974 replies and 24 files omitted.
>>163402Indeed. It may mean they're getting closer to the changelings and their SMGs, but it also means they can get into position to ambush them.
>>163403Well, Silver moves around to what is a similar position to where he was before.
The pipes are maybe four or so feet thick, with a gap below them, and of course room above them for maneuvering, or viewing around.
>>163404Silver peaks from behind his cover at his surroundings.
>>163409Which cover? Is Silver by the pipes immediately behind and to the right of the processor, or somewhere else? Also, where does he ask Spec to go?
>>163410Silver is by the pipes. As for Spec, I'm not certain, but probably somewhere higher up.
>>163411Well… this places Silver right next to where he last saw the group of changelings and ponies.
>>163412Can he see anything from there?
>>163413Silver can see two ponies next to the processor looking nervous. Both are wearing blue uniforms, and includes the off-white pony Silver spoke to earlier. Next to them are the two "ponies" in black uniforms that appear to be dressed as security guards. One holding the submachine gun is near Silver, and the other holding the machine carbine is near the edge, and occasionally pears over
[1d20+2 = (13+2) = 15][1d20 = 12] >>163414Are they aiming at the captured ponies, such as using them as meatshields?
>>163415No. The one by the edge is at the ready for an approach from the left, and the one on the right is in a ready position for attack from the back.
Roll sneak
>>163417One of the ponies leaning by the processor looks over towards Silver, and then the pony with the Submachine gun
"Widersacher, hier drüben!"
Roll Initiative >>163420>>163421Silver has first draw, but both enemies have noticed Silver
>>163422Which one of the changelings is closest to the hostages, and how close are they to them?
>>163423Silver is very close to all, certainly less than 50 feet. The black guards are to either side of the blue-uniformed ponies
[1d20+6 = (11+6) = 17][1d20+6 = (16+6) = 22][1d20+6 = (12+6) = 18][1d20+6 = (17+6) = 23]>>163424Silver takes aim at the changeling on the right, and lets loose with a small barrage of fire.
>>163427The grey pegasus near Silver who holds the submachine gun loosens the hold on the gun, and stumbles back. Then he abruptly falls to the ground, drops the gun, and is enveloped in a green fire that reveals a black creature with a thin, sickly tongue that hangs out of its open mouth.
Silver doesn't have time for any of that at all, because the other pony in black, a blue unicorn, holds up a machine carbine with magic, and aims it right at Silver under the pipe
Clack clack clack clack clack clack clack[1d20 = 10][1d20 = 9][1d20 = 6][1d20 = 5][1d20 = 9][1d20 = 7][1d20 = 10] [1d20+6 = (2+6) = 8][1d20+6 = (19+6) = 25][1d20+6 = (6+6) = 12][1d20+6 = (16+6) = 22]>>163428Silver ducts out of the way of the incoming fire, responding with another small barrage from his lovely Jenny.
>>163429The hail of bullets proceeds in Silver's general direction, though they seem to move just slightly off to the left or high, skimming along the edge of the steel pipe and diverting into the soil near Silver.
Silver Can't dodge by much where he is under the pipe, but he can shoot at the last pony. One shot goes wide above him, then a hit, a gazing miss, and a hit. Two hits.
>>163431"Ooomph"
The creature is hit, closes its mouth together, and loses hold of the carbine, which slumps down until it hangs by the sling. Still, the pony remains standing
>>163432Silver keeps his rifle trained on the changeling.
"You speak Ponish? Surrender and you will not be harmed further."
>>163433The pony coughs, and coughs a second time, with blue blood seeping out of his mouth. He leans back and sits down, and then his front legs collapse, and he falls to his belly. He still holds his head up with milky blue eyes looking towards Silver.
>>163434Silver takes that as a surrender. If he still has the medkit on him, he moves out of cover to stabilize the changeling.
>>163435Silver gets out the medical kit, presumably finds something to stop the bleeding, and
BANG BANG. The creature is hit on its right side, and then falls onto its left side, showing wounds that glow blue. Almost like a cloud of green dust, the creature becomes a pure black with light blue eyes. Its mouth hangs open.
Spec comes around to stand near Silver
>>163436Silver stands shocked for just a moment, before he turns to Spec.
"...he could have given us information on their greater plans for city, or where other hostages are."
He keeps his own reservations on shooting defeated opponents to himself, even if he doesn't have the greatest leg to stand on.
