Chapter 1.8: Lovecraft Lot

The abandoned lot is the shortest route to Hope. Easily cutting a majority of the walk time even if the party has to bushwhack to get to the other side. The remnants of a picket fence do very little to stop Vesper from trespassing into the lot, and it’s only when she loses sight of the sidewalk does the place start feeling truly liminal. As the agents and Cassidy walk deeper, the liminal feeling only deepens. Vesper, Lucian, Alric: roll notice

Notice: [1, 5] Result: Success! 🎯

Notice: [4 💥 3 = 7, 6 💥 5 = 11]+2 Result: Success with 2 raises! 🎯🎯🎯

Rolled: [7, 4]-1 Result: Success! 🎯

Lucian notices the glistening silk lines at ankle height before Vesper steps into one. One one is noticed, it becomes easier to see them cris-crossing the undergrowth.

Lucian immediately puts his arm up in front of Vesper to stop her from progressing further. “Look at this” he crouched down to get a closer look at it. Is it spider web? That wasn’t on their radar at all. He is torn between wanting to continue moving towards Hope and figure out what is going on here.

It’s thicker than a spiderweb, and sticky. Leaves stick to it.

"Leave it," Vesper says. "We're taking a shortcut, not exploring."

The Dawn agents trek farther into the overgrown garden, Cassidy studiously following exactly in the footprints of Vesper. “They say this place is haunted. There’s like two dozen places around here that are rumored to be haunted, I’m pretty sure this one was on the list, though it wasn’t in the top half.” She says, trying to be helpful.

This lot seems awfully long…

Hope, from Lucien’s location share, they don’t seem to be getting much closer.

The abandoned lot swallows Cassidy's words, uneasy silence pressing down on us as we delve deeper into the lot's tangled overgrowth. Ivy coils across the cracked pavement like grasping fingers, reaching from the shadows pooled beneath sagging beams, dark and viscous as spilled ink. The faint murmur of wind stirs drifting leaves in an arrhythmic susurration.

Something's wrong. Inara's voice rings clear in my mind. It shouldn't be taking this long to reach the other side.

The jungle of vegetation behind us seems endless, with no sign of the picket fence or sidewalk marking the lot's edge. "No turning back now," I say with more firmness than I feel. "Stay close, everyone."

I mean, yeah, with the existence of Weirds I can't really be surprised about ghosts being real. What's their thing again? Being spooky? They throw stuff around, make noises, move furniture, but do they actually ever do anything dangerous? I should read up on that.

Alric follows along. He's tempted to go explore - what's the worst that could happen? - but there's also books he has to dig into. He makes a note to revisit this place later, if it actually turns out haunted. Speaking of which.

"What are the places on the top half of the list?"

I grin despite myself. It's the sort of question I might have asked five or ten years ago. "Now isn't the time, Alric," I say. "Once we kill the weird I promise I'll give you all the answers you're looking for. Just... stay focused for now. Please."

"Alright, fine. Deal!" Alric quickly notes down her exact words. He's sure he'll have to quote her at a later point.

My grin widens as I watch him scribble in his notebook, but I hide my amusement beneath a serious expression after a few seconds. Have to lead by example. Right.

After a few moments of silence. "On another note - my clothes aren't made for hiking. How far are we? Are you guys sure this is a shortcut?"

"Less sure than I was," I admit.

A critter the size of a raccoon ambles out of the undergrowth and casually lashes at Vesper, who is in the lead. Opposed athletics check to avoid getting grappled

Rolled: [8 💥 3 = 11, 0]+1 Result: Success with 2 raises! 🎯🎯🎯

dodge: [4 💥 3 = 7, 6 💥 3 = 9] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

The critter binds Vesper’s legs in a surprisingly long tentacle and trundles over to the next closest trespasser, Lucian.

Hope, someone is in trouble in that vacant lot there. Someone you know. You can feel it in your gut.

