0020 - Plot line – Let the Environment Kill Them – Part I (0730 22 JUL 2000)

Now I need to consider the current situation. Grandma Topolski will have dumped the guys somewhere and there should be a certain amount of danger involved, as she will want to be pretty sure that they are not coming back. The current environmental situation (heavy rains with flooding) is a good vehicle because it poses a certain amount of danger without stretching the imagination too far.

Let’s start with a narrative to set the scene. Since Marshall is indisposed, we will have to get Griffin’s thoughts on the subject:

I remember the rain drop hitting me dead square in the eye. Unfortunately it was not alone and he and his buddies had me soaked. It was like being back in Ranger training all over again. Water was lapping around my boots when I found the strength to sit up.

My head was fuzzy and the thousands of drunk dwarves were pounding away on the back of my eyes. I was feeling a bit under the weather. It did not get better after I sat up.

My boots were down under and sinking fast. The water was visibly rising.

To my left I saw Logan and Robinson splayed out with the water rapidly covering them. To my right, Macron, Harris and Potato were enjoying similar slumbers. I hear a motor sputter and just made out that old hag puttering away in a boat up river. She would be getting hers but we needed to get out of here first.

The male members are trapped on an island in the middle of the river. The water is rapidly rising and will cover the island in twenty turns. In twenty-five turns, it will be impossible to stand on the river. The water is rising that fast.

All characters but Griffin are unconscious. They must make a regain consciousness and then swim to shore to avoid drowning. Recovering consciousness is a Difficult (x1) test verses their constitution. Swimming to shore will require three swimming checks at a Formidable (x1/2) level due to the currents. Failure will result in the character take 1D damage to their chest, with a catastrophic failure causing 2D damage and the characters loses one round of crossing. An Outstanding success with reduce the time required by an additional round.

The relevant Attributes/Assets are:

• Logan – CON 7;Swiming 10
• Griffin – CON 7;Swiming 10
• Harris – CON 7;Swiming 10
• Potato – CON 8;Swiming 10
• Robinson – CON 7;Swiming 10
• Macron – CON 7;Swiming 8

Griffin is awake and need not check for regaining consciousness.

Turn 1

The test for regaining consciousness are as follows:

• Logan – fail
• Harris – fail
• Potato – fail
• Robinson – pass
• Macron – pass

Turn 2

The test for regaining consciousness are as follows:

• Logan – fail
• Harris – fail
• Potato – pass

Turn 3

The test for regaining consciousness are as follows:

• Logan – fail
• Harris – pass

Turn 4

The test for regaining consciousness are as follows:

• Logan – pass

After four turns, the complete group is conscious. The team currently has no equipment but their fatigues. Grandma Topolski is nothing if not thorough. Now the group must swim the swollen river.

Swim Turn 1

Off they go, swimming to the other shore.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	3+1	16 (CF)	7	32
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	3-1	13 (F)	3	36
Harris	Swimming 10	5	3-1	13 (F)	3	34
Potato	Swimming 10	5	3-1	12 (F)	1	41
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	3-1	7 (F)	2	40
Macron	Swimming 8	4	3-1	5 (F)	3	42

Logan gets swept away buy the current and now has even father to swim. The rest struggle on, swallowing water as they do.

Swim Turn 2

Off they go, swimming to the other shore.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	4-1	7 (F)	7+3=10	29
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	2-1	11 (F)	3+2=5	34
Harris	Swimming 10	5	2+1	17 (CF)	3+9=12	25
Potato	Swimming 10	5	2-1	13 (F)	1+4=5	43
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	2+1	15 (CF)	2+7=9	33
Macron	Swimming 8	4	2-1	6 (F)	3+5=8	37

Logan makes headway but Harris and Robinson are caught up in the currents.

Swim Turn 3

The team continues on, swimming for all their worth.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	3-1	6 (F)	10+3=13	26
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	1-1	11 (F)	5+1=6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	3+1	20 (CF)	12+12=24	13
Potato	Swimming 10	5	1-1	11 (F)	5+5=10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	3-1	11 (F)	9+2=11	31
Macron	Swimming 8	4	1+1	19 (CF)	8+7=15	30

Griffin and Potato reach the shore. The rest are still struggling and both Macron and Harris are swept along by the currents.

Swim Turn 4

Some of the members are safe, others struggle on.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	2-1	5 (P)	13	26
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	4-1	2 (P)	24	13
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	2-1	10 (F)	11+3=14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	2-1	2 (P)	15	30

Everyone left in the water makes progress toward the shore. Only Robinson swallows some water this time.

Swim Turn 5

Those in the water continue to swim as Griff and Potato cheer them on.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	1-1	7 (F)	13+3=16	23
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	3-1	11 (F)	24+3=27	10
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	1-1	1 (P)	14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	1-1	5 (F)	15+5=20	25

Everyone but Harris has made it to the shore. Harris is progressing slowly but is struggling to get to shore.

Swim Turn 6

Most of the team are now safe. All watch Harris struggle onward.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	0	--	16	23
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	2+1	15 (CF)	27+7=34	3
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	0	--	14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	0	--	20	25

Harris goes down again and things are getting critical. He has lost all of his progress and is getting close to drowning.

Swim Turn 7

The team desperate looks for something to assist Harris with as he struggles on.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	0	--	16	23
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	3-1	10 (F)	34+1	2
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	0	--	14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	0	--	20	25

Harris fights on, swimming as hard as he can.

Swim Turn 8

The team begins to build a human chain to reach Harris. Potato and Robinson anchor the others as they try to reach him.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	0	--	16	23
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	2-1	4 (P)	35	2
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	0	--	14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	0	--	20	25

Harris gathers his last reserves and fights on.

Swim Turn 9

The chain is extended to Harris as he fights the currents.

Character	Asset	Target #	Distance	Roll	Total Damage	Remaining Chest HP
Logan	Swimming 10	5	0	--	16	23
Griffin	Swimming 10	5	0	--	6	33
Harris	Swimming 10	5	1-1	2 (P)	35	2
Potato	Swimming 10	5	0	--	10	38
Robinson	Swimming 10	5	0	--	14	25
Macron	Swimming 8	4	0	--	20	25

His last reserves gone, Harris manages to grab Griffin’s hand and the team haul him ashore.

We lay there panting on the shore. Harris was still spitting up a lot of water and Logan was really concerned about him. He was in a bad way. Old Lady Topolski was going to pay for this. At the moment, besides Harris’ condition, we had other problems like the fact we were stuck in the middle of war torn Poland and we had nothing except harsh language to defend ourselves with.

The team is badly bent. Logan, Griffin, Potato, Robinson and Macron have scratch wounds to their chests. Harris now has a slight wound to his chest, adding to the damage he suffered last time.