Otto's Multiversal Mayhem

[arcanus]

“Fear is a disease that eats away at logic and makes man inhuman.”
- Marian Anderson

The men flinch and their eyes dart around the gloom in both anger and fear, before their attention being drawn to Otto by the small curls of electricity winding up the Voltiac braces upon his left arm.
Olivia stifles a small gasp more at the Arcane Science than the threat.

Most hold their ground cowering before a braver soul snarls "Es an invader boys!"

The assembly of Chimera is almost complete, however the analysis of the Etheric requires you to study the communication paths between the tripods visually.

[Otto]

'Nice try fella.' he takes on an even more authoritative tone.

'But my Name is Ottovo Crivens, a Sergeant in the Secret Police Restricted Operations Group for the Ministry.'

Leadership of 11

Intimidation of 14

Expend a deed/good egg point 8)

Bluff of 9

Otto hopes that Olivia won't rumble him, as he would certainly like to prevent splashing this sewer with more red organic material!

'I'm here to help sort this mess out. And I need your help!'

He lowers his weapon.

[arcanus]

The braver ones eyes narrow "German name!" and spits
"Ang on Sceritt, the Queen god bless er soul, wuz married to a German and e wuz a good sort!"
Sceritt turns and looks at the older chap, however he is greeted by the group almost standing to attention and each having removed their caps as a sign of respect.

A taller man who when speaking is immediately recognisable as of a more lofty sort " You say that the Ministry is endevouring to sort this mess out, how exactly are they to achieve this?"

Olivia remains silent moving behind Otto, in an attempt to remain hidden

[Otto]

Otto gauges the situation and decides to brash it out with the limited information he has.

'Well Sir. due to a house falling on me, and trapping me in a basement on the night that Horsell Common was struck by the invaders, I am as you might say a little in the dark myself on the situation as I sustained a heavy blow to the head from what I am assuming was from the falling masonry of the building'.

Otto moves towards the men slowly, a show a gesture of trust on his behalf. 'Why would the fuckers want to try anything anyway? I have the firepower and the tech' he thought.

'I managed to crawl out of the wreckage this morning, and in the delerium of what was at the time memory loss I was greeted by this carnage and widespread destruction'.

'My memory returned in time, probably triggered by my predicament, but it seems I still have large gaps in remembering things, so forgive me if I seem out of touch with some things'. he smiled.

'The answer to your question is I don't know. But what I do know is that I'm not going to stay on the sidelines whilst these machines attempt to conquer our great city!' he uses the patriotism angle

Leadership of 15

He brings himself to attention.

'I have already started! Only ten minutes ago, I, with the help of Olivia here, at least crippled if not brought down one of their walking machines. It lies in the ruins above us, and I plan to recover it for investigation.

Without turning, he gestures to the metallic bloody wreck now slung against the sewer wall.

'And this gentlemen, is the remains of one of their scouting vehicles. Which had the misfortune to get in my iron sights.' he adds with the barely veiled menace of intent.

'But I need help. Olivia has sustained breathing problems from the invaders poison smoke, and I need to find chemicals to counteract it.'

He addresses the man who asked him the question directly 'The personal touch always helps' he thinks as he begins his closing speech.

'All I can say at present is that from my current investigations, of which I need time to conclude; that I may have found a weakness to the invaders which I could exploit to their extreme detriment!'

'I have also received intelligence that the invaders have trapped a large number of our people against the banks of the great river'

Otto assumes that it is a big river otherwise people wouldn't be trapped against it!

'And we need to get our heads together and help them!'

[arcanus]

The men seem a little shocked by the barrage of rhetoric that Otto delivers so succinctly.

Scerrit scowls, while the well spoken man steps forward "Well sir in that case you have our assistance, Herbert Wells at your service!"

The older of the men grumbles "Aye the river, most folk have fled their omes, the monsters ave herded em there, poor blighters, Ferries l never taken em all!"
"Thas if the ferries get away" says another from the back sadly

From deeper in the tunnels a series of clanking noises silences the group

[Otto]

Otto shakes Mr Wells hand in the tense silence.

'Pleased to meet you.' he whispers to him as he looks into his eyes, gauging the mans mettle.

He then gestures to the other spokesperson of the group to come closer.

[arcanus]

Wells meets Otto's gaze, a steel runs through his return gaze.

The older spokesperson steps forward, looking around nervously as the clanging noises grow louder,
"Bambridge, Arthur Bambridge" he says, looking worried

[Otto]

What is the layout of the sewer? Is there only one way in and out?

Are the clanking sounds getting closer? Does it sound like the robot Chickens?

Is there a waterway in the sewer?

[arcanus]

What is the layout of the sewer? Is there only one way in and out?

Your on the junction of a T-shape, the other group approached from the right side of the tunnel, you could continue on to the left or back along the tunnel you entered.

Are the clanking sounds getting closer? Does it sound like the robot Chickens?

Yes, they are approaching from behind your tunnel, it could be, definitely mechanical or machinery.

Is there a waterway in the sewer?

Yes, although the parallel tunnels waterway if filled with the Red Weed.

[arcanus]

Gallion Hill, South Thames
"FIRE" roared the Gunnery Sergeant Major
Second Lieutenant Clifford Finch winced as the four remaining 6 inch 30cwt howitzers boomed sending shells down onto the three advancing Tripod Invaders.

The monsters were herding several thousand innocents onto a flotilla of ferry's and riverboats, although one ferry had already been decimated by an onslaught of black gas and then charred to ash by the dreadful invisible fire.
The foremost Tripod shattered its hull, its leg colliding with it and capsizing the floating morgue, the problem the artillery position had was that their barrage wasn't slowing the monsters and they were getting too close to the civilians.

"SAR" shouted one of the spotters, Finch blinked sweat, gunpowder and grime from his eyes, looking past the sapper he saw a fourth Tripod advancing down the Thames from the North.
"Damn" swore Finch, he knew they wouldn't have time to turn the guns in time, his attention snapped back to the three westward machines, screams split the air from the furthest edge of the quay, as the first tendrils of thick black gas curled around them and took their lives.
A dozen boats ignited like matchwood as the tripods tentacles swept its camera like appendage across the water.

"FIRE, DAMN YOU, FIRE YOU!" barked Finch
The 6 inchers roared, the Lieutenants eyes widened with fierce joy as the lead Tripod look a shell directly to its crab like canopy, the machine stumbled and then erupted in fire, a horrendous shrieking hit them as it tore itself apart.
Their victory was short lived as the foliage at the base of Gallion Hill smoldered and erupted, he barely had time to shout as the heat haze swept across the guns and everything went black.