Episode 1: Escape from Monster Island

Nighttime at the Azorean International Kaiju Sanctuary.

Doubling as a nature preserve and prison for the world's largest monsters, the Azores sit in the bosom of the Atlantic Ocean almost a thousand miles from any human populated areas. This volcanic island chain of nine islands boasts a variety of terrain - from subtropical forests, pasturelands, and volcanic fields, to mountains, black sand beaches, and windswept seaside cliffs. The largest island in the archipelago serves as the abode for a majority of the Sanctuary's residents. Known as São Miguel Island to the Portuguese, that name has been mostly retired in favor of the more popular name, "Monster Island". Here, the kaiju are spread fairly evenly across the island's more than 287 square miles of space, each having claimed a chunk of land for themselves. A few of the more reclusive kaiju, particularly those that don't mind taking a swim, have staked their territory on the other Azorean islands such as Pico, Terceida, Faial, and Santa Maria. The sea floor around the islands drops off quickly not far from the shore, providing plenty of depth for ocean-going kaiju to move around in the local waters.

Most of the human towns and structures that once dotted São Miguel have long been flattened or overtaken by nature. Ironically, the absence of humans has done much to replenish the ecology of the island, despite its colossal, earth-shattering inhabitants. Only the occasional standing ruin or crumbling road still protrudes here and there - a sobering reminder that the Azores was once home to almost a quarter of a million people. Still, humanity's presence hasn't completely withdrawn. Even the least intelligent of the kaiju on Monster Island seems cognizant of the fact that the Sanctuary is, more or less, a prison to hold them. Far in the distance, several miles from shore, the faint lights of the U.N. international flotilla can be glimpsed floating in the darkness, forming a blockade that encircles the island. Although these lights once prompted the kaiju into battles with the KTF, most of the Sanctuary's residents have come to associate the lights with the arrival of metal giants that serve the humans. Likewise, the offshore weapon batteries have done their share of damage to the island's inhabitants.

On a clear night like tonight, a survey of Monster Island reveals nothing unusual from any other night. The island's lush green forests blanket most of the region, broken only by towering black shapes silhouetted against the moonlight. Given their size, it's easy to mistake these motionless black forms for small mountains or rocky outcroppings in the distance... until they slowly begin to lumber through the landscape. Sounds produced by inhuman vocal chords pierce the nighttime silence and echo across the island. Large splashes in the ocean off of the coast hint at massive "things" moving beneath the waves. Fire and smoke arise from Kirashaku's territory as the kaiju uses its flame breath to cook a beached whale before dragging it inland. The insectoid kaiju called Lepidoptera has taken to the sky; its colossal luminous forewings blotting out part of the moon like a butterfly-shaped lunar eclipse. And at the westernmost portion of the island, coming from within a flooded volcanic caldera, a pale blue glow marks the nesting place of Daitatsu, the Monarch of Monsters. Most kaiju instinctively understand to give the Great Dragon's territory a wide berth.

Yet tonight, your kaiju feel a sudden pull to head toward Daitatsu. Regardless of what you're doing - whether hunting, or resting, or roaring challenges to a rival - you feel the inexplicable, subconscious impulse to approach the western part of Monster Island. Your entire sentai seems to receive this call, and so you begin to move in Daitatsu's direction. Land trembles, waters roil, and hurricane-force winds churn as you make your way to the caldera.

All of you make the nighttime trek across Monster Island to reach the home of Daitatsu.

For the flyers and swimmers, the journey is uneventful. Only a few kaiju are capable of going airborne, and they tend to avoid each other's airspace. Aside from Taclydus, the only other flyer currently in the sky in Lepidoptera. The gigantic butterfly kaiju is perhaps one of the least aggressive monsters on the island. As she sees you approaching, she moves north to give you a wide berth. It's a clear gesture of deference, as though to say "...I don't want any trouble..."

Likewise for Straj, the only other kaiju that predominantly lives in the waters around Monster Island is Fringehead. However, the bellicose leviathan typically spends much of its time sleeping in a bay at the northern side of the island, so swimming along the south coast is a safe and easy journey.

For the land-based kaiju, the trip to the western tip of the island is barely a hour's walk, probably less depending on where you are when you receive the Call. It's a quiet night; at the moment, the only sounds are your own thunderous footsteps. Swathes of forest jolt and shake with each passing footfall. As you travel westward, the island's picturesque scenery changes from woodlands and empty fields to rolling hills and small mountains dotted with the occasional lake or pond. The trip to Daitatsu's nest forces you to skirt uncomfortably close to the territories of a number of other residents in the Sanctuary... some of whom are known for their hostility toward their fellows.