>>163437Spectral Streak speaks to Silver
"Or he could have pulled a grenade on us. I don't really care for anything he has to say. Let's get these valves turned before the-"
BANG BANG
There are two shots from behind
[1d20+3 = (2+3) = 5][1d20+3 = (20+3) = 23] >>163438>>163439"gluck"
Spectral Streak is shot in the neck
[2d8 = 6] >>163440"SON! NO!"
Silver dives to get his son out of the line of fire and into cover.
>>163441That's... actually pretty difficult. The fire comes from behind them. Silver would have to drag Spectral Streak around the processor, quite a few feet.
>>163442Hmm...in that case, Silver gets between his son and the attacker, looking through his Jenny's scope to find the damn changeling who did this.
>>163443One creature holding a rifle - looks like an older model civilian semi-automatic rifle, the same as the other pony Silver saw earlier. It is in the form of a pony, leaning out of the edge of an open door at the pump house, some ways away.
[1d20+10 = (20+10) = 30][1d20+10 = (6+10) = 16]>>163444Silver aims down the scope towards the creature, and squeezes off a couple of rounds.
>>163445>>163446The creature looks down its sights at Silver... But Silver gets it right in the head, just above the eye. It's hat falls off, and instantly the creature is consumed in green light, and falls to the ground.
[1d20+4 = (15+4) = 19]>>163447Medical: Silver immediately kneels down with his medkit and tends to his son's wounds.
>>163448Silver sees that Spectral Streak has been shot in the neck. Fortunately, it's off to the side, missing any major arteries, the spine, and (mostly) avoiding the windpipe. He is breathing oddly, however. The bullet has gone all the way through.
>>163449This may be time for the vials. Spec's neck wound is certainly serious enough to warrant it.
>>163451Does he have a needle in the medkit? If so, he injects it into his son. If not, he'll have to get Spec to drink it.
>>163452There is indeed a hypodermic needle in the set. The injury is also near the esophagus
>>163453"This will only hurt for moment."
Silver puts the contents of the vial into the needle, locates an artery in/around his neck, and stabs it into his injuried son.
>>163454Spec winces. But as Silver injects the liquid, he can see, in more or less real time, the wound slowly sealing itself. Spectral Streak's breathing becomes more normal.
>>163455"How are you feeling? Feeling better?"
>>163456"Still like being kicked in the neck" He barely croaks out, and then coughs. "But better." He starts to stand up
>>163457With this, Silver helps his son to stand up.
"Alright, that is three down, how many more?"
>>163458"Maybe all? Get the valves."
>>163459Silver nods. Are the workers still around?
>>163460Yes. The two workers are standing nearby, looking scared and confused
>>163461"Can you help us? Which valves do we turn to undo what these changelings did?"
>>163462A grape-green earth pony opens his mouth, and seems very nervous. But the off-white pony Silver talked to before speaks up.
"The valves to the flare need to be turned on, and the feed needs to be turned off. The valve right here needs to be turned counter-clockwise."
>>163463Silver turns the valve, just as he is directed.
>>163464It's rather hard to turn
Off-white pony
"The flare needs to be turned on."
Green pony
"No.. no no, the flow needs to be turned on. The flare, it could be dangerous."
[1d20+2 = (9+2) = 11]>>163465Strength: Silver really puts his back into turning that valve.
>>163466And it is turned. Silver can feel that he is closing the valve
>>163467"NNNGH! S-so...GAH, what do we do to stop this?"
>>163468Green pony
"Just, keep the flow"
Off--white pony
"No, it needs to be flared!"
>>163469Silver stands up once the valve is turned.
"I do not know anything about this, we need you to figure this out."
>>163470Off-white
"
There is too much pressure, and too many units off line. The gas must be flared."
Green
"No... That's wasting the gas, and an open flame is dangerous. Just turn the valves to send it along to the next units."
>>163471"I do not much care about wellbeing about gas. What is danger that open flame could do? Is it worse than oil plant exploding?"
>>163148However calming this barn could be to her, the suspense from just
waiting, thinking about what could go wrong or what went wrong already, is harrowing. Amber stays in one place, still listening and waiting for nightfall, as there is nothing better to do.
>>163474Roll die, wisdom modifier
Looks like my schedule has cleared up. I got lots of time whenever you do.
>>163521Hey Spark, good to see you! Hope your side of the campaign proceeds smoothly.
>>163504At the risk of retreading an event that has already happenedNo birds, no cows outside. Just a single sheep "bah" from beneath, and further away, the sound of an automobile door closing, and griffins talking
>>163472"Well it's... it's an open flame. It could cause the plant to explode. If there are any gas leaks." He presses his teeth firmly together, and lips pulled back. He is nervous, anxious, or otherwise frightened.