**Vesper:** :black_joker: Joker! Act whenever you want in the round! Also add +2 to all Trait and damage rolls this round!
**Lucian:** Ace ♠︎
**Alric:** Ace ♦︎
**Critter:** King ♠︎
**Cassidy:** 5 ♠︎
**Hope:** 4 ♠︎

Let me front, Inara says.

I ignore her, hands already moving through a spellform. First two fingers together, cross, then flip — I've seen Inara do it a hundred times. How hard can it be?

sunfire lace: [9, 4] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

Roll 3d6+2 damage.

sunfire damage (3d6 + 2) results: 6, 1, 6 total: 15

The hot purifying sunlight explodes in the thick vegetation. Searing light momentarily blinds everyone, but when the spots clear from everyone’s eyes, they can see the creature has been throughly defeated. Bleached and burned as it is, it’s hard to tell what it once was. The tentacles slacken, no longer binding Vesper with any strength.

“Vesper! Are you okay?!” That thing came out of nowhere. And he thought he was paying attention!

Click. Flash. Photo.

The carrion in the photo is blurry and indecipherable.

Another critter emerges from the undergrowth and drags the corpse of its fellow away.

Alric, of course, tries to capture that moment on camera as well. Click. Flash. Photo.

It’s really hard to decipher what is going on in the photo. A blurry image of a possum scavenging? A dead deer, nearly split in half with entrails spun between the two halves? A pile of snakes? Land octopuses?

Cassidy has a white-knuckle grip on her pepper spray. “Looks like it’s not ghosts.” She mutters.

Alric looks at the photos, and tucks them away. A mystery for another day.

"Yeah, so, these things are coordinating, and there's probably many of them, and they'll probably be pissed at the death of one of theirs. So, Lucian, could you please lead us the fuck out of here." Alric is obviously stressed. He does not like nature. This is not his favorite terrain.

Lucian partial shift his ears and nose +1 Agility, Notice d6 and starts to hear and search for a way out.

WHAT THE FUCK

Alric takes a few steps back.

Can Lucian notice a way out?: [3, 6 💥 6 💥 3 = 15]+2 Result: Success with 3 raises! 🎯🎯🎯🎯

The wind blows and the scent of Hope comes from… that direction!

"Smell Hope. Follow me." Lucian has not noticed Alric's fright and begins to move.

, there was a flash of light in the vacant lot near you, in the direction your gut tells you someone is in danger.

What do you do this round?

Hope sprints towards the flash. How far is it?

It’s maybe a couple minutes run away. (Estimated two rounds of running.)

Round 2 Initiative Order:
**Cassidy:** 9 ♥︎
**Critter:** 8 ♠︎
**Hope:** 7 ♦︎
**Vesper:** 5 ♠︎
**Lucian:** 4 ♦︎
**Alric:** 3 ♠︎

Cassidy doesn’t need to be told twice. She’s following right behind Lucian, seemingly ignoring the fact that his face is half wolf.

Another of the critters emerges from a large molehill in front of Lucian.

It casually lashes out with whipping tendrils to catch the passing nuisance.

Rolled: [5, 0] Result: Success! 🎯

Wrong die, please ignore

grapple attack. Contest with Athletics (1dNaN) results: NaN total: NaN

Grapple attack, contest with Athletics: [7, 0] Result: Success! 🎯

Contest Grapple: [2, 5] Result: Success! 🎯

Lucian gets entangled by the creature.

Hope, soon there are sticky webs crisscrossing the overgrown vegetation. Make an athletics roll

Rolled: [4, 3] Result: Success! 🎯

Hope sees the trap lines in time to avoid getting entangled. She's nearly there! Hope will arrive at the party next round

My hands are already moving through the forms before I can fully process what's happening.

sunfire: [3, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

damage (2d6) results: 2, 6 total: 8

Vesper did good in not hitting Lucian and only the indistinct creature ensnaring him. It seems to flinch back from the searing lance and it's grip slackens some. Lucian gets a +1 to his next athletics roll to break free while the thing is Shaken.

attempt to break free: [2, 4]+1 Result: Success! 🎯

(Modifier = +2 from tentacles, +2 because Lucian was entangled): [2, 0]+4 Result: Success! 🎯

Lucian remains in the creature's grip.