You trudge along the edge of the the laurel woods claimed by the kaiju known as Razorback, and the sound of rocky grinding grows louder as you approach. The massive ankylosauroid boar can be seen sharpening its tusks against a mountainside with swift, punishing thrusts. At your passing, the kaiju stops and watches; its eyes reflecting the moonlight not unlike a cat. Razorback shifts its armored, bristle-clad body in your direction and lowers its head, pawing aggressively at the ground with its hooves as though readying to charge. Ultimately though, the kaiju takes no action other than staring you down. Why he doesn't attack, who can say? Perhaps the monster also heard the Call and knows better than to interfere.

Further on, you walk near the hunting grounds of Tsuchigumo, which is obvious from the thick webs of spider silk that coat the surrounding terrain like a delicate white blanket. You glimpse its burrow in the distance, and the giant spider scuttles to the entrance in order to observe your passing with its many dead black eyes. Only its head, thorax, and a few spindly legs are visible; the rest of its bulbous body remains out of view. The kaiju's fang-like chelicerae are continuously moving, and the fresh bones scattered in front of its burrow seem to indicate that the creature just finished a meal. Most likely one of the large mammals that the humans regularly place on the island as foodstuff for the inhabitants.

The territory claimed by Nachtmacher is carefully patrolled by its resident kaiju - at least during the night - and the nocturnal superspecies dromaeosaur quickly makes his presence known when you get too close. Although seemingly hesitant to start a fight, the lightning-spewing mega-raptor also brooks no encroachment into his home turf. With quick, agitated movements, the kaiju paces back and forth along what he perceives to be the edge of his land, inadvertently smashing trees aside with his wildly thrashing tail. He chirps and growls at you. Like a tesla coil, split-second arcs of electricity periodically crackle across his inky black skin. The air smells of smoke and ozone. Nachtmacher anxiously taps his sickle-like toe claws against the ground and guards his territory with manic vigilance until you've moved far passed it.

Eventually, the terrain gives way to basaltic lava fields. You begin to see billowing steam vents and bubbling hot springs that hint at the volcanism below the earth. You approach the mountainous caldera claimed by Daitatsu and scale its sloped side. By now, the pale blue glow emanating from within the crater is many times brighter than the light of the Moon. Upon reaching the summit or flying above it, you see the nest of the Great Dragon. Known as the "Caldeira das Sete Cidades" to the original human inhabitants of São Miguel, the caldera is over three and a half miles across. Once covered in lush green foliage, the plant life within the caldera is mostly dead; killed off by Daitatsu's radioactivity. The long dormant stratovolcanic crater is largely flooded, and a shallow lake sits at its base. At the center of the crater lake is a small islet. In actuality, the islet seems to be little more than a mound of dirt rising from the water. And resting on the islet, partially buried in the dirt, is the splotchy white egg roughly the size of an automobile. And then there's Daitatsu herself. At six-hundred feet tall, the Monarch of Monsters is imposing, to say the least. She is easily twice the height of even the largest kaiju in your sentai. Her reptilian body is vaguely humanoid in shape; she's bipedal, but that's generally where such comparisons to humanity end. As her nickname suggests, the Great Dragon anatomically resembles popular depictions of a Western mythological dragon. She sports a long snout with a colossal incisor-filled maw wide enough to swallow kaiju at the smaller end of the size scale. Her tail is sinuous yet powerful; hundreds of feet long and capable of leveling skyscrapers with a hard swipe. Her hands and feet end in claws the length of semi-trailers, and a row of vicious-looking spines and jagged upright plates adorn her back, running from the base of the head to the tip of the tail. A pair of membranous wings, boasting a wingspan of nearly a quarter of a mile when spread, are folded at rest along the monster's sides. Perhaps the most notable trait possessed by Daitatsu, however, is her glow: a pulsing blue light that steadily leaks from her body. The light is eerie but too soft to blind. It emanates from the minute spaces between scales, from the edges of her dorsal osteoderms, and from the depths of her throat. Its as though the kaiju's abdomen is housing a small blue star and just barely containing its energy.

