DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Horror ACS: Achtung! Cthulhu - The Black Sun ACS: The Drop

As they considered their options, they hear an occasional cough.

The cellar door was a little stiff but opened easily enough. It revealed a set of wooden stairs leading down without any kind of a rail. At the bottom was something earthen, possibly with stone, tough to tell at this range.

Down the stairs, she went. They creaked and groaned but were solid enough. At the bottom, she stood upon a dirt-covered natural stone floor. This cellar was old, given its rustic demeanor. Over against one wall sat a straw-filled mattress with a man upon it. His eyes were watching her in the gloom. There was just enough light from the high encasement-style windows to make out his form, but only the lightning strikes gave a staccato view of their surroundings. It was a farmhouse cellar with a work table and storage shelves.

Shining a bright light at her, the man said in French, "Who are you? Identify yourselves!"

{Isabella}

"Je suis Isabelle." She began by giving her name in French followed by her friendship with Aramis. "Je suis un ami d'Aramis. Ensemble, nous étranglons Les Boche." It was an old code, even started in The Great War, but she hoped that by making it personal it would make him think.

"You are injured, I can heal you." She continued in French and then in English. "Then we can talk."

Jean-Jacques Lupien

Jean-Jacques silently held his position in the shadows, ready if needed to pull Isabelle through the cover of the doorway if the man pulled a gun.

The man hesitates and doesn't answer immediately. Jean knows that wasn't the most recent code that they were supposed to use. But evidently, she knew the man from her phrasing.

"Sacré bleu!" He exclaimed. "Ça ne peut pas être?" (It cannot be?).

He sets the light down so that it offers a dull glow that illuminates the small cellar well enough and no longer interferes with their sight.

He switched to heavily accented English. "Do you have a cigarette that I can have?"

They might remember their briefing: He will ask in English for a cigarette, and you are to respond, ‘I only have Lucky Strikes.’

Aramis appears to be injured, and anyone who is trained in Healing can tell the wounds are not fatal. He needs medical care, but doesn't look like he is dying.

{Isabella}

She thought to have recognized the voice and perhaps the form, so Isabella was relieved when the Frenchman moved forward to actually be Aramis. She went on to confirm the official codes.

"I only have Lucky Strikes." Isabella said in English and then knelt beside him as she saw Aramis relax. She did a quick survey of his wounds, and then looked back at the squad. "Do you have a medic amongst you?"

Her amulet warmed a bit, as was its nature in times of need. But, she was reluctant to expend the energies so early in this endeavor. In the least, she muttered a minor magical mantra that would have the effect of calming him further. Isabella put her hand on Aramis' arm and looked deeply into his eyes.

"It has been a long time, mon ami. We'll get you fixed up. Then tell us the situation."

Jean-Jacques Lupien

Jean-Jacques signaled the all-clear to the Captain and then followed Isabella all the way in, lowering his axe. As she asked if there were a medic, a shadow flitted across his face and he gave a brief shake of the head.

"Bonsoir, Aramis," he said, as he knelt and removed his pack. He took out Agent Rogers' medical kit and opened it.

The swarthy American, Private Dan Gregg, upon seeing the injured resistance contact, offered in English, "I'm best with fixing up machines but I can probably lend a hand."


((OOC if Isabella is using the pre-rolled stats of Rogers, she is the best qualified to make a Medicine roll. But Gregg is best out of the rest. Using the medical kit grants Momentum for 1 extra die on the roll.))

Aramis

"The troops discovered us south of town and we had a firefight, which is where I took this through and through." He grimaced at the wound.

"They are Black Sun and are led by Master Jans Stöller. He was identified when the convoy stopped in the village and
the local commander saluted and called him by name."

"I have no idea what they are up to but they were definitely carrying a lot of equipment. I watched the Black Sun takeover of the village and them unloading the trucks into the chateau. I went to the farm nearby where the radio was to make my report."

"When the Black Sun started rounding the villagers up and taking them to the chateau, it gave the resistance an impossible dilemma. Should they idly stand by while their friends and family were taken away for who knows what dark purpose? I urged caution,
but when young Francois saw his wife and children being dragged away kicking and screaming from his nearby home, it incensed him so much he couldn’t restrain himself. He charged outside and opened fire.

"In the gun battle that followed, the farm that the resistance was temporarily using south of town was burned to the ground. However, the Black Sun were sloppy during the attack. They killed many livestock and created a lot of smoke, which made it easier for a
few resistance survivors to slip away under cover.

Aramis knows the Black Sun are involved in the attack but what do they want? Were they trying to provoke the resistance into a response? What do they want with the villagers? What are they up to inside the chateau?

"You must help."

[OOC: Coordination + Medicine test with a difficulty of 1 to make Aramis more comfortable. Private Dan Gregg can pinch hit for a medic if necessary. Both Isabella and Sven Nilsen and heal using magic.

There is more information, but I wanted to give you a chance to interact and ask questions.]

{Isabella}

Apparently it was the medic that had died on the drop, she sighed. All Isabella had hoped for was some non-magical healing, but started do the magical prep-work along with the physical while Aramis spoke.

"We will, Aramis. We will." She spoke soothingly as she loosened her scarf and let her amulet loose as her foci for the healing spell. "Now. Rest for a moment while I start to work on your wounds."

[OOC: sorry. I got distracted on Friday, and never got back to writing. Tell me what I need to role again? I really didn't pay attention. :)]

[OOC: It isn't necessary to use Magic on Aramis, unless you wish to. A simple Coordination + Medicine will offer him respite. One of the NPCs the mechanic can do so.