"These things are tough, don't let it get a hold of you!"

There is nothing to work with. NOTHING. What am I supposed to do, in a FUCKING JUNGLE?! I'm not made for this.

There is a problem, and it has to be solved. He takes a deep breath, and focuses.

I can't believe it has come to this.

His mind racing, battered, yet he comes to a conclusion.

...

I need a stick.

Alric looks around, trying to find a good stick. Does he find one?

There are plenty of branches and cane-like plants. There are a few large dead branches and many twigs forearm length and shorter.

He finds what he's looking for. A stick. A good stick. The kind of stick you take with you when hiking.

Alric picks it up and tries to bop the tentacle monster.

"Damnit Alric what are you doing?!"

???

"My best? What else do you want me to do??? You're the expert!!"

Hitting the tentacle monster with a stick.: [3, 4]-5 Result: Failure ❌

The monster and Lucian each get a face full of dead leaves and twig scratches from the branch Alric strikes with.

Lucian has to spit out leaves. “Phft! Hauk! Not! Helping!” Lucian gets out between bops with the branch.

Round 3 Initiative Order:
**Critter_1:** Ace ♦︎
**Alric:** Queen ♥︎
**Cassidy:** Jack ♦︎
**Critter_2:** 9 ♦︎
**Lucian:** 9 ♣︎
**Hope:** 4 ♣︎
**Vesper:** 3 ♣︎

Critter holding Lucian shakes iself of being shaken: [5, 0] Result: Success! 🎯

The creature attemps to secure it's hold on Lucian: [2, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

Lucian, please make an opposed athletics check with a -2 for being entangled

Lucian opposed athletic check: [3, 3]-2 Result: Failure ❌

spends a bennie

Lucian opposed athletic check: [1, 4]-2 Result: Failure ❌

Lucian is now Bound by the creature.

“Ah! It’s getting tighter!”

THIS IS FINE THIS IS COMPLETELY FINE

Hitting the tentacle monster with a stick, again: [3, 5]-5 Result: Failure ❌

Cassidy takes aim at the largest mass of creature on Lucian's legs. "Pepper spray, watch out!" she warns Lucian.

Cassidy used Pepper Spray!: [4 💥 1 = 5, 2] Result: Success! 🎯

How effective is it against the creature?: [6 💥 1 = 7, 0]-2 Result: Success! 🎯

The creature writhes where the capsaicin touches it, but is not stunned.

A second (or fourth?) creature crawls forward to attack Cassidy

Critter_2 entangles Cassidy: [6, 0] Result: Success! 🎯

Cassidy tries to get away: [5, 1] Result: Success! 🎯

The second creature snatches her leg as she tries to skip back. Cassidy shrieks and kicks at it, but is unable to get away.

attempt to break free: [3, 1] Result: Failure ❌

Hope comes running around the corner. Lucian is being grappled by a ... Tentacle monster? Alric is trying to hit it with a stick. Another is going after a civilian who is there for some reason. Vesper seems to have incinerated one but can only cast so fast.

Hope fires on Lucian's attacker: [1, 6 💥 1 = 7] Result: Success! 🎯

AP 1 (2d6 + 1) results: 5, 1 total: 7

The one holding Lucian flinches back from the bullet wound.

Second gun: [9, 2] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

AP 1 (2d6 + 5) results: 2, 4 total: 11

The critter holding Lucian is now dead, its tentacles go slack.

I turn my attention to the third tentacle creature. Inara says something about mana that I don't catch — too focused on casting.

sunfire: [8, 2] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

undefined (3d6) results: 3, 3, 4 total: 10

The creature holding Cassidy burns with another flash of sunfire. Cassidy stumbles back to her feet, shaking with adrenalin.