You find Daitatsu relaxing in the lake at the bottom of the crater, and her massive form is huddled protectively around the egg. Given her great size, the shallow lake is little more than a puddle to the kaiju. Her glow illuminates the water, making it glisten like an emerald and casting dancing lights along the inside of the caldera. At your arrival, the Monarch of Monsters lifts is titanic head in your direction, and her slitted reptilian eyes fix on you. You catch the glow of blue fire churning behind her eyeballs. Daitatsu rises to her feet cautiously so as not to disturb the egg. Her casual, unhurried manner indicates that she was expecting you. The Great Dragon's muscles are like coiled steel, rippling as she moves and encased in a scaly bluish-green hide that can shrug off most kaiju attacks with the same ease that kaiju can shrug off most human attacks.

Once you have all arrived, the Monarch of Monsters belts out a roar. Not an aggressive vocalization, but one of warning. It translates roughly to "Danger."

@Taclydus

At Daitatsu's suggestion of danger, you take to the nighttime sky and search for any obvious threats. You see the lights of the warships in the distance, but nothing else catches your attention. Beyond the island and the ships is just the endless expanse of ocean.

---

Daitatsu shifts her gaze around to each of you. She eyes Straj, making certain the cephalopod kaiju isn't getting too close to her egg, and then gazes up at those of you surmounting the caldera's summit. She exhales through her flared nostrils, and each exhalation unleashes what humans would measure as gale force winds.

The Great Dragon begins producing an odd chuffing sound; a deep gurgling from the base of her throat. The kaiju makes a series of head-bobbing and neck-stretching movements that are vaguely reminiscent of a bird about to feed its young. Her throat dilates and constricts repeatedly, and you see the outline of a bulge as is moves up her esophagus. After a full minute of this, Daitatsu lowers her head and opens her vast, toothy maw. She regurgitates the contents of her stomach: foamy stomach acid along with something large and partially digested. The mystery object falls onto the ground at the edge of the lake.

From each of your vantage points, you are quick to discern that its a detached head - a kaiju head, given the size. The flesh is somewhat liquified and digested away, and you see clear patches of brain without a skull. However, you're still able to make out some of the features it had in life: orange connective tissue like that of an octopus or cuttlefish, the remnant of lidless eyes, leaky pigment sacs, and bits of a rigid material similar to shell or carapace. Your powerful olfactory senses can still smell the creature; the odor is pungent and fishy like most things from the sea. More surprisingly, however, is that you each see and smell pieces of metal fused to the monster's flesh.

The Monarch of Monsters gives the malformed kaiju head a lingering look of disdain and glances at all of you again. She emits a deep rumbling growl, and the sound is intense enough to vibrate the surface of the lake around her. Even without words, her message is clear... she views this creature - whatever it was - as a threat. All of you have lived with the Great Dragon for years on the island and understand that she rarely considers anything a threat. Rival, certainly... the Monarch of Monsters has had her share of rivalries with other kaiju, and often provoked the humans out of rage or sport. But the notion of her regarding something to be a threat, as though it actually poses a danger to her existence, is alarming. Ever since she'd laid her egg, Daitatsu had noticeably grown more careful and reclusive. You could all smell that some of the kaiju on the island were beginning to wonder if their alpha was becoming weak...

What was the monster? None of you have ever seen its kind in the Sanctuary. Had it traveled here? There was a shared understanding among the giant residents of the island that something was happening in the world. The source of the feeling was unclear, but all of the kaiju felt it... a sort of constant unease. Many of the monsters were more agitated than normal, and fights between the kaiju were occurring more often. It was not unlike the stress response that some of the more territorial kaiju display when their territory is being invaded by an enemy.

Daitatsu points her head toward the horizon and makes a sharp flick of the snout, urging you to leave this place. Not the caldera, specifically. The island. She motions beyond the lights of the warships, and you get the sense she's indicating the human-held mainland across the ocean. She then indicates the human blockade surrounding the Sanctuary, roars defiantly in the flotilla's direction, and looks at all of you. Her massive clawed foot comes down on the decomposing head and crushes it with a wet splatter. Looking around, Daitatsu waits to see if any of you are brazen enough to challenge her authority.

Old instincts come to the fore. The Monarch of Monsters wants you to go on the hunt. Kill more of these creatures. They are a threat. Don't let the humans stop you. Rampage.

Straj

You swim out toward the naval blockade. Before you can reach the warships, however, you need to bypass the first line of containment measures established by your human wardens.