However to discuss the nature of magical healing. All magic is uncertain and carries with it risk. Stress is the toil it takes upon the caster, in the form of fatigue, and eventually damage, if they don't recover from the stress.

Included in the write up are ways that Momentum can be spent. At the present time there are 4 in the Momentum pool, should you wish to spend any or all. Remember you can buy an additional d20 for one Momentum to improve your chances to come up with a better result, in addition to the spends listed below.

Healing
This simple two step ritual provides healing, fixing physical wounds, mental trauma or repairing the psychic
damage inflicted by the terrors of the Mythos.

Skill: Will + Medicine, Difficulty 2
Stress: 6
Steps: 2
Cost: 1
Duration: Instant

Outcome: The caster defines whether they are attempting to heal physical or mental stress. Stress is healed a number of equal to the caster’s power.

Miscast: If this spell is miscast, it inflicts stress, rather than healing, to both caster and patient. The caster can decide what
proportion of that stress is suffered by each and might choose to absorb all this damage themselves rather than risk further injuring their charge.

For 2 Momentum, all affected allies heal a single injury (physical or mental).

For 1 Momentum, any defeated allies within range recover immediately.

For 2 Momentum, the spell affects allies within medium range instead.]

[OOC: Sorry. I misread the previous post, so I'll let the physical medic take over.]

{Isabella}

After relaxing him, she soon realized that Aramis didn't need as much healing work as originally thought. Isabella had seen the one of the American privates move forward and would probably use him to finish up. She intoned words of a healing and relaxation mantra she had read in Vedic, as she shifted to the less costly and more effective physical work.

"Private. Hand me those tools. I can take the worst of it. You can finish up." The talking and mantra distracted her for a moment, and she fumbled at first. It had been a while since she had patched someone up. But with the medkit, she took the worst of the holes out of the resistance fighter.

[OOC Here were the rolls. Based upon my poor understanding - it is a d20 game and that with Coordination & Medicine she needed a 12. The first aid kit seems to give a second d20.

2023-11-24 22:01:30
Isabella physical medic work
Lionhawke rolled 1d20 and got 7
2023-11-24 22:00:24
Isabella physical medic work
Lionhawke rolled 1d20 and got 15

I figure one of them had to help.

Sorry I can't seem to grasp this part.]]

Every roll is 2d20. The target is attribute plus skill. Roll under. Say 8 is the attribute and 3 is the skill, target is 11 or less with 1 2 or 3 being worth two successes because they are considered critical success.

You did it right by doing two rolls the 7 is a success the 15 is a failure.

But even one success offers some benefit for helping Aramis.

In game terms....

Isabella's skilled hands wrap the wound and stop the blood loss. A bit more care and he is made as comfortable as they can make him.

OOC more to post this weekend but I wanted to get this out

((ooc she gets one more d20 from the first aid kit, right? Total of 3d20?

And critical on 3 or less would be because she has a focus of 3? We should put the pre-gens' stats up in the forum, maybe? I'm happy to help with that))

2023-11-25 18:31:33
Isabella 3rd roll if needed
Lionhawke rolled 1d20 and got 5

Thanks guys.

OOC Correct!

And sure! I will take the help! Thanks

Aramis

"Thank you my friend," he addresses Isabella for her aid.

He continues his narrative of recent events.

"Whatever is going on, the chateau is the key. These Black Sun have the entrances locked down now, and it looks like they expect trouble. We are too weak and scattered to fight them, so you must help us, rescue our women and children, and put a stop to
whatever foul business they are conducting in there.

"A direct assault would be suicide, although I suppose you might try to bluff your way in. That, too, would be extremely risky, for who knows what sorcery and foul magic they use to identify their own?

"Thankfully, there is another way; there are tunnels under the village, cellars, and earthworks going back before the time of Rome, which they run like a spider’s web out from the chateau. They were said to once be the haunt of creatures of the dark and a foul cult from pagan times, but that was centuries ago and probably just an old wives’ tale.

"It is a risk, but the tunnels are the best way to get inside without being seen. Go to my dairy on the other side of the village. In the barn is a milk truck. If you move it, there is a trapdoor that will lead you into the cellars and tunnels. There are also lamps
in a crate. I have never seen any sign of Germans there. Those keys will also unlock the barn and let you move the milk truck to get to the trapdoor.

"God go with you. Vive la France!"

{Isabella}


Isabella gently finished her medical work and patted Aramis on the arm reassuringly. She listened the details of what would be apparently their best plan. The Austrian woman looked up at the hardened soldiers that had crossed the world to save these people. She was a little intimated by her role in all this. She had had her share of adventures - but charm and knowledge of the occult were her skills. That and she knew her way with an epee.

"Vive la France." Isabella said it like one would say 'amen'. "It seems we have our way in. And I need to discover what Master Jans Stöller is up to...."

Jean-Jacques Lupien

Jean-Jacques had somehow located a dusty wine bottle in the cellar that was a third full. After removing the cork, he sniffed at it. It had not completely soured so he took a swig and screwed up his face in mild disgust. The burning felt good against his throat after the chill of the unnatural storm.

He half-heartedly offered it to the Captain, in silence, as Aramis told his tale.

"Tunnels, eh?" he asked, skeptically. The idea of crawling in a small, enclosed space appealed to him less than the wine. "Il mauvaise nuit, continues."

[OOC: Assuming the tunnels is the party's choice, I have created a new thread The Broken Truck for us to begin that scene.]