Round 4 Initiative Order:
Vesper: :black_joker: Joker! Act whenever you want in the round! Also add +2 to all Trait and damage rolls this round!
Alric: Jack ♦︎
Hope: 10 ♥︎
Cassidy: 10 ♣︎
New_Critter: 4 ♣︎
Lucian: 3 ♦︎

All creatures currently in sight are dead, but it is only a matter of time before another emerges.

"Good job you two! We should probably get out of here."

I give Lucian a shaky grin, slightly embarrassed to be trembling just as badly as Cassidy. It's not my first fight — but it's been years since I've fought without the dissociative barrier numbing my emotions and Inara guiding my body through the entire affair with surgical precision.

We're out of mana, Inara says. More or less. You might be able to dig deeper but I wouldn't count on it.

"We need to go," I say, already on the move. "Keep an eye out for more of those things."

"Hope, cover while we move in your direction."

What color are the tentacle monsters?: [10 💥 5 = 15, 3]-1 Result: Success with 2 raises! 🎯🎯🎯

As Alric focuses on the creatures, he notes that they don’t seem to have a very definite color. Like an optical illusion, they appear light in the light and dark in the shadows. It may be that they can rapidly camouflage themselves, or it may be that they aren’t interacting with light in the way that his eyes and brain can easily process. Light, dark, brown, pink, green; those feel the most correct, but not entirely correct. Their anatomy is confusing. Each one of them are obviously the same type of creature, but it’s hard to pin down the similarities and differences. They obviously have tentacles when they are ensnaring people, but otherwise it’s hard to tell how many and what type of limbs they have. They could appear to be furred or scaly or chitinous or slick… are those eyes? They possibly have eyes covering their whole body.

As usual, nothing makes sense. Let's tag this as magic and move on.

Alric drops the stick, runs over to the incomprehensible racoon-sized monster (the one shot to death, not the burned one), and stuffs it into his backpack.

He can feel confused looks coming from the onlookers. "Science? Do you guys not want to find out what makes these things so weird?" People, I swear.

Done with that, he keeps close to the group.

I nod approvingly. "Smart. You never know where the next bit of magical knowledge will come from. Now come on. Let's get out of here."

Hope stands ready to kill the any monster that might appear. Hold

Did she hit her head as well? This goes beyond concern for a teammate. This is her being NICE and SUPPORTIVE and AFFIRMING.

Cassidy carefully runs in Hope’s direction.

Another of the creatures emerges, digging up through the ground and grasping at Cassidy.

Creature attack: [3, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

Cassidy dodges: [1, 2] Result: Failure ❌

Cassidy stumbles as she’s caught right before she makes it to Hope.

Attempt to interrupt: [2, 6 💥 6 💥 4 = 16] Result: Success with 3 raises! 🎯🎯🎯🎯

Stop the interrupt: [3, 0] Result: Failure ❌

Rolled: [2, 2] Result: Failure ❌

benny

reroll first attack: [1, 2] Result: Failure ❌

Second attack: [5, 5] Result: Success! 🎯

undefined (2d6 + 1) results: 1, 6 total: 8

Ace (1d6) results: 6 total: 6

Ace 2 (1d6) results: 5 total: 5

final damage 19

When the creature emerges, Hope is waiting for it. Her first shot hits the dirt, but her second shot strikes true. Its "head" explodes into viscera, plugging the hole it emerged from with the other half of its body like a reverse tic imbedded in the ground.

(At this pace, everyone is about 5 rounds away from the safety of the sidewalk on Hope's side of the lot.)

"Keep moving," I urge. "Not far now."

Lucian, finally with a chance to catch his breath, makes his way to the rest of the group. Now is not the time for scouting. His mouth grows into that of a direwolf's and the rest of his face furs, ready to tear into the next blasted tentacle thing to come at him. -Agility -Notice, +Strength, +Bite

Round 5 Initiative Order:
Critter: Ace ♥︎
Cassidy: 9 ♠︎
Vesper: 9 ♥︎
Alric: 7 ♣︎
Lucian: 4 ♣︎
Hope: 3 ♦︎

This next creature trundles fourth and tries to snatch Hope.