Around Monster Island is a ring of platforms that look very similar to offshore oil rigs. These platforms are placed several miles from shore, where they rise from the water like artificial islands of concrete and steel. From beneath the water, you can see that they are fixed to the sea floor by sets of massive pylons. The platforms are miles apart, and built upon each one is a sensor station and weapon batteries. You know these weapons are loud and shoot far, since you've witnessed them used on kaiju that have previously attempted jail breaks. The weapons can rotate and adjust in order to fire on airborne monsters. The platforms are also equipped with projectiles that swim through the water and explode at a touch; the humans save those for kaiju who try to attack the platforms from below. A mile or so beyond the weapon platforms are the warships that form the blockade.

Over the years, you've noted that the humans seem a little more comfortable with you than your fellow kaiju. Unlike the other residents of Monster Island, you are often permitted to swim passed the weapon platforms, though you still aren't allowed close to the warships. On some occasions, humans in white coats even take small boats out from the main ships and meet you in the local waters, using the opportunity to study and interact with you. You're quite certain that these humans in white coats, combined with your good behavior, are the reason the less-friendly humans tolerate your proximity.

As you swim to the weapon platforms, spotlights activate and swivel to shine down at the surface of the water. Likewise, an underwater light array attached to the legs of the platform illuminates the nearby depths. Somehow, even when you swim deep, the humans always know that you're approaching. You are able to pass the weapons platform unmolested, though it's clear that they are watching you.

You move toward the warship that's closest to you. At almost 500 ft. (152.4 m) long, the warship is several times your size. It looms out of the ocean like a kaiju in its own right; its weapons perpetually pointed toward Monster Island. The side of the ship has a colorful design, which is noteworthy because it contrasts with the gunmetal gray that characterizes that rest of the vessel. The design depicts a red cross on a white background, and the upper left quadrant has another red cross punctuated by additional lines of red, white, and blue.
You close the distance and begin waving your tentacles frantically. In response, the ship's spotlights turn to face you, and their beams converge at your location on the surface of the water. The lights are somewhat blinding and uncomfortable. At about 1,000 ft. (304.8 m) from the vessel, some of its gun turrets adjust their arc and rotate, training themselves on your position. It's your warning not to get any closer. On the deck of the warship, a number of uniformed humans have gathered and are watching your unusual display of activity. It seems as though they're trying to determine if your gestures are threatening or not. You are not able to make out much else.

Correct.

TaclydusUpon leaving the island, you immediately fly straight upward rather than across the water. You know from past experience that the humans release volleys of projectiles that can fly through the air and travel a great distance. Some of them can even follow a flying kaiju and explode on impact! Though the strange weapons are rarely capable to killing a giant monster, sometimes they do enough damage to disable a wing. Consequently, you know to stick to the heavens and go as high as possible. Even the weapons of the humans have their limits.

You soar ever higher into the nighttime sky until even the clouds are far below you, providing a blanket of cover.

Panghol & Straj

Panghol begins to employ his great size and mass in an effort to disrupt the warships with large waves. You begin moving into the sea, splashing around and trying to displace millions of gallons of water in the direction of the blockade. You watch as the water rolls away from you and toward the warships, picking up size and speed.

Being miles away, the warships don't initially notice anything in the darkness. However, Straj, you feel the turbulence that's coming. As the humans are on the deck of the ship observing your activities, you hear what sounds like a a trill klaxon sounding throughout the warship. The crew immediately scatter in a panic and rush to their stations. The humans clearly understand something is happening, and you can hear the underwater reverberations as the ship begins hoisting up its mighty anchor.

The vessel starts trying to turn its bow in the starboard direction to face the island, but the waves come too soon. You see large rolling waves emerge from the night and buffet the side of the warship. The waves don't seem to be especially damaging, since they've traveled miles from the island and have lost some of their energy. Still, the series of 20 ft. (6.096 m) waves are enough to violently rock the vessel back and forth. You see crew stumble and fall, and water surges across the lowest points on the deck. Yet, the ship remains steady, and its naval guns commence rotating forward toward the island.

Yeah sorry, trying to work that out at the moment.

