using 1d20+6. tumble.

Attack Ratel #1: attack 10, presumably a miss.
19:26, Today: Hilda rolled 10 using 1d20+5. axe attack, flanking.

Sidestep: +2 dodge Defence vs Ratel #1, raising Defence to effectively 17
This message was last edited by the player at 11:37, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Despite her efforts, Hilda was unable to hit the ratel. The creature, although badly injured, was still quick enough to dodge the attacks. But he had now lost to much blood and his last dodge achieved him. The ratel was now dead.

As soon as his last breath was heard, the ground started to tremble. The team could feel all the shaking under its feet and as time passes, the earthquake was stronger and stronger.

---

DM NOTE
I will update the tracker as soon as I'm back at home. Ratel 1 is dead and Ratel 2 is out of sight so you are not considered in an encounter anymore. You can play freely at the moment.
Also, you have to all make a balance check DC 10 to see if you fall or not.

Just as he was going the enjoy the vicory over the vicious attacker, the ground was beginning to move even more violently. Keeping his his balance with ease due to hours and hours of travelling through across the most difficult surfaces in the worst conditions one could imagine, he didn't need to worry about himself yet the sitation was likely to get much worse soon enough. And he knew that an unknown construction was not the one he'd like to stay in.

"Everybody out! We're leaving the building!" he shouted, motioning towards the exit so that the Cimmerian in front of him could see, then looking back and repeating the command.



19:42, Today: Rajip Mojdar rolled 23 using 1d20+4. Balance roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:03, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Hilda watched the badger-boar finally collapse from its wounds, disappointed she didn't get to inflict any. Coming down from the high of battle, she was about to examine the beast, to find out why it had become so vicious, when the ground began to shake under her feet. The sturdy Cimmerian remained firm and stable. 'Thor pounds his hammer!' she exclaimed in awe.

She knelt and snatched up her dropped bow, passing her axe to her shield-hand. 'I'll guard the big door! Watch out for the other beast!' she said, then hurried around the curving hall, keeping an eye out for the fleeing zatted beast. Fear of the earthquake could make it dangerous again.


OOC: Balance 19
13:16, Today: Hilda rolled 19 using 1d20+5. balance.
Move 30 feet toward the entrance

"Ta misja była oczywiście zaplanowana Moscva!"^* Kaspar bemoaned in Polish, as the ground started shaking.

"Everybody out! We're leaving the building!" Rajip shouted, motioning towards the exit so that the Cimmerian in front of him could see, then looking back and repeating the command, "Everybody out! We're leaving the building!"

"Uh, yes.  Yes!  As the Sargeant says!" Kaspar shouted in agreement -- then his blood turned cold with a sudden thought.

"Back to the Stargate!" Kaspar literally screamed, "Back to the Gate! Now-now-now!! There's a bloody fault line over by the Gate, and we're on the wrong side of it!! Go-go-go!!"



^* = "This mission was obviously planned in Moscow!"

Despite riding out the shaking ground rather easily Vasandra is clearly taken aback by both the response of fear and the strength of it from what seems to be a relatively small amount of actual shaking.  Not really having anything else of an overly pressing nature to do and not wanting to be left behind she does however tag along as everyone else flees the temple.  As she passes by the FRED she toggles it over to follow mode so it will tag along behind her at as she jogs down the road at an easy loping pace.

OOC: 12:09, Today: Vasandra Tourmaline rolled 24 using 1d20+9. Balance.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:10, Sun 09 Feb 2014.

Gavin wasn't really concerned about the building collapsing. His initial sensor readings indicated that it was more than what it appeared. Also, if it had the capability of alerting people about an earthquake, it probably had ability to survive one, else what good would a one-shot alert really be? Plus, it was probably a link from the moon to the stargate.

Speaking of the stargate, though, the major had a reasonable caution. He didn't think they could get back to it before the quake hit, but he supposed they had to try.

He quickly started to run out of the building with the others.


19:04, Sun 09 Feb 2014: Gavin rolled 14 using 1d20+5 ((9)) Balance check.

Kaspar heads for the exit, trying to maintain his footing as the ground shakes.  He knows that this may just be a single tremor -- or it may be the start of several tremors and aftershocks.  He just doesn't know enough Geology!


OOC: Kaspar Radoslaw Gorski rolled 11 using 1d20 for Balance check.

Hilda was first to the big doors leading out, pausing there to make sure the others got out and that the stunned badger-boar wasn't a threat. She slung her bow over her shoulder, and raised her shield over her head in case rocks started to fall. 'Run!' she bellowed. Earthquakes were rare on Cimmeria, and known only as a time when Thor slew giants in the mountains and slammed his hammer Mjölnir into the earth, so the Cimmerian was extra worried and awestruck by the sudden seismic event.

The team managed to get out of the temple without any problems. The tremor was a little one and everyone was still on its feet. As soon as they were outdoor, another tremor, more powerful, put the team on the ground.
A few second later, they were all on there feet again, running in the direction of the Stargate, the FRED following them. When they arrived, something was blindingly obvious: the DHD was missing ! In place of it, there was a little rift and nothing else.