05-14-2021, 10:28 AM
SMASH!
The other vehicle plows into them at full speed. There's an explosion of metal fragments, shards of broken and splintered steel and aluminum, and Ness's demolition auto is bent almost in half. The impact flings her and Colossus around like pebbles in a can. It's a miracle neither of them are killed, but since Ness still has four points of Stress, she's okay for now.
They slide sideways as the other derby car continues to drive into them. Ness can see the driver craning his neck to look through the chicken wire covering the space where his rear window used to be. She wishes she could throw something at him, but it would be a meaningless gesture under any circumstance, let alone now. Better to do what she does: clamber out the un-mangled side of the vehicle and into the cascading dust.
Does the other driver push their car out of the arena?
(10[d10]) Yes, and...
... as the vehicle hits the lead edge of the old asphalt driving lanes, its knobby tires catch and the thing rolls. Ness has a chance to throw herself free, but it's going to be a close thing. But remember, I'm including "in the right place" in all these rolls, so that means a bonus die.
15 = 6[d6]+3[d6]+6[d6]
Two successes (and good ones!) do the trick. The vehicle flips. Ness uses the momentum to leap clear. She slams to the hot tarmac, and the breath is driven from her lungs. She rolls ten feet before she comes to a complete stop.
Did Colossus make it out behind her?
(3[d10]) No
Is he still alive?
(9[d10]) Yes
The demolition vehicle stops upside-down on the empty lanes as the demolition derby continues. The sound of engines is still deafening. The evening still scorches. Colossus is trapped inside the vehicle.
Here we face something of a conundrum. On the one hand, as a player I'd like to see Ness demonstrate a heroic tendency and rescue Colossus. On the other hand, Ness is a crazie and a survivor. To be these things at her age is to be utterly ruthless when the situation calls for it. Which tells me there's an equal chance, when balanced against my personal tendencies, for her to abandon him. I'm going to leave it up to a die roll.
So... does she abandon Colossus?
(7[d10]) Yes
That's our Ness! She takes one last look back at Colossus struggling to escape the smashed vehicle and then runs for it. Ness sprints for the stands. Guards posted around the arena move to intercept. Can she make it to the stands ahead of them?
(6[d10]) Yes
As soon as she hits the raceway's edge, she clambers up the rotted wooden barricade into the crowd. They tear at her, cheering like maniacs at the possibility that she might die or might live. Either one will do at this point. And the guards close on her.
The only way out is up. Ness jumps, crawls and runs as best she's able, pushing through the people, climbing over seats, even scrambling on all fours up sections of broken-down stairs. She leads the guards up, then up farther, until she's at the summit and looking down at the grounds below. It's too far to jump without killing herself. And even if she makes it to the bottom, there's yet another distance to cover between the stands and the hurricane fencing sounding the place. But going back is not an option. She MUST get down somehow.
This means climbing. Or, rather, descending. Just as the guards come near enough to grab hold of her, she throws herself over the edge and clings to the structure of the stands. She has to get down, get down NOW, and there must be no delays.
This calls for a roll. She's in a hurry, she's under duress and there's the chance she might fall. But don't forget that bonus die!
12 = 5[d6]+3[d6]+4[d6]
She descends as rapidly as she's able, hanging onto the supports like some kind of deranged wasteland monkey. Once she slips and plunges downward, only to catch herself by her fingernails (a five is barely a success)! But she makes it to solid ground ahead of the guards. She takes a moment to catch her breath and still her shaking, tired limbs, and then she's off again.
It's a short matter to reach the fencing. But have the guards caught up to her?
(10[d10]) Yes, and...
... one is close enough to make a grab for her!
Let's recall her Stress has been reduced to 2. She's running out of second chances. Can she slip his grasp?
6 = 4[d6]+1[d6]+1[d6]
No! So close to escape, she's caught! Though this does preserve her Stress. But we can't forget Ness is a vicious fighter, and there's chance she could still get out of this. She goes for the eyes, which is always the right move in a situation like this. Even a man who outweighs her by fifty pounds or more has vulnerable spots.
14 = 6[d6]+2[d6]+6[d6]
He reels backward, screaming after she rakes his eyes with her dirty nails. He has blood on his face, and instant tears. Ness takes no time to gloat, however. She spins around, clutches two handfuls of chain links and climbs.
The ferocity of her attack was enough to give the rest of the guards pause. It's only when she's completely cleared the fence that they gather themselves enough to pursue.
Ness isn't waiting around. She runs as if her life depended on it. Which, as a matter of fact, it does. Out into the clusters of vehicles brought by the spectators, and the temporary camps that might have been tailgate parties in bygone years. She ducks and weaves through any cover she can find, confusing her trail.
So the question is: does she shake them?
(8[d10]) Yes
And so she's in the open wasteland again, the sound of engines and cheering behind her. Away from Colossus. Away from Count Eater and Imperator Chain. Away from the bloody sacrifice of the human hood ornaments. Heading somewhere, anywhere, she can be safe.