Taclydus

You've lowered your altitude in order to better view events on the water, and your flying in fast circles overhead. You can see that Straj has approached the closest warship in the blockade, which is shining lights at him. The ship has begun turning to face the island but is being buffeted by waves originating from the shoreline. Panghol and Omukade are standing at the shore, while Boiuna is still in the caldera, peeking out beyond the summit. You can see movement happening on the closest weapon platform; it seems to be focusing its weaponry on the island. Meanwhile, there is also activity with the other warships. Each vessel in the blockade is miles apart, but you see the nearest ships to the left and right are beginning to react.

The bridge of the HMS Dauntless was a flurry of activity. Midshipmen and other personnel scrambled to man sensor systems and communications, while white-shirted lieutenants hastily coordinated engineering, gunnery, and various other departments over interphones. The Daring-Class Type 45 destroyer was in the process of making a sharp starboard turn on a northward heading to Monster Island, but sudden water turbulence was forcing the helmsman to focus on steadying the vessel. A ship-wide siren was blaring to alert crewmembers to take battle stations. What had previously been a quiet night was now anything but.

Captain Ross stood at the fore of the bridge, staring out through the main window and into the darkness. Sea water sprayed against the glass, and the constant rocking made it difficult to maintain balance. The older gentleman stroked his steel gray beard with stoic, measured movements, giving the simultaneous impression that he was deep in thought but also listening to every single thing occurring on his bridge. Next to him, Commander Chapman was barking orders at one of the blue-shirts manning the comms. The young woman was demanding urgent and immediate support from KTF Command, while also instructing another officer to hail the closest ships in the blockade for assistance. Nearby, Dr. Lessing nervously glanced around the room; he gripped a wall-mounted handhold to keep himself from falling over. The German kaijuologist had yet to develop his sea legs.

As senior naval officers, both Ross and Chapman wore perfectly pleated white shirts and pants, and their shoulders sported black epaulettes with yellow stitching denoting rank insignia. Chapman, the XO, approached the captain. She seemed entirely unfased by the ship's violent rocking motions.

"The USS Ticonderoga and the INS Kolkata are hoisting anchor and currently en route. ETA is six minutes. Satellites have sighted Panghol and Omukade on the western coast of the Sanctuary, and SATCOM believes an outbreak may be imminent. You think Panghol is having a go at us, sir?"

Ross adjusted his cap and shrugged. "It's unclear if he's attacking or playing. What is Straj's current position? I don't care for him being so close to us."

"He was holding at about 300 meters off our starboard side, and then suddenly submerged. Sonar shows him making his way back toward the island," replied the XO.

Dr. Lessing spoke up, raising his voice above the commotion of the bridge. The scientist was out of his white frock and dressed in civilian clothing. He spoke in English, accented but impeccable. "As I've said before, you don't need to be concerned about Straj. He has no history of aggression. If anything, I think he was trying to warn us."

Chapman glowered. "...or distract us while the others try to escape."

Dr. Lessing shook his head, emphatically. "I have personally interacted with Straj several times. He is highly intelligent. I don't believe he is a threat to us."

Ross furrowed his brow and turned to look at the good doctor. "Can they do that? Can the mega-organisms work together?"

The scientist nodded. "Pack oriented behavior has been observed in the kaiju before."

"God help us..." exclaimed Ross, softly. "And what about Taclydus?" The question was directed at his XO.

"He flew to an estimated altitude of nearly 3,000 meters. He's now descended and seems to be maintaining a holding pattern above the island."

The captain chuckled. "Outside the range of our Mark 3 Bloodhounds... clever bird. And what of the caldera?"

"All's quiet with Daitatsu." Chapman's voice had more than a little relief in it.

"Well at least there's that," said Ross.

Suddenly, one of the communications officers bolted from his chair. His hand was pressing a UHF headset to his ear, listening to the comms as he spoke. The commotion on the bridge quieted as everyone turned their attention to the ensign. He gulped and looked at the senior officers. "Sir... SATCOM reports more activity, which has been confirmed by weapon platforms 23 and 24. Nachtmacher and Senshuseki are fleeing the Sanctuary. The Yanks and the Chinese are about to engage them two kilometers off the north coast..."

The bridge went silent with shock; a silence broken by the occasional panicked murmur. Someone could be heard fearfully muttering "Dear God" aloud. Chapman's eyes widened and she looked at the captain. "That many? Have that many kaiju ever attempted to escape at one time?"

