Haf grimaces at the taste of the oil. He smacks his lips unpleasantly and walks towards the south door. He holds the lantern high enough to let the light shine through. "Hello?" Haf says, loudly. "Anyone down there?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:59, Tue 10 Jan 2023.

Haf’s voice echoes down the hallways.

”WHO IS DOWN THERE!” an angry voice booms back.

"I suggest you mind your tone, good sir," Haf calls out. "We are your rescue party. My name is Haf Bellin. Mr Bellin to you. Do you keep Professor Mason in your company?"

Litton laughs. “A quick look or a quick shout, either will do.”

”I ain’t got no company! Ain’t nobody alive down here but me! I’ve got enough firepower on me to rip you in HALF Mister Haf! Now go back up that chimney before you end up like the last bunch of thieves!”

"Sirs I have a smoke bomb that could provide cover if we need. Haf I shall take your lead"

Said in a low tone that only his companions may here. Gunnar produces the smoke bomb from his pack and pulls the hammer back on his pistol.

”Like the last…?”

His face turns scarlet with rage.

”THAT MURDERING SON OF A BITCH!”

He looks down at his weapons.

”Somebody loan me your gun!”

The dog’s hair stands on end as he growls.

Litton backs away, unwilling to instigate with knowing how much firepower the man in the other room might possess.

[DM]

Kostya, in a similar position to Joseph and having brought knives to a gunfight, backs away to the forge and looks back up the smokestack.

”I know you want revenge, Joseph…but we’ve given away our position and we’re stuck in this room with a barrel of flammable liquid! We’re sitting ducks! There’s more entrances to the Underground than holes in a wheel of Swiss cheese…there has to be another way down here that isn’t in this madman’s territory!”
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:24, Wed 11 Jan 2023.

"Kostya is right. This madman is down the southern passage. We can go west, we just need to watch our backs."

Charlie, with his gun already in hand, thinks briefly about giving it to Joseph. Then Kostya points out the obvious -- that they're not exactly in a good position for a gunfight -- and cooler heads prevail. Charlie nods his head towards the western passage.

"Making distance for now sounds best. We can deal with him once we know more about where exactly we are down here; and where he is."

Haf is stood with his back to the wall and his hand resting on his pistol's holster. He mulls the situation over. His curiousity to find out the truth of the actual firepower of the man in the south exit outweighs his loyalty to Joe. He could send Joe in and put the man's words to the test, then if Joe is truly torn in half, then Haf could use the smoke bomb to cover himself, grab the pistol and finish the gentleman off himself. It's a good plan. It's worked before. Haf looks towards Joseph without quite meeting his eyes. He's about to hand Joseph the pistol when Litton speaks and reminds him of the western passage.

"I'm afraid I can't give you my pistol, Joe" Haf says reluctantly, a little bit disappointed, "but I promise you we will sort this little blighter out."

Haf calls out to the man in the southern exit, "there are twelve men here armed to the teeth, good sir. We are a highly trained and organised paramilitary sent by the Mayor of Bastion themselves with orders to bomb this entire area if just one of us comes to harm."

In a hushed tone, Haf motions towards the western exit and suggests for somebody to take a look. He is using hand gestures that may or may not resemble actual military signals.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:37, Wed 11 Jan 2023.

”Poppycock! I am a garrisoned officer of the Taurus Security Regiment, stationed by order of the Core Ministry of Information to keep trespassers OUT! Furthermore I have NINETEEN highly trained soldiers deployable at a moment’s notice! And as everyone knows, the CORE supersedes whoever the Mayor of the outer boroughs happens to be this week!”

There’s a pregnant pause.

”If you have been sent here in error and simply following orders …then you may leave the way you came, unmolested. Be sure to seal the chimney back up behind you. There will be a nasty surprise for anyone after you.”

”Now hurry up! I have a bell to ring in one hour. And you all better be gone. And don’t steal the tools or the lamp oil!”

"If we're going west, here's another thought." Thomas calmly (as much as one could in this situation) closed the door and proceeded to shift the barrel of oil to block it.

It would be that much more difficult for the nutter to come through without making both a mess and a level of noise that would alert them to the intrusion.

"Not to mention surrounding themselves in highly flammable lantern oil. Good thinking Thomas."

Pistol in hand Gunnar peers down the west passage and walks slowly down as far as he can see, being careful to place his footsteps with the utmost caution. No telling what that madman has set-up down here.

Make a roll under your DEX please.

Also - if you’re not carrying a lantern there’s no light to speak of.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:25, Thu 12 Jan 2023.

In a loud whisper "Haf! I could use some light down here"moving slowly with a hand on the wall he is now kicking himself for thinking there would be enough ambient light


_{My roll was a 4 on the dice roller}

Haf steals some of the lamp oil, filling the lantern to its capacity and maybe a little more than the container could handle. Haf moves towards the western exit, the oil dripping from the lamp. Following in Gunnar's footsteps, the light of the lantern gently illuminates the back of Gunnar's shirt.

*BLAM!* *BLAM!*

A pair of pistol shots flash in the darkness.

08:54, Today: The Judge rolled 8 using 1d8 ((8)).

Haf's body slams against the wall as both bullets find their mark!

Haf, you are down to HP 0 and you 2 points of Critical Damage.

Roll below your new STR of 13 to stay conscious.

16:47, Today: Haf Bellin rolled 20 using 1d20.  Rolling to remain conscious.

Haf's body hits the ground fast with a loud thump. The light of the lantern spins out of control, turning momentarily red with a flash of blood. He lays there, motionless. His light coloured suit dyed maroon.

Hearing the bark of the gun in the dark. Gunnar slides to a crouch spinning on his heals.

"You dirty bastard!" he cries out rushing to Haf, pulling his unconscious body back inside the room if he is able.

Thomas steps to one side of the door - back a bit from it if the space is already crowded, but not yet in line with the hallway - and readies his harpoon gun. It's hardly the ideal tool to fire into the dark, but even a blind shot might offer some cover if the first rescue attempt fails.

Charlie leans into the hallway and fires his pistol down the southern passage; hoping to deal with their new assailant before anyone else gets hurt.

Let me know what I need to roll for this; I'm new to this system.

Thomas and Charlie, since this is a coordinated attack, even though it’s impaired. Both of you roll a d4 and the foe takes the highest roll.

I understand there’s no light left in the hallway, so both sides will be impaired as well.