Grapple check. Oppose with Athletics: [3, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

avoid grapple: [4, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

5 vs 4, Hope is grappled

Lucian looked to be grappled longer and more thoroughly than this, and he didn't actually get hurt, so Hope is not very concerned about this inconvenience.

Cassidy sprays the thing with her pepper spray. It's the only weapon she's got.

Cassidy used pepper spray!: [1, 2] Result: Failure ❌

She gets spray on her hands and the ground, but not much on the creature ensnaring Hope. She moves on ahead to get out of the way if Hope wants to fire on this creature too.

The well of magic I draw from normally is empty, but three bundles of power nestle deeper in my soul. All I have to do is reach out and take them, though something tells me they won't come back anytime soon. Whatever reserve I'm burning through now, it's a finite one.

sunfire: [1, 3] Result: Failure ❌

Vesper summons another lance of sunfire, though between the thick vegetation and the need to move lest she becomes entangled by another creature again, Vesper's shot goes wide.

Even using the hidden wells of power within her and not actually "drawing from her life force" as Inara would put it, Vesper feels the familiar slight disassociating fog that comes with excessive magic use. She's still present and in control, but exhausting everything would be bad.

Alric's turn

Alric takes off his backpack, takes it by the straps, and starts smacking the tentacle monster with it.

Smacking the tentacle monster with his backpack: [2, 1]-5 Result: Failure ❌

The tentacle monster oozes the majority of its body to the other side of Hope's legs to dodge the bulky backpack blows.

Lucian's turn

Lucian races over to the tentacle monster prepared to give it a vicious bite.

Does Lucian chomp down?: [4, 6 💥 1 = 7] Result: Success! 🎯

undefined (2dNaN) results: NaN, NaN total: NaN

Damage (sum both dice): [3, 5] Result: Success! 🎯

8 damage The creature is shaken, but still alive.

Hope's turn. (Hope is Entangled, so has a -2 modifier to trait rolls)

Two shots, point blank.

Rolled: [1, 2] Result: Failure ❌

second shot: [2, 6 💥 4 = 10] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

undefined (2d6 + 5) results: 4, 3 total: 12

The creature, shaken and unable to wriggle out of the way of Hope's point blank shot, dies messily to her bullet.

Everyone is able to make a full move action, so the party is another round closer to the exit. (4 more rounds.)

Round 6 Initiative Order:
Vesper: 10 ♦︎
Critter: 9 ♥︎
Hope: 9 ♦︎
Cassidy: 4 ♠︎
Alric: 4 ♣︎
Lucian: 2 ♥︎

Vesper's turn

Vesper holds

Yet another critter emerges from what must be a hive underground. Thankfully they don't seem smart enough to swarm, they seem to just be on a steady patrol.

This one moves to snatch Cassidy.

"Why me?" She shrieks.

Creature used tangle!: [5, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

Cassidy used Dodge!: [1, 1] Result: Critical Failure! 💀

Cassidy fumbles for her pepper spary as it comes at her, but it slips from her already slick fingers. She fails to move fast enough and it gets a good grip on her.

Cassidy is Bound tightly.

~~Hope's turn~~ Inara uses her hold

I'm too slow to stop it from wrapping around Cassidy, but my aim is good enough to burn it off without hurting her. Probably.

sunfire: [10 💥 5 = 15, 2] Result: Success with 2 raises! 🎯🎯🎯

damage (3d6) results: 4, 1, 3 total: 8

The lance seems to blind and blacken the creature, but it is hard to get a clear shot on its vital organs without also skewering the girl.

Hope's turn

Rolled: [4, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

first shot damage (2d6 + 1) results: 4, 5 total: 10

second shot: [5, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

Have you ever tried to shoot a creature that messes with perceptions while it is wrapped tightly around an innocent bystander. Even at a range of mere feet, it is a difficult feat.