Ross took a few precious seconds to steel himself against whatever his inner doubts were telling him, and then addressed his bridge crew. "Enough of that rubbish! You are all officers of the Royal Navy, and I expect you to act like it! We've all trained for this. You know what to do... so do it." Looking at the young ensign on his feet, "Radio Director Tanaka. Tell him that we have a Level 3 Breakout Event in progress, and the flotilla is about to engage multiple mega-organisms. The animals are escaping the zoo." The captain shifted his attention to his XO. "Do we know if any kaiju wranglers are available?"

Chapman shook her head. "I was already on comms with the KTF. Strike Force Europe is shorthanded after Daimyo Dynamo and Tetsujin Epsilon were damaged in the attack on Munich. The giant mecha are on high alert in case of another Protostomion assault. Strike Force Africa is confronting Protostomions off the coast of Johannesburg, but they might be able to spare a few units. Still, they are three hours away at minimum."

The Captain shook his head. "We need a lot more than a few units to contain this. We need several squadrons." Ross looked to Dr. Lessing. "Give me our dossiers on Panghol, Omukade, Taclydus, Straj, and all the others." The kaijuologist nodded and rushed from the bridge.

The British Naval officer turned to address his crew again. "Portugal is less than 1,600 kilometers away. Under no circumstances are any of the residents of the Sanctuary permitted to reach the mainland. For Queen and country..."

Straj

Underwater lights activate once you approach the platform while submerged. You know that the humans can't use their exploding swimmers on you at this range without also damaging the platform itself. The water isn't very deep: only about 400 ft. (121.92 m). Your tentacles explore the foundations, which are fixed to the sea floor with concrete, but it seems as though each strut goes quite far into the earth. Around you is a maze of pipes and steel girders. Looking at the structure quickly (and having probably studied it in the past), you don't see any way to immediately disable the platform, short of attacking it. You could begin attacking the legs of the platform, though that will require some time and won't prevent the weapons battery on top from firing.

Alternately, you could climb the platform and try to disable or distract the weapons directly; the hope being that you're too close for them to fire.

Being underwater, you are aware of what's happening around you, though that awareness has less to do with your eyes and more to do with underwater vibrations. You feel the powerful engines of the two nearest warships starting up, changing their heading to converge at this location and assist their sister ship. Your tentacles can feel the vibrations of the platform as its weapons batteries power up and start to acquire targets - probably Panghol and Omukade. Taclydus might also be at risk, depending on how low he is flying.

PangholYou rush into the ocean to take advantage of the water as quickly as possible. You lower your profile into the sea and make a beeline toward the platform, sending one of your telluric earthquake-generating blasts at its feet. Unfortunately, the distance, as well as the intervening ocean, cause the attack to miss its target. You can feel the seabed shake somewhere beneath the waves, but not near the platform's pylons.

Taclydus' sonic blast goes wide. The ocean ripples and explodes about a hundred meters off the port side of the HMS Dauntless. A column of water the thickness of a football field erupts into the air. Waves buffet the warship, rocking it back and forth, and water rains down on its deck in torrents.

Panghol and Omukade both enter the water and begin making their way toward the HMS Dauntless and the weapons platform. Powered up, the platform's weapon systems appear to consist of large clusters of boxes that fire flying objects designed to explode on impact. Both of you know that these projectiles travel far and have been known to strike kaiju all the way on the island. However, what is more concerning is the parabolic dish that is adjusting to target Panghol. The massive reflector dish, shaped like a vertically-mounted bowl, has a long antenna jutting from its center. The device doesn't fire anything that can be seen by the naked eye, but its effects on the Sanctuary's residents are very real - intense pain and boiling flesh.

The weapon focuses its antenna toward Panghol and emits a loud, high-pitched hum.

At the same time, the HMS Dauntless has turned so its bow is facing the island and its oncoming inhabitants. As Taclydus swoops back up into the sky, the ship's forward missile battery seeks to acquire the giant pteradactyl as its target. Meanwhile, the Dauntless' 130mm naval gun has rotated its turret slightly in anticipation of Omukade. The gun roars deafeninigy, leaving a dark cloud of smoke as it fires a shell at the two-headed megapede.

Yes sorry, go ahead. For players, we’ll again use the highest card as the group initiative

Taclydus, dodging the missles as they come his way, dives down toward the Warship, flying down next to the ships and starts attacking the missle batteries with his claws.

Taclydus swoops down to the forward deck of the Dauntless. His massive wings kick up hurricane-force winds as he hovers just above the ship's bow. His talons immediately go to work on the warship's armored missile battery.