Though how long could that last?
The other vehicle plows into them at full speed. There's an explosion of metal fragments, shards of broken and splintered steel and aluminum, and Ness's demolition auto is bent almost in half. The impact flings her and Colossus around like pebbles in a can. It's a miracle neither of them are killed, but since Ness still has four points of Stress, she's okay for now.
They slide sideways as the other derby car continues to drive into them. Ness can see the driver craning his neck to look through the chicken wire covering the space where his rear window used to be. She wishes she could throw something at him, but it would be a meaningless gesture under any circumstance, let alone now. Better to do what she does: clamber out the un-mangled side of the vehicle and into the cascading dust.
Does the other driver push their car out of the arena?
(10[d10]) Yes, and...
... as the vehicle hits the lead edge of the old asphalt driving lanes, its knobby tires catch and the thing rolls. Ness has a chance to throw herself free, but it's going to be a close thing. But remember, I'm including "in the right place" in all these rolls, so that means a bonus die.
15 = 6[d6]+3[d6]+6[d6]
Two successes (and good ones!) do the trick. The vehicle flips. Ness uses the momentum to leap clear. She slams to the hot tarmac, and the breath is driven from her lungs. She rolls ten feet before she comes to a complete stop.
Did Colossus make it out behind her?
(3[d10]) No
Is he still alive?
(9[d10]) Yes
The demolition vehicle stops upside-down on the empty lanes as the demolition derby continues. The sound of engines is still deafening. The evening still scorches. Colossus is trapped inside the vehicle.
Here we face something of a conundrum. On the one hand, as a player I'd like to see Ness demonstrate a heroic tendency and rescue Colossus. On the other hand, Ness is a crazie and a survivor. To be these things at her age is to be utterly ruthless when the situation calls for it. Which tells me there's an equal chance, when balanced against my personal tendencies, for her to abandon him. I'm going to leave it up to a die roll.
So... does she abandon Colossus?
(7[d10]) Yes
That's our Ness! She takes one last look back at Colossus struggling to escape the smashed vehicle and then runs for it. Ness sprints for the stands. Guards posted around the arena move to intercept. Can she make it to the stands ahead of them?
(6[d10]) Yes
As soon as she hits the raceway's edge, she clambers up the rotted wooden barricade into the crowd. They tear at her, cheering like maniacs at the possibility that she might die or might live. Either one will do at this point. And the guards close on her.
The only way out is up. Ness jumps, crawls and runs as best she's able, pushing through the people, climbing over seats, even scrambling on all fours up sections of broken-down stairs. She leads the guards up, then up farther, until she's at the summit and looking down at the grounds below. It's too far to jump without killing herself. And even if she makes it to the bottom, there's yet another distance to cover between the stands and the hurricane fencing sounding the place. But going back is not an option. She MUST get down somehow.
This means climbing. Or, rather, descending. Just as the guards come near enough to grab hold of her, she throws herself over the edge and clings to the structure of the stands. She has to get down, get down NOW, and there must be no delays.
This calls for a roll. She's in a hurry, she's under duress and there's the chance she might fall. But don't forget that bonus die!
12 = 5[d6]+3[d6]+4[d6]
She descends as rapidly as she's able, hanging onto the supports like some kind of deranged wasteland monkey. Once she slips and plunges downward, only to catch herself by her fingernails (a five is barely a success)! But she makes it to solid ground ahead of the guards. She takes a moment to catch her breath and still her shaking, tired limbs, and then she's off again.
It's a short matter to reach the fencing. But have the guards caught up to her?
(10[d10]) Yes, and...
... one is close enough to make a grab for her!
Let's recall her Stress has been reduced to 2. She's running out of second chances. Can she slip his grasp?
6 = 4[d6]+1[d6]+1[d6]
No! So close to escape, she's caught! Though this does preserve her Stress. But we can't forget Ness is a vicious fighter, and there's chance she could still get out of this. She goes for the eyes, which is always the right move in a situation like this. Even a man who outweighs her by fifty pounds or more has vulnerable spots.
14 = 6[d6]+2[d6]+6[d6]
He reels backward, screaming after she rakes his eyes with her dirty nails. He has blood on his face, and instant tears. Ness takes no time to gloat, however. She spins around, clutches two handfuls of chain links and climbs.
The ferocity of her attack was enough to give the rest of the guards pause. It's only when she's completely cleared the fence that they gather themselves enough to pursue.
Ness isn't waiting around. She runs as if her life depended on it. Which, as a matter of fact, it does. Out into the clusters of vehicles brought by the spectators, and the temporary camps that might have been tailgate parties in bygone years. She ducks and weaves through any cover she can find, confusing her trail.
So the question is: does she shake them?
(8[d10]) Yes
And so she's in the open wasteland again, the sound of engines and cheering behind her. Away from Colossus. Away from Count Eater and Imperator Chain. Away from the bloody sacrifice of the human hood ornaments. Heading somewhere, anywhere, she can be safe.
Though how long could that last?