Hope executes it cleanly. That's just what heroes do.

Cassidy struggles to disentangle herself from the dead monster and scoops up her pepper spray. She's crying terrified tears, but resolutely does not wipe her face with her capsaicin covered hands. She stumbles after everyone else in the dash to get out of this awful place.

Alric, then Lucian, any other action besides getting out of here?

There's nothing to collect here. Or is there?

He looks around.

get me out of this foresaken lot Lucian is hustling OUT

Alric already got a monster cadaver. There are plenty of sticks...

But no, nothing worth risking his life for trying to collect

Alric sticks with the group, keeping an eye out to make sure that everyone, including Cassidy, sticks together.

Remaining ammo: [4,4]

(3 more rounds)

Round 7 Initiative Order:
Cassidy: :black_joker: Joker! Act whenever you want in the round! Also add +2 to all Trait and damage rolls this round!
Critter: King ♦︎
Hope: Jack ♦︎
Alric: 8 ♥︎
Vesper: 5 ♠︎
Lucian: 5 ♦︎

When the next creature emerges, Cassidy is ready for it. She should have two more uses in this bottle of pepper spray and by golly, she's going to defend herself with it.

Cassidy strikes: [1, 1]+2 Result: Critical Failure! 💀

... And she touched her eyes to clear away the tears to see...

"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!"

She can't she can't she can't! Everything she does just makes it worse! She lurches back from where she knows the thing to be, but she's currently blinded.

The creature grabs for the close easy target

Yoink: [7, 0]+2 Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

Cassidy is BLIND: [4, 2]-6 Result: Failure ❌

Cassidy is scooped up with barely any resistance and Bound fast. The creature starts dragging the screaming girl away.

Hope's turn

Pepper spray is for creeps in alleys, not magical tentaclebeasts

first shot: [9, 1] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

undefined (2d6 + 5) results: 5, 1 total: 11

second shot: [7, 6 💥 3 = 9] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

Utter overkill (2d6 + 5) results: 3, 1 total: 9

ammo: [3,3]

This creature is killed just like the last. Though Cassidy is much less able to clear herself of its dead grip as she's racked with sobs of terror and hot pain. Blinded as she is, she won't be able to run on her own.

Alric's turn

Alric moves over to Cassidy, rids her of the monster, and pulls her to her feet. He grips her hand. "Hold fast. We have to keep moving."

They follow the group, making sure to stay somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Are Vesper and Lucian going to do anything besides move?

no

no

(2 more rounds)

Round 8 Initiative Order:
Vesper: Ace ♥︎
Cassidy: King ♦︎
Critter: Queen ♠︎
Alric: 9 ♠︎
Lucian: 7 ♠︎
Hope: 5 ♦︎

Vesper, do you hold?

Yes

Cassidy attemps a Vigor save to stop the pain from her pepper spray: [1, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

Cassidy calms enough to let Alric lead her. Coughing, shuddering, and crying, but no longer screaming.

The trickle of creatures continues, this one approaching the center of the group from Lucian's side.

Grapple Lucian: [4, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

contest grapple: [3, 2] Result: Failure ❌

“Ahhh common not again!”

Lucian is Entangled

Vesper can try to interrupt. Alric continues guiding Cassidy, so it would be Lucian's turn next.

attempt to break free: [3, 6 💥 1 = 7] Result: Success! 🎯

Creature resists giving up its catch: [3, 0]+2 Result: Success! 🎯

Lucian breaks free! bite time

attempt to bite: [5, 6 💥 5 = 11] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

bite damage (summed with additional d6): [6, 6 💥 3 = 9] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

undefined (1dNaN) results: NaN total: NaN

undefined (1d6) results: 3 total: 3

6+9+3=18 damage

Lucian deftly frees himself from the things grasp. He. is. pissed. Embarrased by how easily these things keep grabbing him? No, surely, not. It's not like this is the very first test of the team and he has been absolutely FLOPING so far, mm mm. That's right, this anger is purely from battle rage and not because he is upset with what everyone must obviously be thinking of him so far. Lucian bites down on the creature with all his might and tears. He didn't know what he should be aiming for so now there are two roughly evenly sized bits of corpse to either side of him. That might have been a bit much