Straj

Your tentacles quickly rise from the water and reach to the surface of the platform. They coil around the large parabolic dish. It’s not difficult for you to redirect the dish away from Panghol. You can hear the motors at the base of the weapon groan in resistance as you tilt the dish upward.

The Dauntless is unable to use its missiles with Taclydus so close and tearing at the forward missile battery. The ship’s naval gun and rear missile battery attempt to acquire other targets, but by this point, Panghol and Omukade have both submerged into the darkness of the nighttime water. As each kaiju swims through the depths, the ocean’s surface bulges and froths in their wake. They approach the blockade like mountainous underwater torpedoes. In response, the Dauntless and the weapons platform launch torpedoes of their own.

From torpedo tubes in its pylons, the weapons platform unleashes two torpedoes that cruise toward Panghol.

Straj's tentacles crush and tear the parabolic dish off of the platform. The weapon groans as metal rends, and sparks fly as power cables are ripped apart. Overall, it doesn't take much effort. With that, the giant cephalopod makes his way to the Dauntless.

Panghol kicks up a massive cloud of sediment as he burrows into the regolith of the sea floor. The two torpedoes streak passed him, but being smart torpedoes, they begin making a wide turn in order to back track and reacquire their target. Taclydus continues to claw at the deck of the Dauntless with massive talons. Though he is tearing away chunks of the ship’s bow, the nighttime darkness and moving target makes it difficult to remove the launchers. Since the flying kaiju is too close for the ship to use its explosive ordnance, the Dauntless instead rotates the naval gun toward Taclydus and fires.

Meanwhile, the weapon platform forgoes attempting a lock and instead direct-fires its torpedoes at Omukade.

Two torpedoes launch from the pylons of the platform and strike the giant megapede. An explosion resounds through the water, followed a split-second later by a second one. The torpedoes detonate closer to the platform than is normally safe, and the entire structure shudders from the shockwaves.

The torpedoes travel back to Panghol's last location before he disappeared beneath the sediment, leaving silt-clouded water in his place. With no target left to acquire, the torpedoes both detonate automatically over the sea floor. Meanwhile, Omukade is too close for the weapons platform to safely fire any more torpedoes. The weapon systems on top of the platform have no unobstructed view of the megapede and cannot fire at her. The structure is at Omukade's mercy should she choose to attack it.

Taclydus is also too close for the Dauntless to fire any of its missiles, so it again resorts to firing its naval gun at the flying kaiju. The ship begins to turn, trying to expose its broadside to the two kaiju near the weapons platform so it can unleash a volley of cannon and missile fire. Perhaps a dozen miles away, the crack of naval artillery can be heard in the distance, and one can see small flashes of light in the nighttime darkness as missiles strike their targets. Other ships in the blockade seem to have engaged inhabitants of the Sanctuary.

The 130mm naval gun, instead of firing, suddenly explodes. Perhaps a shell was faulty, or the barrel was so hot that the ordnance cooked off and detonated. Whatever the case, the large cannon blows apart in a ball of fire. Pieces of smoking metal rain onto the lower decks of the ship. The upper deck, where the gun was mounted, is currently on fire and thick black smoke is billowing up into the sky, obscuring the humans' view from the bridge. Panicked shouting can be heard as human crewmembers respond to contain the blaze.

Yes, you definitely can.

For those who make a Notice roll and succeed, you are aware that there are warships to the left and right of your position. These other ships in the blockade have broken formation and are cruising toward you at maximum speed.

This isn’t unexpected. You’ve all seen how the humans respond to jail breaks. Kaiju that aren’t deterred by the weapons platforms and their painful MASER attacks are beset by the ships of the blockade. They converge on the fleeing monster in order to corral it back to the island (or to kill it, in the most extreme cases). The Dauntless’ reinforcements approach in the darkness. Silhouetted against the moonlight, they appear as giant floating bulks that bring bright lights and noise with them.

For those of you with some form of night vision, you are able to discern more details. One of the approaching vessels, the one coming from the south, looks to be roughly the same size as the Dauntless. The ship coming from the north, however, is notably much larger. It’s a massive seacraft, in fact. It’s perhaps twice the length of the warship that you are currently battling. The behemoth is heavily-armed and flat-topped, carrying a fleet of small flying vehicles that it uses to pester and annoy kaiju.

Straj wraps his mighty tentacles around the entire forward section of the warship and starts the pull. Human crew members respond in panicked surprise. Some run and take cover. Others fire their handguns and rifles at your tentacles, but their little pea shooters do nothing more than tickle you.