The other operator speaks
"What are you talking about? The flare is a hundred and fifty feet up. No gasses will come near it, and any that do will be long dispersed."
He is in a relatively more excited state.
>>163528"And what are dangers of sending gas to next units?"
>>163529Blue pony:
"It's just how the units work. It's the normal process."
Off-white pony:
"If the units are shut off or the valves are closed there will be a pressure build up. And if any stray bullets have caused leaks, that could be even worse."
>>163530Silver sighs.
"I assume you two will not be able to decide on course of action yourselves?"
>>163527An automobile? This can't be good, it may be unwelcome visitors. Amber listens intently to make out any words the griffons are saying.
[1d20+3 = (17+3) = 20] >>163533[unintelligible]
"You think they are here? Where is the automobile?"
"It was here, the neighbor said so."
"Farmers will say anything for a few fractal guilders."
"He described the automobile correctly, even the damage on it. There are not many of those here."
"Well
where is it?"
"Do your job and look for it. You would not be so lazy if we were looking for the princess."
Third voice:
"The princess may be out here. That may be where they were going, for all we know."
The second voice again:
"The Princess only a few miles from the castle? Hiding in a barn?"
Third voice:
"If the princess is as lazy in running away and the Katerinberg police as lazy in finding her as the lot of you are, I would not wonder at all."
>>163534Amber's feathers and fur stand on end as she hears these words. The Inquisition is hot on their trail and they'll find the car quickly. More importantly, they'll know to search the house–and the barn– and Amber had better warn her friends there.
Is there any way for Amber to get to the house unseen and unheard?
>>163532At this point, Silver is frustrated, and worried about the state of the oil plant if these two can't figure out the correct course of action.
"So, there is chance either option could start fire. And neither of you can agree on course of action together. So it is up to me, and it is not any fault of mine if things go wrong with my decision, yes?"
>>163535In order for Amber to get to the house unseen and unnoticed, she would have to:
Exit the attic, and then the barn, unnoticed
Run across the open area between the barn and the house, unnoticed, and
Enter the house, unnoticed
Amber really doesn't have any reason to believe this is impossible right now, but she knows they are outside, and she does not know if they are already in the house, or even the barn.
>>163536"No no, the flow needs to open!"
"TURN ON THE DAMN FLARE"
>>163537Silver doesn't happen to have a flashlight with him, does he.
I'll be ready to play tomorrow if you are available.
>>163540Yay!
Is here>>163539Silver does not. Spec, however, does.
>>163537Hmm, three checks at minimum. With so little information available to her, save that she needs to hide, she does so. They'll certainly search the barn, the question is whether she's hidden enough?
>>163542The attic is... less ideal that perhaps even a standard residential attic in that it is largely clean, and there are no boards at the edges by the sloped-roof. There is still the stack of straw, the large metal device, a number of what seem to be livestock blankets, and a few other items.
>>163541Silver takes his flashlight, and checks both of the workers.
>>163544As expected, there is residence. The green pony closes his eyes, and is more nervous than before. The off-white pony looks away, she is more irritated and exasperated than before
>>163543Amber shapes the straw to look as if a creature is lying in it and drapes a blanket over the stack. She huddles under a pile of the rest of the blankets, making it look the opposite: a disorganized bundle instead of a makeshift shelter.
What does the large metal device look like?
>>163545"Just open your eyes, I need to check for something."
>>163546It is several feet high, made of metal with wheels on either side of a pair of grates.
>>163547The two each open their eyes.
Green pony: Golden irises, with a very strong reflective blue tint throughout.
Off-white pony: dark purple, mostly opaque whites
>>163548Silver turns his flashlight off.
"Flare off excess gas, we need to prevent explosion."
>>163549"That's what I've been saying!" The off-white one takes a breath, and is already on his way away.
The green one's mouth hangs open slightly as he sits down, tail wrapping around.
>>163550Silver goes up to the green one, and offers a hoof for him to get up.
"Come with me, I have task for you."
>>163551He is breathing heavily.
“But… the gas must flow.”
[1d2 = 1]Hmmmm…. Roll diplomacy
>>163553He closes his mouth, and takes Silver’s hoof
>>163554Silver pulls him up. He turns to his son to talk to him quickly.
"Spec, if you are well enough can you scout around area, make sure it is safe?"
>>163555Spec nods sharply. His neck is still wounded, as is his wing, but he looks like he can move well.