Hope holds

(1 more round after this one)

Round 9 Initiative Order
Vesper: Ace ♦︎
Cassidy: Queen ♣︎
Alric: 7 ♦︎
Hope: 7 ♣︎
Lucian: 3 ♦︎
Critter: 2 ♠︎

The group covers quite a bit of ground before the next creature appears. The faint rumble of traffic can be heard, even though this should have been just a small shortcut the width of a narrow block.

Everyone is on hold and ready for when the creature emerges and tries to snatch Vesper, who's in the lead.

Everyone is on hold. Vesper, you may roll athletics to interrupt the creature before it grapples you.

Vesper declines to interrupt. Would anyone else like to interrupt?

Alric won't. He'll continue pulling Cassidy with him, staying in the middle of the pack.

Lucian goes for the creature, it feels better to be proactive.

bite?: [6 💥 6 💥 5 = 17, 3] Result: Success with 3 raises! 🎯🎯🎯🎯

Contested athletics roll to stop interrupt: [7, 0] Result: Success! 🎯

bite!: [6 💥 1 = 7, 6 💥 2 = 8] Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

Get +1d6 to damage roll

bite damage (summed with additional d6): [4, 4] Result: Success! 🎯

undefined (1d6) results: 1 total: 1

4+4+1=9 total damage

Lucian pounces on the creature as it reaches to ensnare vesper. A well placed bite grabs its neck -- apparently it had a neck -- and its soft body breaks when Lucian worries it.

Round 10, final round, Initiative Order:
Cassidy: Ace ♣︎
Critter: King ♥︎
Vesper: Queen ♠︎
Hope: 10 ♠︎
Lucian: 8 ♠︎
Alric: 3 ♦︎

Cassidy just focuses on not tripping as Alric pulls her to safety.

This next creature attempts to go for the vulnerable center of the group now that Lucian has broken formation to tear apart itss fellow.

Grabbing at Cassidy and Alric: [7, 0]+2 Result: Success with 1 raise! 🎯🎯

Hope attempts to interrupt

Athletics to interrupt: [6 💥 1 = 7, 2] Result: Success! 🎯

Stop the interrupt: [3, 0] Result: Failure ❌

Hope successfully interrupts

Firing 1st gun: [3, 1] Result: Failure ❌

Second gun: [2, 2] Result: Failure ❌

benny

Reroll 2nd: [7, 5] Result: Success! 🎯

undefined (2d6 + 1) results: 4, 3 total: 8

The creature stops in its tracks, flinching back from the bullets and taking one in a non-vital location. Its swaying limbs indicate it is still alive.

Vesper's turn

sunfire: [7, 3] Result: Success! 🎯

undefined (2d6) results: 3, 6 total: 9

Vesper's flare of sunfire finishes the creature off.

Suddenly, the thick scent of monster viscera and the tangle of overgrown forest turns into the sounds and smells of the city and orderly pavement as the group runs through a collapsed portion of fence and back into civilization.

“Are we out? I think we are out. Everyone okay?”

My legs give out and I half-sit, half-collapse onto the pavement, heedless of the strange looks that the passers-by give me. My very soul aches, a deep throbbing pain from channelling too much magic. I know I ought to feel something — worry for Cassidy, relief at being out of the jungle, concern about the weird. But the emotions are distant, as if I'm looking at them through a thick wall of glass. It's like being trapped in the mindscape again, except I can still move my body, still turn my head and watch as the others talk among themselves.

Hope stands against the fence to hide the guns and reloads. [8,8] + [1,1]

</Scene> Continued in