You begin dragging the warship through the water and away from your oncoming comrades. You can hear and feel the vessel’s engines trying to fight you with 54,000 shaft horsepower of propulsion. It’s not easy, of course, and it takes almost all of your strength to succeed, but Straj forcefully pulls the Dauntless off of its heading toward the island and the sentai.

Panghol

The main deck of the weapons platform is about 100 ft/30.48 m above the ocean's surface, supported by four massive legs. You begin to scale one of the legs. However, just as your kaiju reaches the deck, a large section of the platform gives way to your weight. Metal screeches and rends as a portion of the deck snaps off. You fall back into the ocean in an epic splash, followed by dozens of metric tonnes of debris.

Straj hastily unfurls his arms from the Dauntless as he sees Omukade rearing out of the water. The giant cephalopod moves to the port side of the ship and catches some of the projectile poison before it strikes the hull. Although the attack isn't sufficient enough to cause major harm to Straj, the kaiju can still feel the acidic venom eating away at his skin. The remainder of the poison sprays on the deck of the ship, and a handful of unfortunate humans die very painful deaths. The liquid begins consuming sections of the deck, though the Dauntless hasn't suffered any serious structural damage because of it, thanks to Straj.

Omukade is now directly next to the vessel.

As your sentai continues its advance from the island, your attention is briefly drawn by commotion in the distance, both beside you and behind you. Off in the darkness, you can see the night light up as missiles strike other kaiju targets that have taken to the ocean. You hear the crack of naval cannons and the high-pitched hum of MASERS. The deafening noise of the humans' weapons is intermixed with the sounds of earth-shaking bellows, screeches, and screams. You see bright trails of anti-aircraft fire trying to shoot down various flying kaiju.

It seems as though your jail break has served as a catalyst. Like a chain reaction, your sentai's escape attempt has triggered escapes by other kaiju on Monster Island. What was initially a few kaiju has turned into a mass breakout unlike anything seen in the history of the Sanctuary. All around you, weapons platforms unleash their arsenals on the escapees, and scores of torpedoes begin detonating against oncoming giant monsters. To the left and right of you, the warships of the blockade keep their broadsides facing the island and start bombarding anything that moves with hellfire missile volleys, autocannons, and naval artillery. Overhead is the familiar roar of jet fighters rocketing through the sky as aircraft carriers deploy their strike aircraft to harry the giant monsters. The nighttime is now illuminated by explosions, tracer rounds, and breath weapons of every variety.

It's absolute pandemonium, and the chaos is only enraging many kaiju even further, pushing them into rampage mode. Behind you, Emperor Wukong emerges from the island's interior and stands along the shore. The gargantuan ape looks out at the battle taking place before him and roars defiantly while beating his chest with two fists the size of houses. The members of his sentai follow suit and line up along the beach: Megaro, Shelenga, and others. Collectively, they launch themselves into the water and make their way toward a weapons platform and a pair of destroyers.

A mile away, the rock-skinned monstrosity known as Obsidilus leaps from the ocean and catches hold of a military helicopter in mid flight, pulling the hapless vehicle back into the dark waters with it.

Elsewhere, the kaiju called Cthura is firing spikes from its body at a heavy cruiser that is returning fire with its railgun.

The USS Ticonderoga, the aircraft carrier on course to intercept your sentai, abruptly comes to a stop and lurches 20° on its side as though having struck something submerged. It's enough of a tilt that aircraft slide off its flight deck and into the ocean. The rear keel of the colossal sea vessel even rises partially out of the water, and you glimpse the coils of something massive pushing into the Ticonderoga from underneath.

Most of the island’s inhabitants seem to be making a break for freedom. The only kaiju conspicuously absent from the fighting is Daitatsu. Unwilling to leave her egg unattended, you can see the Great Dragon watching from the caldera as the battle unfolds.

It takes a moment, but through the smoke and darkness, Straj sees the white coat humans grouped together on the rear deck of the Dauntless. They are all boarding a Chinook tandem rotor helicopter. It appears that the naval officers are evacuating all civilians from the vessel, which includes Dr. Lessing and the other kaijuologists and marine biologists. The blades of the helicopter are already rotating in preparation to leave. Once the last scientist climbs aboard, the large aircraft lifts off from the flight deck and heads in a northwest direction.